This should be kept in mind next time one is in a gut punching contest?
Or if a yeti attacks my midsection with a tree?
I agree though, what is a good definition of core stability?
So how do you know when you have enough core strength? To give you some guidelines you should work towards being able to do a set of 10 weighted stability ball situps with 1/2 your lean bodyweight in lbs. along with 10 fairly controlled hanging pike leg raises and the ability to perform 30 v-ups in 30 seconds.
Part of the answer to question 1 here
Nice article thanks for the link John C-S
Can somebody define what constitutes a stable core? This is a nice term that gets thrown around a lot.
What happens to para-spinal spindles in a core/spine that has been stabilised [if this is an achievable outcome]?
In a recent study(1) core stability was not associated with an improvement in running for distance (economy). Is it worth devoting specific training time to core stability for sprinting?
It should be noted that this study had some methodological issues:
Core stability testing included anthropometric measures, clinical assessment of core stability (Sahrmann test), a Swiss ball prone stabilization core stability test (SBPSCST) - ICC reported as 0.69, TEM 5.9secs.
Core strength and stability were used interchangeably with no robust definition of core stability provided.
- Robert Stanton, Peter R. Reaburn and Brendan Humphries. 2004: The Effect of Short-Term Swiss Ball Training on Core Stability and Running Economy. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 522–528.
Thanks for clearing that up charlie, I never even considered what high intensity ab training would do to your cns. D’oh
But for Abs (of sprinter)is better Low(4-8) or High reps(12-100)?
Is true that…One thing I do know is that most sprinters have an imbalance between their abs and spinal erectors. Their spinal erectors being too strong for their abs that is.
So knowing that, it may improve performance to increase ab strength.
Like I said- white fibre is concentrated where you need it- like Erector Spinae- not where you don’t.
Not applicable to sprinting. A test with a swiss ball?
The core muscles responsible for stabilisation contract isometrically, other core muscles such as the iliopsoas participate in flexing the hip. A test that measured maximal voluntary contraction to EMG readings maybe more applicable.
I come from the school of Paul Chek and one of his big things was the fact that our internal/external obliques are fast twitch. Throwing a spear for example. Charles Poliquin also shares these beliefs if I do remember. (I may be mistaken)
The transverse in more stabilizing so more slow twitch.
Then I read that Charlie perscribed higher reps for abs. I totally respect both so I do both. I will admit that my abs look better when training a little higher reps. My sets ususally don’t go longer than 50 secs though.
Any thoughts?
Any needs the obliques might have for high int work would already be covered in the power related activities in the program. You have finite resources to devote to high intensity activities- make them count!
I might have granted some credibility to Chek, if he hadn’t concocted bullshit stories related to Ben and events I know about.
Poliquin is not a big advocate of training rotation specifically (at least not as a primary skill of strength). He advocates training the lat and glute to increase rotational strength. Chek has a bad habit of mixing in good research with examples based in fiction or stories that are false. When you work with someone so self-centered, don’t be surprised when his center is hollow!!
Chek is just a rehash of Spinal fitness published around 1919. He is selling a product. McGill has debunked much of the Chek bullshit. Chek has done pretty well for a guy who’s only quals are massage therapist and self generated. If Chek is such an expert in spinal rehabilitation why has he never been asked to keynote at any major spinal conference?
Core stability or maybe clinical stability has been defined by Panjabi(1) as
“A significant decrease in the capactiy of the stabilizing system of the spine to maintain the intervertebral neutral zones within physiological limits which results in pain and disability”
I think it is naive to assume that the local spinal and global spinal muscles are funcitoning isometrically to limit or stabilise the spinal movement. It is far more likely that sprinters need high levels of eccentric strength in both paraspinal and superficial trunk muscles.
Again just my 2c
(1) Panjabi, M.M. 1992. The stabilizing system of the spine. Journal of Spinal Disorders. 5:383-389
Then what is the single most appropriate core exercise to help somebody run faster?
If u could only do two what would they be? Not that I would do just 2 exercises but answers to my question may give me a better understanding of what is needed. Also, what’s so bad about sit ups?
A; Do a wide variety of ab exercises.
B: Nothing
The relationship between high intensity core training (read sprinting, plyos, and lifting ) is clear. My question is does the low intensity training shift with the hight intensity improvement like tempo options? More reps or adding one kilo on a medball movement?
If you look at all the individual high intensity “pulses” (steps in sprints and movements in lifts, reps in plyos etc, the ratio of high to low is similar to the speed/tempo ratio. Obviously also, the stress of the low int abs etc will have to be adjusted upwards as long as the work stays in the low int range.
I will be covering the “Pulses” concept further in the new material to be released shortly.
Mr Francis is ready your book?
Thanks Charlie for your answer…it seems that the key is small adjustments to variables others don’t look at.
Comming soon.