9781422272114

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CORE TRAINING? In thefitnessworld, core traininghasbecome synonymouswithathletic performanceand injuryprevention; thereforehavinga strong, stablecore keeps youhealthy. Of course, there’s always theappearancequestion. Even if thecoveted“six-pack”drives a lot of abdominalworkouts,wecan’t ignore all of theother benefitsof core training. BetterWorkouts Given the role of the core in energy transfer, having a strong core enhances your workout as a whole. Any kind of resistance training, whether bodyweight or weightlifting, relies on the core as a foundation. It helps you control the bar in a squat, transfers speed and power in ballisticmovements, and keeps youmoving during cardio sessions. Research shows that your coremuscles activate in preparation for movement. The TVA controls lumbar movement by contracting slightly before lower limb activity. As local stability of the spine correlates with global power transfer, with a strong core you could lift more weight or run faster before fatigue or injury occurs. More effective workouts lead to quicker results. In addition, if you can avoid injury, you can stay consistent in the gym. Athletic Performance It’s widely accepted that improved core strength and stability lead to improved athletic performance. We know that the core directly controls hip function for activities like jumping, cutting, throwing, and squatting. It alsomakes sense that a strong foundation leads to strength and ability further down the chain. As the saying goes, it’s hard to shoot a cannon out of a canoe. In theory, the core affects athletic performance through trunk stabilization during technical movements. It also helps transfer force from the lower to the upper body and directly controls rotational athleticmovements. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to isolate these results in the lab, as so many factors are at play. Therefore, according to research, the results

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Core Training: What it is andWhy it Helps