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Integrating Core Stabilization into Your Workouts
Stabilization is a hot topic in the fitness industry over the past few years. But what is stabilization? Stabilization can be defined as the body's muscular systems ability to support (stabilize) the body during movement. For most fitness enthusiasts, core training is a foreign topic. Exercises designed to build strength in the chest, back, shoulders, legs and arms are typically chosen over exercises designed to improve the strength of the core. The "core" is defined as the muscles surrounding the cervical (neck), thoracic (chest), lumbar (low back), pelvic, and hip area. The core is the foundation for all movement patterns to occur. A strong efficient core is necessary for proper movement to occur. Allowing other muscles to become strong before the core can lead to injury at some point in your body. For example, most people have tight hip flexors, quadriceps, and psoas. When these muscles are tight they cause the stabilizing muscles of the core (transverse abdominals, multifidi, and glutes) to become lengthened and therefore weak. When muscles become weak, they cannot work efficiently and the tight muscles take over their function. Picking an object up off the floor is a great example of how your core "braces" the body to prepare for the lift. As you lift the object off the floor, your core stabilizes the body and allows efficient movement to occur to transmit force through the lumbar spine and out through the body. If your core is not strong enough and proper postural positioning is off, the body cannot properly handle the weight of the object and injury can occur. For example, if the back is rounded through the shoulders as you pick up a box of books, the center of gravity shifted forward and away from the body putting enormous strain the lumbar discs. Repeated stress on the lumbar disc will lead to a serious back injury at some point. Mastering of basic exercises designed to recruit the deep abdominal stabilizers is a must for proper progression to occur. The first level is to begin to re-teach the muscles deep in the abdominal wall to fire properly. Teaching a client to "brace" their abdominal wall is the key to building proper stabilizing within the lumbo-pelvic hip region. These exercises are done on a stable environment (floor). Exercises in the first level typically are held for a period of time to allow the deep stabilizing muscles to improve their functional capacity. Once the basic concept of abdominal bracing is mastered after a couple of days, the next level can be obtained through challenging the stabilizing muscles through movement of the spine or the arms and legs in a semi-stable environment. Stability balls are commonly used and are a great way to build core stability. Other ways to increase the intensity is to raise a limb off the ground to force the body to hold a posturally correct position with good core stabilization. As core stabilization improves challenging the body becomes a function of being creative and safe. Try a multi-joint exercise in different directions to create better core stabilization. For example, lunge to the front, back, and to the sides combined with an overhead press requires a great deal of core stabilization. Building a strong core is more than just endless crunches and leg raises. Fitness professionals have the knowledge to help you build a strong core effectively and safely. By being creative, you can build a strong core in no time, just in time for spring break. Dave Radin, BS, CSCS, NASM-CPT. Dave Radin has been working with individuals for over 12 years helping them reach their health and fitness goals, whether weight loss, general fitness, or sport specific. He has authored articles on various fitness topics. He lives in the Charlotte area with his wife, Randi, and his son, Matthew. You can contact him at davefradin@netzero.net or check out http://www.lakenormanfitness.com
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MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for exercise Fort Jackson terror exercise canceled (The State) Army officials have canceled a training exercise at Fort Jackson testing soldiers? ability to deal with dozens of injuries after a terrorist attack. Forecasts calling for thunderstorms and lightning Wednesday prompted the cancellation because much of the activity was supposed to take place in open fields at the base, a spokeswoman for the Army said. Dozens of mock casualties were to be ... Santa Clara County plans emergency responder training exercise (San Jose Mercury News) A large-scale, multi-jurisdictional emergency response training exercise is planned for Thursday at the DePaul Medical Center in Morgan Hill. Many with 'fat' gene may need exercise (UPI) MIAMI, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- More than half of all people of European descent have one or two copies of a "fat" gene variation, but lots of exercise may help, researchers say. Aerobic exercise for the wheelchair-bound (EurekAlert!) ( University of Texas at Austin, Electrical & Computer Engineering ) Simple exercise machine makes it fun for wheelchair users to fight high obesity, diabetes and heart disease rates. In Ramadan, Jordan TV campaign urges holy month observers to try healthy eating, exercise (AM New York) AMMAN, Jordan (AP) _ The public-service TV ads deliver a cheerful, yet pointed, message to Muslims observing Ramadan's traditional dawn to dusk fast: "Don't overeat" when night comes. "Exercise and stay healthy." Canadian ships arrives to exercise with Indian Navy (Islamic Republic News Agency) India - Canada - Navy Exercise Two Canadian warships will be visiting Indian waters for four days from Wednesday and carry out an exercise in the sea off the Chennai coast on Saturday. Community-based exercise organizations can help prevent diabetes (New Kerala) Washington, Sept 10 : A study conducted at the YMCA has shown that community-based exercise organizations can help in preventing diabetes. Training exercise on Whittington Drive (The Peterborough Examiner) The Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service Emergency Response Team is conducting a training exercise in the area of Whittington Drive. This is a training exercise only and the public is not at risk. Exercise Tips for Success (Carteret County News-Times) (ARA) - Everybody knows that exercise is good. Doctors have told us for years that exercise can help us lose weight, look better, feel better, and even sleep better. However, exercise sounds like work, and many of us claim that we just don't have time to add more work to our daily lives. Wearable Fitbit automatically tracks your exercise routines (Engadget) Filed under: Misc. Gadgets , Wearables Although the world already has a set of headphones that encourages you to work out , the newly announced Fitbit is just a hair more sophisticated. Designed to be worn or carried around in a spare pocket, the personal tracker is about the size of a standard flash drive and includes a built-in motion sensor to keep tabs on "exercise intensity ... Site: exercise - Google News Ask the Trainer: Add exercise to your efforts to stop smoking - Sheboygan Press
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