chokeu2
3 November 2004, 17:20
I thought that it would be a good idea to write an article on something that anyone with a physical lifestyle should have an interest in, but often overlooks. Whether martial artist or service member, one of the most important strength attributes that one should focus on, but rarely do is core stability and strength. I usually work this into training at my place time permitting, and can assure you that it works a LOT and VERY quickly when combined with something like Interval Training.
The area in question when addressing core strength is the musculature starting at its roots in the hips and waist, and extending all the way up to the level of your armpits, this includes your ab wall, spinal erectors, internal and external intercostals, obbliques. This strength core provides you with the support required for every day minor activities, all the way to the most extreme sports, exercise or job. A very important benefit of having a strong core is that it prevents excessive wear and tear on your spine, discs and over all skeletal structure. It goes a long way in taking the load of gravity off of your spine.
Poor core stability often leads to poor posture, poor lifting technique, and unnecessary wear and tear on your lumbar spine and discs. These adverse effects may lead to other unhealthy adaptations by your body, and negative effects on your bodies systems, similar to a damaged foundation on a house, leading to various other problems with the structure.
Potential Energy / Power / Strength
Without maximizing your core stability, you are wasting potential power, strength and energy, while increasing your susceptibility to preventable degenerative conditions and injuries. Lets look at an analogy. Much like a plow truck, you need to have a strong core (in the plows case, the frame that bolts it to the truck). Without a strong core, you cannot transfer power through your body as efficiently. You could think of a squat as an example. You have to transfer power up from your lower body, through your core, to reach the weight. If you do not have maximum core stability, you will not be able to transfer as much power, therefore, limiting your power and strength in the squat. This is much like if the frame of the plow were weak, but the plow blade and truck were strong. The frame wouldn't transfer the pushing power of the truck to the plow to move the snow as efficiently.
So you understand you need to add a core stabilization component to your training regimen, but what are some effective ways to do it? There are many ways to build core stability. Swiss balls are an highly misunderstood, but highly effective tool for building core stability!
Why Use A Swiss Ball?
If you are like most people, you are probably wondering what good that simple, inflated rubber or vinyl ball can really do for you. Admittedly, the Swiss Ball does appear simple. It is this simplicity that is the key behind its use. By completing activities on the ball, you are removing your solid base of support. Removing the solid base causes your nervous system to work overtime in an attempt to stabilize your body. This proprioceptive adaptation your body goes through, results in increased muscle activity. So the principle is simple: Decrease your base leading to increased muscle activity which results in increased adaptation.
I know it sounds silly, and maybe easy, but the Swiss Ball, which is a harmless looking yet humbling piece of exercise equipment, is one that should be considered a must for optimum abdominal and core strength development and a critical compliment to training. What makes a Swiss Ball so effective is that it brings muscles into play that normal weight training never will. It fits indirectly into training because it increases core-strength. An increase in core strength will lead to increases in virtually all compound strength movements. More strength - more muscle.
Here's a quick two exercise introduction routine using the Swiss Ball for an awesome abdominal and core strength workout. This will get you acquainted with the Swiss Ball and allow you to sample the incredible effects. This is a basic introduction. There are many more things you can do with the Swiss Ball and there are some very advanced training techniques that goes along with it. However, even if you never venture any further than these two exercises you'll still be miles ahead in core strength development than you could ever achieve through weight training alone.
Swiss Ball Leg Raises - 3 sets
These are done lying on the Swiss Ball with your back. Position the ball in such that it will allow you to hold on to something (it can be anything that will allow a secure grip) that is approximately six to ten inches higher than the height of the Swiss Ball. This works well because you can adjust the position of the bar to achieve a comfortable height.
While grasping the bar, raise your legs about 12 inches above parallel and lower them to about 3 inches lower than parallel. Repeat for about 10 to 12 reps. You can alter your body position either rearward or forward on the ball to make the movement easier or more difficult.
Now here's where things really come into play. When you grab the bar behind you, your natural tendency is to grab it with a wide grip to increase your stability on the ball. And you might have to do this for the first several routines on the Swiss Ball. However, the real power of using the Swiss Ball is in the ball's ability to induce "instability". Because you are lying on top of a free rolling inflated ball you will have a tendency to roll around at every angle. It's this instability that brings your core muscular structure directly into play.
To stabilize your body on the ball, you call upon muscles from the "core" of your body. The Swiss Ball forces you to use muscles from all parts of your "core" at a virtually infinite array of angles and forces. This builds a unique strength factor into your body you can't get form regular exercise. Regular weight training does not do this. Regular leg raises don't stress your core structure beyond the contraction of your abdominal muscles.
