Core Stability

[Wattok]

Was there a thread about this before or am i just imagining it? If i am, could people answer these questions:

What is it?
What are the benefits?
How do you improve it?

Apparently it is quite important for orienteers especailly due to the uneven terrain we are running over all the time. It's to do with balance isn't it?

[chrisecurtis]

Core stability is to do with the strength and flexibility of abdominal (front and back), lower chest and hip muscles - not just the obvious ones (like the 6-pack) but the deeper layers. The idea is that if these are in good condition, they provide a firm foundation for the major muscle groups (e.g. upper legs) to work against and they work to support whole body movements, making it easier to balance, bend, swerve etc.

Pilates exercise does a lot of work on this. It has certainly helped my climbing and sailing and improved my posture and overall stability but I have not noticed a huge impact on running yet - but being a bit fitter generally is the need now.

[FatBoy]

I remeber an ex of mine banging on about core stability and challenged me one day to do one of her excercises. After I showed that the excercise was easy no mention of it was made again! I don't think it's that core stability isn't important, more than orienteering regularly probably gives you the strength you need.

[Becks]

The plank is a good test of it - ask Rocky or anyone squad like to demonstrate it - you rest on your forearms and stand on your toes keeping your body fcompletely flat and stay there. Remember to keep the neck straight as well, if you drop your head you're not doing it right.

Loadsa circuits exercises help the core if you do them correctly, sit ups where you only go half way, one sided sit ups, exercises where you sit down but hold your legs straight off the ground. Best thing is a fitball but they're a bit pricey.

The core muscles are the ones underneath where a six pack should be, and you can tense them purposefully - kinda feels like the ones you tense when you go to the loo. It's easier to explain and demonstrate in person to be honest! Once you get good at tensing them you can do so while you're walking and stuff and this is supposed to improve them too.

Mine have got stronger with circuits as my plank time is improving, but I have no idea whether it's affected my running as my fitness is also improving big time. Can't hurt to improve your core though, it is the base for all movement. And for the girlies out there, toned core muscles are supposed to be great for flat stomachs Flabby ones may indeed be hiding blokey six packs aswell.

[Jene]

The plank is a good test of it - ask Rocky or anyone squad like to demonstrate it - you rest on your forearms and stand on your toes keeping your body fcompletely flat and stay there. Remember to keep the neck straight as well, if you drop your head you're not doing it right.

does doing ^^^ help strengthen your core muscles???

[FatBoy]

The plank is a good test of it - ask Rocky or anyone squad like to demonstrate it - you rest on your forearms and stand on your toes keeping your body fcompletely flat and stay there. Remember to keep the neck straight as well, if you drop your head you're not doing it right.

does doing ^^^ help strengthen your core muscles???

I have to guess what ^^^ means but sounds exactly like that to me too

[Jene]

Does doing what was written in quote marks(above) help strengthen.....


^^^ isnt even txt.....its just my way of using arrows to point something out....

but does it help though?? because we do it in circuit training all the time and i've never known what it does....(the exersise i mean...)

[FatBoy]

OK so you're pointing to the text above. I assumed it was rude. I'll go back to the banter section...

[rocky]

it does but i dont think its the best thing.

any sort of balance work using a fit ball is good, as soon as you've sorted otu tensing the right muscles. there are other exercises, one i find really good is lying on your back with your feet in the air, start with knees bent and extend your legs parallel to the ground. the most important, and hardest thing is to keep your back flat against the ground - try sliding your fingers under your lower back, it shouldnt be possible. slowly move your feet in and out, if you find it hard start one leg at a time, alternating legs.

[FatBoy]

there are other exercises, one i find really good is lying on your back with your feet in the air, start with knees bent and extend your legs parallel to the ground. the most important, and hardest thing is to keep your back flat against the ground - try sliding your fingers under your lower back, it shouldnt be possible. slowly move your feet in and out, if you find it hard start one leg at a time, alternating legs.

That's the one that my ex got me to do. I don't know if I'm blessed with big core muscles or something but I found it easy. I used to have a six pack but now a bit of a party pack I'm afraid. Still good muscle underneath though I guess.

[Jene]

must be because i really can't do that one

[rocky]

i reckon i found it hard cause my legs are too long and iv got virtually no upper body weight (relatively!) - simple physics!

[FatBoy]

i reckon i found it hard cause my legs are too long and iv got virtually no upper body weight (relatively!) - simple physics!

My legs are long but errr yes lots of upper body weight (some in the right places, some not). It probably comes from my canoe racing - lots of propelling the body with your arms while stopping the boat rotating beneath you with your legs - i.e. pull right hand push left leg. Cross training that works? Maybe but I'm probably 10kg heavier for it

[Becks]

Sounds like good core training to me! Yeah, the plank is only really a test, the thing Murray described was what I was trying to and failing miserably and is far better for actual strengthening. Should really hurt if you're doing it right!

[Jene]

yep...when your doing the plank thingy...what sort of time length can you lot hold it for?? and how long should you be able to hold it for?