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WORKOUTS


Complete W


By Peter Twist


hen clients invest in personal training services, a clear ex- pectation is that focused


effort will deliver results. Much more than developing a well- defined six pack, core training has evolved into a critical component of every training plan. Over 85 percent of the population will experience some type


of low back pain in adulthood, many with chronic conditions that limit mobility and activity making effective core training essential. Recreation, sport, and everyday activities require a full spectrum of core function in an upright stance, so trainers must be prepared to safely progress core training from floor based stabilization exercises to explosive rotary skills performed standing. Create a complete core training plan to eliminate injury risk and capitalize on performance gains simultaneously.


Fully Functioning Core Traditional core development focuses on floor-based exercises such as crunches, sit ups, leg raises, rope crunches, and back extensions which predominantly isolate the spinal flexor and extensor muscles. To promote long-term spinal health, the core must be trained for improved performance not just appearance. Nothing in sport, recreation, or life is performed in isolation,


lying down. These isolation exercises may actually lead to low back injuries by isolating the abdominals and back and reducing their ability to work systematically with other muscles of the trunk.


Link Training Outcomes to Real Life Think of driving a golf ball, hitting a ground stroke in tennis, digging in the garden or vacuuming a carpet. The skill begins with loading the legs to sum power from the lower body, to the core and onwards to the shoulder region. By examining the mechanics needed to optimize any of these


skills, rotary power is the key link from training to real life. Exer- cises done in a closed kinetic chain position (standing on your feet) with weight shifts laterally and horizontally (pre-loading the rear leg) and transfer of weight to the lead leg creates the desired high velocity rotation. No amount of floor-based core training will bridge the gap between lying down and explosive core power! Exploring the role of the core in real life helps trainers identify


a strategy to progressively enhance client performance. A well- functioning core contributes to these real life demands:


38 canfitpro MARCH/APRIL 2011


Core Training 1. Strength Foundation – force that is generated by the large


prime movers in the lower body is transferred through the core and is expressed with the upper body. Maximum force transfer occurs when the core is stable and strong allowing for maximum total body strength development.


2. Direction Change – when an athlete needs to stop move-


ment in one direction and move in another direction, force absorp- tion in the core must first occur, followed quickly by force transfer / production from the core to move in another direction. Well-trained athletes stop and go instantly with minimal loss in momentum due to core strength.


3. Sport Skill Execution – in a standing position, a stable core


provides a substantial amount of leverage for both upper and lower body force production allowing for improved sport skill performance (kicking, throwing, striking).


4. Body Control – coordination and the ability to maintain a


specific position in space is directly related to core stability and the ability of the core muscles to respond quickly to minor positional changes.


5. Posture – when core muscles are trained to stabilize and


maintain a position for long time periods, efficient static and dy- namic posture can occur more readily.


6. Explosive Power – multiple levels of torso muscle from


deep to superficial are able to work in synergy to create powerful rotation with good mechanics and minimal injury risk.


Train Complete Core To enhance spinal mobility, stability, and power production, the core must be progressively trained as a unit using movement patterns that translate directly to the demands of real life. Clients begin training the core to stabilize the spine before adding rotary movements and they will feel and see the results in everyday movement along with longer drives on the golf course, blazing ground strokes in tennis and faster 10k running times.


Peter Twist, MSc BPE CSCS TSCC-Gold PTS is President of Twist Sport Conditioning’s 3 divisions: franchised Sport Conditioning Centers, product wholesale along with the Twist Smart Muscle® Coach Education Program and Training Systems. To learn more about the Twist training methodologies, education and equipment available in Canada, contact www.twistconditioning.com.


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