You're only as strong as your Core

More recently, there have been advertisements for exercise equiptment that will "shape your core" or give you "the perfect six pack." Well, as most of us know, these types of equipment are phony, really don't work and are quite frankly just a waste of money. For example, have you seen the infomercials about the belt you wear around your stomach which sends electrical impulses through your superficial layer to invoke a contraction of your abdominals? This thing really works right???.... No. There really is no quick, simple way to tone and strengthen your core. Yet, there are really good exercises which can strengthen those vital muscles which are classified as your core.


Your core is not just your ab's, but includes the transverse abdominis, multifidus, rectus abdominis, obliques, latismus dorsi, erector spinae, gluteus maximus, quadratus lamborum and many other deep muscles. Functional movements are highly dependent on the core musculature and lack of core strength and stability can result in a predisposition to injury. Along with preventing injury, the core muscles are specificially designed to align the back and effect posture. These muscles are important in resisting force whether it's a static force or a dynamic force. Not only does the core work to support the back in terms of posture, there is a dynamic function to it as well. When you move, you weight shifts back in forth. When walking, you're not always walking at the same speed on on level ground thus recruitment of the core muscles are needed to maintain balance. These responsibilities include postural reactions to changes in speed (quickness of a contraction), motion (reaction time of a contraction) and power (amount of resistance resisted in a period of time).


Since we move throughout all the planes of motion (Saggital (left to right), Frontal (front to back) and transverse (head to toe)) and not just one, we must train our body's to be able to resist the forces put on the body and prevent injury. Here are a few exercises which I use in my strength training routine which I've found will strengthen and full proof your core:


1.) Side Plank (30 second static hold)
2.) Decline Trunk Rotations w/ medicine ball (3x15)
3.) Glute bridge (30 sec static hold)
4.) Standing trunk rotations w/ resistance band (3x15x3 sec static hold)
5.) Static Supermans (3x10x5sec hold)
6.) Alternating Bicycles (3x10x5sec static hold each)
7.) Alternating leg lifts (3x15; can add medicine ball)


Warm up always before any workout, possibly warm up with crunches on an exercise ball, light standing trunk rotations and alternating bicycles so you don't strain yourself. A lot of these exercises are meant to improve posture (static exercises). The side plank is one of the best exercises to align you spine and strengthen the obliques. Trunk rotations are so often undermined as a great exercise. People typically think that doing a million crunches is going to improve your core, yet like I stated we don't move like that. We twist and turn as we move everyday, so you might as well train and strengthen in the ways in which you move!

The Power of The Resistance Band

When you hear the phrase weight training or strength training, you typically think of bulky free weights or machine weights, but on the contrary the new age form of strength training can be looked at from a wide variety of methods. Typically I refer to strength training as resistance training, which speaks for itself; training against a resistance. This resistance which I have become an enormous fan of and has worked incredibly well in terms of my training habits is the use of resistance bands. Or in other words rubber tubes with hands on the ends of them. This is a phenomenal tool and should be used by all in my opinion when strength training.

Resistance bands allow you to train in all three planes of motion (Saggital, Frontal, and Transverse) with ease and allow more functional movements, as if you were truely moving as you normally do but with an added resistance. One of the biggest differences that I've noticed is that when you lift a normal weight, you're forcefully acting against that weight to move it in a desired direction. The weight maintains the same force on your body throughout the whole motion. For example, a 30lb bicep curl puts 30lb's of force on your muscle throughout the whole motion, through the concentric contaction, isometric contraction and the eccentric contraction. Where as a resistance band builds tension as you increase the length of the lever. Picture a bicep curl with a resistance band, you can control the motion but as you bring your arm up the resistance increases making the exercise harder.

The best thing about resistance bands is that it allows you to train safer. You can change up the tempo in which you're working out easily, they're cost effective, easy to transport and if you can't make it to the gym you can workout at home or on break at your job. They're very beneficial to core training do to how dynamic they work. As I said, they allow you to be more functional in your movement patterns and training your core is a very important part of total overall strength. Have you ever heard of the saying "you're only as strong as your core"? Well, that's true. Simple core exercises that you can modify with resistance bands can range from side planks to trunk rotations. The variable resistance allows your core musculature to increase, improving balance, stability and posture along with preventing injury. In addition, they're a great tool to use as a warm up and cool down during strength training sessions.

If you're interested in resistance bands they're available at the Ely Wellness Center for your use and trust me they work. Check out this video of T.O using resistance bands as part of his core training:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U75JUCqd2s