As you become more adept at doing leg raises on the Swiss Ball you can then do little things to increase the instability of the ball that again increases the stress to your core muscles. For example, the more narrow you grip the bar behind you the less stable your body becomes on the ball. The less stable your body is during your leg raises the greater the stress to your entire core region.
Swiss Ball Crunches - 3 sets
Swiss Ball crunches are a great way to train your abs as well as your entire core region. You start by lying back on the Swiss Ball with your hands behind your head. You then "crunch" forward using your abs to pull your torso forward while rounding your back. At the top of the movement, hold the contraction for one second and then lower your torso back to the starting position. Repeat for about 10 to 12 reps.
Again there is a twist. The natural tendency is to lie back on the ball with your feet positioned wide apart on the floor. This wide foot position creates stability. Now remember, it's the instability that allows the Swiss Ball to perform it's magic. As you become more adept to using the Swiss Ball for crunches you can begin to bring your feet closer together thus increasing the instability factor and recruiting more core muscles to assist in stabilizing your body on the ball while you do your crunches.
The key to getting the most out of the Swiss Ball is to make the exercises as difficult as possible. Use the instability of the ball to increase the difficulty. The more difficult at maintaining stability the greater the effect it will have on increasing core strength. Increasing core strength increases overall body strength and control.
You can also vary the position of your body on the ball. The further back or more on top of the ball you position your body the more difficult you will make the crunches - more difficult by the increase in overload and more difficult by the increase in the instability factor.
As you become more comfortable and skilled training on the Swiss Ball you can add overload by holding a weight (dumbbell) with your feet when doing leg raises and a plate in your hands when doing crunches. You can even increase the difficulty by just using one had when holding the bar during leg raises, alternating between hands. You can raise one leg straight in front of you when doing crunches, again alternating between left and right. The possibilities with the Swiss Ball are endless and the effects are immediate.
Your first venture onto the Swiss Ball will be an eye opener.
Don't let the sight or perception of the Swiss Ball Fool you. I've rarely seen it promoted for serious core strength development. Usually you'll see it promoted to older women and this gives it a somewhat feminine and geriatric perception. It's not. And you'll realize this after your first workout with it. In fact, not incorporating the Swiss Ball into your training will only limit your potential.
One more thing, the Swiss Ball is very therapeutic. It's comfortable to train on and can even aid in muscle recuperation between workouts merely by incorporating the massage effects it provides. Just lying back on the ball in the morning and evenings is relaxing and invigorating and can stimulate blood flow and help spine alignment.
I'll can put up a few more exercises if ya'll like these. I'm tired of typing....
The area in question when addressing core strength is the musculature starting at its roots in the hips and waist, and extending all the way up to the level of your armpits, this includes your ab wall, spinal erectors, internal and external intercostals, obbliques. This strength core provides you with the support required for every day minor activities, all the way to the most extreme sports, exercise or job. A very important benefit of having a strong core is that it prevents excessive wear and tear on your spine, discs and over all skeletal structure. It goes a long way in taking the load of gravity off of your spine.
Poor core stability often leads to poor posture, poor lifting technique, and unnecessary wear and tear on your lumbar spine and discs. These adverse effects may lead to other unhealthy adaptations by your body, and negative effects on your bodies systems, similar to a damaged foundation on a house, leading to various other problems with the structure.
Potential Energy / Power / Strength
Without maximizing your core stability, you are wasting potential power, strength and energy, while increasing your susceptibility to preventable degenerative conditions and injuries. Lets look at an analogy. Much like a plow truck, you need to have a strong core (in the plows case, the frame that bolts it to the truck). Without a strong core, you cannot transfer power through your body as efficiently. You could think of a squat as an example. You have to transfer power up from your lower body, through your core, to reach the weight. If you do not have maximum core stability, you will not be able to transfer as much power, therefore, limiting your power and strength in the squat. This is much like if the frame of the plow were weak, but the plow blade and truck were strong. The frame wouldn't transfer the pushing power of the truck to the plow to move the snow as efficiently.
So you understand you need to add a core stabilization component to your training regimen, but what are some effective ways to do it? There are many ways to build core stability. Swiss balls are an highly misunderstood, but highly effective tool for building core stability!
Why Use A Swiss Ball?
If you are like most people, you are probably wondering what good that simple, inflated rubber or vinyl ball can really do for you. Admittedly, the Swiss Ball does appear simple. It is this simplicity that is the key behind its use. By completing activities on the ball, you are removing your solid base of support. Removing the solid base causes your nervous system to work overtime in an attempt to stabilize your body. This proprioceptive adaptation your body goes through, results in increased muscle activity. So the principle is simple: Decrease your base leading to increased muscle activity which results in increased adaptation.
