Core Stability

Core stability provides central body (lumbar, hips, pelvis and trunk) control, and allows you to generate power by effectively maximising your trunks musculature (deep and superficial abdominals, erector spinae, gluteals and shoulder girdle) to support the effort and forces from your arms and legs. It also involves learning to control the position of the lumbar spine during dynamic movements.

In a nutshell, training your core attempts to allow your body to train more efficiently and hopefully avoid injury. Ensuring that you have correct activation and control through your middle should be established before any core stability work is performed

There are a number of potential benefits that can be gained by training your core:

• increased force production
• decreased injury risk
• improved balance
• improved posture
• improved muscular coordination

Core stability exercises can be performed using Stability balls, foam rollers, airex mats, disco-sits, wobbles boards and much more! Exercises should be progressed according to the athlete's needs and demands of their sport and can be smooth and controlled to complex and dynamic. Using the advice of a good physio can help you establish the stability needs of your athletes.

For more information on Core stability, check out the following website:

http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/corestab.htm