Articles

Core stability

‘You must first be stable to move efficiently'

The group of muscles that make up the mid-section of the body, from the rib cage to the pelvis, are referred to collectively as the core. The term core stability refers to the ability of these muscles to provide stabilisation to the spine so that the limbs have a solid base from which they can produce power. There are thought to be 29 muscles that attach to the core. Many of these muscles help to generate the power we need to swim, bike and run efficiently and quickly. It is therefore important that we have adequate core stabilisation to provide these muscles with the solid foundation from which to perform optimally.

Our Neanderthal ancestors did not have to concern themselves with core stability training as the core muscles would be actively involved in their daily lives. As ‘hunter gatherers', life was all about trying to survive which demanded a great deal of lifting, running, carrying, and dragging, all of which naturally involves activation of the core muscles.

With ever increasing modern technology, our bodies are losing track of what they are designed for. The vast majority of triathletes lead normal working lives like everybody else, which often involves sitting in a car or at a desk in front of a computer for long periods of time. With more time spent sitting, increased repetitive movements, less manual work, and increased working hours, the core muscles become weak and the brain loses the ability to recruit these muscles for what they are designed. This is a recipe for dysfunction which leads to muscle imbalances, postural problems, and predictable patterns of injury.

When you sit in a chair, it is the chair that becomes the main support structure for the spine, and not the core muscles. Just for a moment reflect on how many hours you sit each day...... remember to include the car, the office, and the sofa! If that number is more than 3 hours then it is important to start training the core muscles to prevent (or reduce) the problems associated with too much sitting down.

By training the core muscles regularly you can educate them to ‘switch on' sub consciously whether you are sitting in a chair, riding a bike or lifting weights. For the body to operate with optimal endurance, strength, power and control the core stabilisation muscles must be developed. An efficient core produces efficient movement.

Please note that core stabilisation exercises are different to doing ‘sit ups' and ‘crunches' that generally develop strength in the rectus abdominis (6 pack muscles!). Too much focus on these muscles can lead to instability for the back and hips.

As an athlete training with TriathlonCoaching.uk.com you will benefit from specific exercises that will train your core muscles and help to prevent you from encountering common injuries associated with the sport.

You will receive core stabilisation and core movement exercises to perform each week within your strength and conditioning programmes. The primary focus is on stabilisation and then adding core movement (where the spine moves in a more dynamic fashion through a full range of motion) as your programme progresses.

Click here to see Programme Pricing.