I know it sounds silly, and maybe easy, but the Swiss Ball, which is a harmless looking yet humbling piece of exercise equipment, is one that should be considered a must for optimum abdominal and core strength development and a critical compliment to training. What makes a Swiss Ball so effective is that it brings muscles into play that normal weight training never will. It fits indirectly into training because it increases core-strength. An increase in core strength will lead to increases in virtually all compound strength movements. More strength - more muscle.
Here's a quick two exercise introduction routine using the Swiss Ball for an awesome abdominal and core strength workout. This will get you acquainted with the Swiss Ball and allow you to sample the incredible effects. This is a basic introduction. There are many more things you can do with the Swiss Ball and there are some very advanced training techniques that goes along with it. However, even if you never venture any further than these two exercises you'll still be miles ahead in core strength development than you could ever achieve through weight training alone.
Swiss Ball Leg Raises - 3 sets
These are done lying on the Swiss Ball with your back. Position the ball in such that it will allow you to hold on to something (it can be anything that will allow a secure grip) that is approximately six to ten inches higher than the height of the Swiss Ball. This works well because you can adjust the position of the bar to achieve a comfortable height.
While grasping the bar, raise your legs about 12 inches above parallel and lower them to about 3 inches lower than parallel. Repeat for about 10 to 12 reps. You can alter your body position either rearward or forward on the ball to make the movement easier or more difficult.
Now here's where things really come into play. When you grab the bar behind you, your natural tendency is to grab it with a wide grip to increase your stability on the ball. And you might have to do this for the first several routines on the Swiss Ball. However, the real power of using the Swiss Ball is in the ball's ability to induce "instability". Because you are lying on top of a free rolling inflated ball you will have a tendency to roll around at every angle. It's this instability that brings your core muscular structure directly into play.
To stabilize your body on the ball, you call upon muscles from the "core" of your body. The Swiss Ball forces you to use muscles from all parts of your "core" at a virtually infinite array of angles and forces. This builds a unique strength factor into your body you can't get form regular exercise. Regular weight training does not do this. Regular leg raises don't stress your core structure beyond the contraction of your abdominal muscles.
As you become more adept at doing leg raises on the Swiss Ball you can then do little things to increase the instability of the ball that again increases the stress to your core muscles. For example, the more narrow you grip the bar behind you the less stable your body becomes on the ball. The less stable your body is during your leg raises the greater the stress to your entire core region.
Swiss Ball Crunches - 3 sets
Swiss Ball crunches are a great way to train your abs as well as your entire core region. You start by lying back on the Swiss Ball with your hands behind your head. You then "crunch" forward using your abs to pull your torso forward while rounding your back. At the top of the movement, hold the contraction for one second and then lower your torso back to the starting position. Repeat for about 10 to 12 reps.
Again there is a twist. The natural tendency is to lie back on the ball with your feet positioned wide apart on the floor. This wide foot position creates stability. Now remember, it's the instability that allows the Swiss Ball to perform it's magic. As you become more adept to using the Swiss Ball for crunches you can begin to bring your feet closer together thus increasing the instability factor and recruiting more core muscles to assist in stabilizing your body on the ball while you do your crunches.
The key to getting the most out of the Swiss Ball is to make the exercises as difficult as possible. Use the instability of the ball to increase the difficulty. The more difficult at maintaining stability the greater the effect it will have on increasing core strength. Increasing core strength increases overall body strength and control.
You can also vary the position of your body on the ball. The further back or more on top of the ball you position your body the more difficult you will make the crunches - more difficult by the increase in overload and more difficult by the increase in the instability factor.
As you become more comfortable and skilled training on the Swiss Ball you can add overload by holding a weight (dumbbell) with your feet when doing leg raises and a plate in your hands when doing crunches. You can even increase the difficulty by just using one had when holding the bar during leg raises, alternating between hands. You can raise one leg straight in front of you when doing crunches, again alternating between left and right. The possibilities with the Swiss Ball are endless and the effects are immediate.
Your first venture onto the Swiss Ball will be an eye opener.
Don't let the sight or perception of the Swiss Ball Fool you. I've rarely seen it promoted for serious core strength development. Usually you'll see it promoted to older women and this gives it a somewhat feminine and geriatric perception. It's not. And you'll realize this after your first workout with it. In fact, not incorporating the Swiss Ball into your training will only limit your potential.
One more thing, the Swiss Ball is very therapeutic. It's comfortable to train on and can even aid in muscle recuperation between workouts merely by incorporating the massage effects it provides. Just lying back on the ball in the morning and evenings is relaxing and invigorating and can stimulate blood flow and help spine alignment.
I'll can put up a few more exercises if ya'll like these. I'm tired of typing....