Archive for the ‘Core Stability Training’ Category
Low back pain is nasty!
It’ll hit you where it hurts…
…It can bring you to tears
It’ll get you down
But, I’ve got a secret 1-2 Punch–er, exercise–to KNOCK-OUT lower back pain fast!
Give it a go and let me know how it goes by leaving a comment below (hey, I could’ve been a poet…:)
Now you see it…
…Now you don’t
See what you ask?
The difference between the 2 photos on the left depicting the plank exercise.
Ok, so either I’m one apple short of a fruit salad or there’s not a difference right?
While it’s true that there is no visual difference (it’s the same photo) there can be a difference in what 2 clients FEEL even though they appear to perform the exercise the same way.
And, the muscles they feel can improve core strength, muscle balance and function or they can reinforce existing compensation strategies that contribute to shoulder, lower back and knee problems…
So, how can you tell if your clients are getting it right or if they’re just reinforcing pain patterns?
Watch the video below where I share an often over-looked problem that 9 out of 10 people are doing leading to pain and how to correct it.
Oh, and don’t forget to leave me a comment below after you watch:
If you want MORE clients…
If you want MORE success…
If you want MORE money….
You must stand out from the crowd.
You must challenge yourself…push yourself…expand your role and redefine yourself…
Watch the video below then leave a comment and let me know if you’re up for this challenge:
I love using the swiss ball (a.k.a “stability ball”, “gym ball”, “exercise ball”) for upper & lower body core exercises because the unstable environment doesn’t allow much leeway to cheat on exercises.
This way compensatory strategies that lead to muscle imbalances and injuries are minimized and the effectiveness of the exercise is maximized.
In the short video below I show my ’2-for-1′ lower body swiss ball core exercise from my Muscle Imbalance Solution program that’s great for developing core & hip strength. I got the idea for this exercise by noticing a number of my clients who were overusing their hamstrings during lower body exercises like squat, lunges and bridges.
I wanted a way to get their glutes fired-up in these movements so they didn’t get hamstring cramps or injuries.
And, that’s when the idea hit me.
After a bit of experimenting with all kinds of ways I finally came up with this one and it’s a real challenge but suitable for just about anybody.
It’s a cool variation of a hip extension & hamstring curl wrapped up into one movement with one unique trick I use to make this exercise completely different and unmatched by ANY machine…(hint: watch my feet 
Check it out, try it and leave a comment below.
By the way, don’t forget to get a copy of the webinar “Muscle Imbalances Revealed” at 50% off the regular price + another $30 off. There are only 11 copies left and at midnight tonight the price will go up (or when the final 11 copies are sold).
They might all be gone already but you can check for yourself –>CLICK HERE For Muscle Imbalances Revealed Special Offer
As fitness professionals we’re well schooled in proper exercise form and the importance of core fitness training . When it comes to performing exercises involving rotation of the spine we’ve heard all the typical theories like:
And, I used to preach these principles to my clients over and over giving myself the proverbial ‘pat on the back’ for–what I thought at the time–might save my clients from possible injuries
Little did I know back then that I was actually INCREASING the likelihood that my my clients would injure themselves by following my ‘rules of core exercise’ as if they were the 10 commandments
Many of the movements we perform on a daily basis are much like an illusion in that we don’t actually see what’s really happening…
…many movements we think occur in the sagittal plane are actually dominated by the transverse plane
A great example is walking
When viewing a person walking we see movement occuring only in the sagittal plane (assuming the person hasn’t a few too many cocktails…then that might be a different story entirely)
However, other muscle actions and movements occur that we cannot see
If we could actually see what’s going on ‘behind-the-scenes’ we would notice that walking involves movement and muscle actions in the sagittal, frontal & transverse planes
In fact, 87.5% of the major core muscles are oriented diagonally or horizontally and include rotation as one of their actions yet much of today’s popular core exercises like stability ball crunches, the plank and back extensions do not train trunk rotation
World-renowned fitness expert and educator Juan Carlos Santana brought to light the ‘Serape Effect’ (originally published by Logan & McKinney) that describes the human body’s natural mechanism of using integrated muscle actions to produce rotational movement
So, with all this being said we can now expose 3 popular core exercise training myths:
Fact: The vertebrae of the thoracic spine is actually designed to allow rotation to occur. Trunk rotation is a natural and much needed movement that comes almost entirely from the thoracic spine not the lumbar spine and is safe to perform utilizing light and even moderate loads in an unsupported environment (not in a machine)
Fact: Most injuries occur at high speeds and during the eccentric phase of muscle contraction yet most training protocols only focus on performing movements including trunk rotation exercises in a slow, controlled manner focused mostly on the concentric phase
Movements aren’t the cause of most injuries but lack of preparation and physical conditioning to perform those movements effectively is
Fact: If you look closely at the movements involved in golfing, tennis, wrestling, bowling, throwing and many other movements and activities you’ll notice how they all involve rotation of the trunk with a natural kyphotic posture of the spine at the upper back.
