WHAT IS CORE STABILITY?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Core Stability is not defined by having a six pack and doing lots of sit ups. \u00a0It is more about how well we transition in control \u00a0through different planes of motion. \u00a0The core refers to everything from your shoulders down to your hips, with the\u00a0diaphragm and abdominal muscles being the central components. \u00a0Stability in the core is critical for generating\u00a0maximum force through your arms and legs and a lot of injuries can be traced back to some\u00a0deficiency in and around this region.<\/span><\/p>\n

WHAT IS THE DIAPHRAGM?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The diaphragm muscle attaches onto the underside of the ribs and extends down into your lower back.\u00a0When you breathe in, the diaphragm contracts and descends, which then creates pressure in your abdomen (intra-abdominal pressure). \u00a0It is this pressure that lays the foundation for\u00a0core stabilisation<\/a>, and is why good diaphragmatic function is so important for stability.\u00a0 Shallow breathing does not utilise your diaphragm efficiently and will compromise not only stability but ultimately the amount of power your legs and arms can produce. \u00a0Focusing on good diaphragmatic breathing should be at the forefront of any core stability routine.<\/span><\/p>\n

BUILDING STRENGTH, STABILITY AND CO-ORDINATION<\/span><\/p>\n

Every joint in the body has an optimal\u00a0position to move in, and when we lack stability this position gets\u00a0compromised, which can lead to injury. \u00a0When performing any core stability exercise it is really important to perfect the movement\/position and not just focus on a high repetition count. \u00a0We are trying to build strength<\/a> in these specific muscles, but more importantly we want to retrain the brain to move in control through these different movements. \u00a0Every good repetition we do will ultimately have a positive impact on our stability, and every poor repetition just takes us backwards. \u00a0Focusing on good form, controlled breathing and balanced progression will make us stronger and reduce our risk of injury.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PROGRESSION<\/span><\/p>\n

Every good core stability program should have a level of progression. \u00a0For example, once you can hold a static plank for more than 45-60 seconds in good form then we start to see diminished returns. \u00a0At this stage we should add some sort of a dynamic component into the exercise to build more resilience. \u00a0Too often we get stuck at this phase and never really develop any further. \u00a0Static strength is important for the initial phase of rehab but ultimately building stability through dynamic movement will be more relevant to help prevent an injury from reoccurring. \u00a0Keep your core stability program interesting and challenging by adding progression, making you more robust and injury resilient.<\/p>\n

FINAL THOUGHTS<\/span><\/p>\n

A lot of the\u00a0routines on the Movement Project focus on controlled\u00a0movement, good breathing techniques and progression, which are the foundations to core stability. \u00a0Once you master the movement then you can increase the intensity by adding more repetition and incorporating a dynamic component into the exercise. \u00a0Furthermore, progression is key for taking your performance to the next level.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Improving core stability will have a huge impact on your performance both on and off the field.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-core-series","category-the-movement-project"],"yoast_head":"\n