Functional core training is the key to efficient and powerful movement. Here's all you need to design a training program to help prevent injuries, develop functional strength, and increase power.
By Vern Gambetta
Vern Gambetta, MA, is the Director of Sports Performance at Nova Care, and President of Gambetta Sports Training Systems, in Sarasota, Fla. The former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox, he is a frequent contributor to Training and Conditioning.
Our goal in training and rehab is to provide athletes with optimum levels of functional strength, core stability, and neuromuscular control for efficient multi-dimensional movement. Movement is not an isolated event that occurs in one plane; movement is a complex, interdependent series of events that involves synergists, stabilizers, neutralizers, and antagonists all working together to accelerate, decelerate, and stabilize the body in all three planes.
The most important link in this functional chain is the core. The core is the power zone. It is where all movement begins. A well-developed core allows for improved force output, increased neuromuscular efficiency, and decreased incidence of overuse injuries.
When training the core, we often forget about functional training concepts, opting instead for programs whose aim is to develop "six-pack abs." The core is much more than the abdominal muscles, however. In addition to the abdominals (rectus abdominus, external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominus), the core consists of the hip musculature (psoas, gluteus medius/minimus/maximus, and adductors), lumbar spine musculature (multifidus, interspinales, intertransversarii, rotators, quadratus lumborum, and deep/superficial erector spinae), thoracic spine musculature (transversospinalis muscles, lower/middle trapezius, rhomboids, and serratus anterior/posterior), and cervical spine musculature (paraspinalis, scalenes, sternocleidomastoid, and longus coli/capitus).
For all of these muscles to function together optimally, a high degree of neuromuscular efficiency is essential. The central nervous system is the command center that controls all movement. The CNS directs preprogrammed patterns of movement (motor programs) that can be modified in countless ways to react appropriately to gravity, ground reaction forces, and momentum. We must never forget the complex interrelationship between all segments of the locomotor system and the CNS as we design functional training and rehabilitation programs.
Finally, optimum core strength and neuromuscular efficiency must be developed before extremity strength. The typical strength-training program emphasizes the extremities first, both within the yearly program and within each session. This does not allow for optimal strength development, because without adequate core strength and stability, the athlete will not be able to properly apply extremity strength.
Core Exercise Functional Progressions
This progression is designed to optimally recruit the muscles of the core as well as develop optimal neuromuscular efficiency. The ultimate goal of core training is to get the athlete standing and then shifting his or her weight from one foot to the other, forcing the core to stabilize the center of gravity over the changing base of support. This will train the core for what it has to do during the real-life functional movements of running, jumping, and throwing.
The fundamental rules of progressing for training the core are the same as those for training any other segment in the kinetic chain. They are:
Simple to Complex: Start simple, progressing to more complex exercises only after the athlete masters the basic movements of each exercise.
Known to Unknown: The training environment should begin with controlled, low-neuromuscular-demand exercises and then proceed to less-controlled, more proprioceptively challenging environments. Examples: isometric abs routine performed solo progressing to isometric abs with a partner push; medicine ball single-leg squats on the ground progressing to medicine ball single-leg squats on a dyna disc.
Low Force to High Force: Train lower-force, more controlled movements until the athlete can master those movements, then proceed to higher-force, ballistic movements. Example: stability ball curl-ups progressing to stability ball pullover throws.
Static to Dynamic: Start with exercises in a stationary stance, then as those movements are mastered, add more dynamic movements. Example: standing medicine ball chops progressing to walking medicine ball chops.
Lying to Sitting to Kneeling to Standing (Two legs) to Standing (One Leg): This essentially takes into account all the previous steps in the progression. Lying and sitting are very controlled and proprioceptively less challenging than going to standing and then standing on one leg.
Drawing-In Maneuver
The basis of the core exercise progression is the drawing-in maneuver (which is not to be confused with the traditional posterior pelvic tilt). While lying on the back with knees bent, the athlete pulls his or her bellybutton toward the spine without rotating the pelvis back. This exercise is designed to isolate before we integrate the lower abdominals (transverse abdominus, internal oblique) back into the whole system. The lower abdominal muscles are the only abdominal muscles that attach to and stabilize the lumbar spine, which is why they are so important. Because of this, they need to be activated during all functional movements to provide optimal levels of segmental stabilization and neuromuscular control.
