core & balance training
Getting the balance right
Experts in the fi eld of core and balance training share their views on why it’s an essential part of any workout. Donna Gregory reports
C
ore and balance training is increasingly seen as an integral part of any workout. In fact, according to our
industry panel, it’s not just mere mortals getting wise to the benefits of core and balance training – top athletes and Premier League footballers are also jumping on the balance bandwagon. We talk to the experts to understand why core and balance training is not simply for rehabilitation and recovery.
BALANCEMASTER – from rehab to racing “Core and balance training underpins all the work that we do with our clients,” says Carl Ward, owner of Gloucestershire-based independent Courtyard Health and Fitness. Members, who range from 14 to 92
years old, are all encouraged to use BalanceMaster to improve strength, co-ordination and postural awareness; BalanceMaster provides rhythmic movement patterns to improve joint mobility and dynamic muscle stability for the lower limbs and pelvic regions. Ward stresses that core and
balance training can benefi t every gym user: “BalanceMaster offers a good starting point for our older, deconditioned members as it overcomes many of the perceived barriers to exercise, helping the user to gain confi dence and achieve greater success with their exercise programme. However, it also provides an extremely
BalanceMaster is ideal for all members – from deconditioned to elite – so is a cost-effective solution
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challenging and demanding full-body workout for even the most able athlete or sportsperson.” Ward is so convinced of the benefi ts
that Courtyard Health and Fitness is establishing a protocol and programme of exercise, on behalf of BalanceMaster, that will prove the machine’s value in enhancing the functional fi tness of elite athletes. “Today’s economic climate has emphasised the need for those promoting physical activity to work together to fi nd evidence-based, cost-effective approaches to delivering ‘wellness’ to people of all ages and stages of health and fi tness, and working with BalanceMaster helps us achieve this,” he explains.
PHYSICAL COMPANY – training the trainers “Thanks to some new, innovative and exciting pieces of equipment, core and balance training is much more enjoyable, and effective, than it used to be,” says Physical Company sales and marketing director John Halls.
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New kit: The freeFORM board will be a popular choice for clubs, predicts Physical Company
When kitting out a club with core
and balance training equipment, Physical Company recommends installing BOSU, Swiss Balls, TRX and freeFORM. BOSU and Swiss Balls are currently the top- sellers thanks to their affordability and accessibility for exercisers of all abilities, but Halls predicts that the freeFORM board – a circular, multi-directional rolling platform – will become a popular choice for clubs “because it has no end of range of motion which, when combined with its unlimited freedom of movement, creates a limitless number of exercise progressions,” he explains. According to Halls, a club’s core and
balance offering shouldn’t just end with the purchase of new equipment: “Clubs should look at purchasing training courses at point of sale. It’s vital from a health and safety point of view, but it also teaches a whole range of new exercises and exercise sequences for users with varied needs. These courses are the best way to get instructors excited about the kit and ensure optimum uptake from members.”
june 2011 © cybertrek 2011
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