Does anyone even know what core strength means? And why is it important? What do we do with it? How come no one ever compliments you on how good your core is, or how hard you work on it?
Core strength has been a term that has been tossed around and confused with all sorts of different stuff. It is the ever elusive goal for clients with back pain, balance issues, fatigue, breathing dysfunction, and professional competition. How does each person find the way that works for them?
Here's how we define core strength. Core strength is the ability to consistently and efficiently stabilize your trunk to allow power transfer from your lower body to your upper body to maximize performance and minimize injury risk. Still confused? We get it! Does it matter that you know what it is and how it's done? Not as long as it works. I don't know how a car engine works, but I know how to use it. I can't build a computer, but I use one everyday. Knowing all the intricate details of how things work is best done by someone who understands it better. By a professional who has crafted a skill and understanding over time.
Let someone else, us, worry about the technical part of core strengthening. You worry about what you need to worry about. We all have plenty of worries to go around.
When we program core strength exercises for you, it includes several important aspects. First is turning on the appropriate muscles in the right order, so that an efficient system is created. Second is learning how to keep those muscles active while moving through a variety of motions and positions. Third is being able to maintain that activity over prolonged periods, so they don't fail as fatigue onsets.
During our training routines, we regularly include core stability exercises whether you realize it or not. Everyday includes some amount of activity to increase efficiency and consistency, because you never get a day off from needing your core stability to be ready to go. We also have increased focus on some days. One day we work on stability and maintaining a position over time, core stability, while another day we work on maintaining stability while moving in different patterns, core rotation. Depending on your own sport and goal, we may include more intensity or frequency of these days.
There is endless amounts of information of which system is best and who does it better. What we find to be most important is to have the right kind of guidance to reach the goals you have. That means you need a plan that works for you and your intentions. When you find the right fit for yourself, you will find positive progress that increases your comfort, efficiency, and ability of all your everyday activities, whether that's playing with your kids, carrying your groceries, or dominating your competition. #snowbeastperformance
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