The drawing-in maneuver is designed to create kinesthetic awareness and neuromuscular control in a very controlled environment that allows the athlete to concentrate on feeling the action. Once the maneuver is mastered in a controlled environment, it will be integrated into more complex movements as the athlete gains better neuromuscular control. The goal is to obtain maximal lower-abdominal activation during all triplanar functional movements, regardless of body position.
Ab Coordination Routine
Once the drawing-in maneuver is mastered, it becomes the basis of the "Ab Coordination" routine, which is performed as follows:
1) Drawing-in maneuver: hold for 10 seconds.
2) One knee to chest: draw in while slowly bringing one knee to the chest, then lower that leg and bring the opposite leg to the chest. The movement should take six seconds to bring the knee to the chest and six seconds to return to the starting position. Perform six repetitions with each leg.
3) Single-leg heel slide: draw in while slowly sliding one leg out until it is fully extended, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat the same movement with the other leg. Perform six repetitions with each leg.
4) Two knees to chest: same as one knee to the chest but use both legs. Perform six repetitions.
5) Two-leg heel slide: same as single-leg but use two legs. Perform six repetitions.
Exercise Selection Guidelines
Once the athlete has mastered the ab coordination routine, he or she can move on to more advanced progressions (see "Sample Core Progression"). When selecting exercises, keep the following in mind:
When to Train the Core
Traditionally, core training has been placed at the end of the workout, almost as an afterthought. This may not be the optimum time to work the core. I have found that it is better to work the core as part of the warm-up. The ab coordination routine is particularly valuable in this setting to activate the all-important lower abdominal muscles.
Because the core consists of slow-twitch muscles, it can be worked daily. However, it is important to vary the movement and the type of loading to prevent overtraining. Following is a sample weekly sequence for training the core:
Monday: flexion/extension, lateral flexion, and stabilization (high volume).
Tuesday: rotation, twisting, diagonal movements, and stability (low volume).
Wednesday: throws and stabilization (high volume).
Thursday: flexion/extension, lateral flexion, and stabilization (low volume).
Friday: rotation, twisting, diagonal movements, and stability (high volume).
Saturday: throws and stabilization (low volume).
In order to develop optimal levels of functional strength, we have to design training and rehabilitation programs that are triplanar, multi-dimensional, and proprioceptively enriched. Remember, all training is core training. All movements feed through the core; therefore, awareness of the core should be stressed in all movements.
Sidebar:
This progression works from simple, more-controlled movements to complex, more proprioceptively demanding, whole-body movements. Movement from one exercise to the next is criteria-based--only after mastery and control are reached should the athlete move on to the next exercise.
What about sets and reps? First of all, consider the total workload. Remember that the muscles of the core recover quickly and respond rapidly to training stress. I recommend two to three sets maximum of each exercise, with 10 to 20 reps in each set. Occasionally, it is good to go to abnormal compensation, which is the point at which mechanics begin to break down.
1) Drawing-in: three sets of 10-second hold, with arms at the side. Two sets of 10-second hold with arms extended back.
2) Dyna-disc: seated weight shifts on a dyna disc with hands on the hips so that the contol must come from the core.
3) Dyna-disc with medicine ball: seated weight shifts on a dyna disc while holding a medicine ball. The athlete should use the medicine ball to drive the weight shifts.
4) Stability ball: while seated on a stability ball, alternate lifting up one foot and then the other. The athlete should keep the hands on his or her hips so that control must come from the core. Once this is mastered, add a medicine ball, having the athlete raise the ball overhead each time his or her foot is lifted off the ground.
5) Stability ball curl up: lying on the stability ball, the athlete performs the drawing-in maneuver, then curls by flexing the trunk forward and then returning to the lying position.
6) Stability ball seated side throws: with the athlete seated on a stability ball, and a partner standing about six feet away, have the partner throw a ball in a wide variety of positions so that the person seated on the ball has to balance and stabilize while catching and throwing.
7) Standing two legs: while the athlete stands on a foam roller, have him or her catch and throw a medicine ball.
8) Standing one leg: the same as above, but with the athlete on one leg.
9) Standing two legs: medicine ball squat on the ground, alternate a reach out and a reach up.
10) Standing one leg: medicine ball single-leg squat on the ground, alternate a reach out and a reach up.
Table One: Core Training Tools
Foam Rollers
Dyna Disc
Fitter
Balance Shoes
Stability Ball
Body Blade
Balance Board
Balance Beam
Medicine Ball
Stretch Cord
Mini Tramp
Combinations of the above