A healthy thoracic spine has a natural kyphotic curve that it is meant to perform a number of movements within which poses no real threat of injury to the spine
I’ve also mentioned some very valid reasons why you should lift with a rounded back in a previous post
By now, we can understand the importance of core training exercises involving rotation and why they are needed to improve functional movement and performance
And, more importantly why these movements need to be trained in a capacity beyond just the traditional ‘slow & controlled’ environment
Our bodies are designed to twist and turn in different angles and at high speeds we encounter in a number of movements outside of the gym and the best way to minimize the potential for injury is to physically prepare for those movements rather than trying to avoid them
Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think
Do you agree? Do you think I’m a total nut case who’s cuckoo for coca puffs? Would you like me to demonstrate some unique rotation exercises in a future post? What are some rotation movements you’ve used with positive results?
I’d love to hear all your feedback
Here’s an unlikely core exercise assessment for shoulder or lower back pain
It’s not some fancy, secret underground exercise from outer space…But, it’s not an exercise that is associated with assessing muscle imbalances of the shoulder or lower back
So, just what is this core fitness assessment?
It’s one word…THE PLANK–ok, it’s technically 2 words–
Now, before you think I’m the name many of my clients call me (crazy), I’d like to share with you the wealth of information this simple core exercise test can reveal about shoulder and lower back pain
Here are 3 things to look for when performing a core training assessment using the plank exercise:
1) Lifting the upper body first-This is when the the shoulders and chest come off the floor before the hips and is often a subtle occurrence that shifts emphasis away from the abdominal stabilizing muscles because the lumbar extensors become overactive and is a sign of lower back compensation which often contributes to lower back pain
2) A kyphotic upper back-Most of the time this occurs in conjunction with #1 and involves an overcompensation pattern of the neck and shoulder muscles. The client often will feel significant fatigue in the shoulders, neck and triceps and usually struggles to hold this position for 30 seconds. This is often a sign of weakness or inhibition in the upper/mid-back muscles and contributes to neck and shoulder pain
3) The hips are lower than the shoulders-This usually indicates weakness of the abdominal stabilizers and increases stress to the lower back. In fact, the client will often feel as if the lower back is “working” which can easily be mistaken for a weak lower back when this is not the case
Keep in mind that the plank is just one exercise that can be used in a core exercise assessment and other specific core fitness tests should be performed to confirm or dismiss what the plank reveals
Leave me a comment below and tell me about any core exercise tests you use
In recent years core training workouts and abdominal training have become synonymous but core conditioning programs need more than just abdominal exercises.
The “core” is the body’s center of gravity and origin of movement and actually consists of many different muscles that stabilize the trunk and hips, allowing efficient movement of the upper and lower extremeties.
Core training programs that fail to address these muscles and focus primarily on abdominal exercises will get limited results at best. Core training exercises need to address the muscles of the trunk and hips to be effective.
Proper core workout training targeted on these muscles help:
A strong core is needed to protect the back and hips and other joints of the body during weight bearing activities and to effectively dissipate ground reaction forces.
Core training workouts can help reduce shoulder, back, hip and knee pain and improve athletic performance.
And, core training exercises can be performed using a variety of training tools such as: medicine balls, stability balls, dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands and your own body weight.
Movements like the plank, bridge, trunk rotations, squats and multi-directional lunges are very effective core fitness training exercises.
Developing optimum core strength and stability requires core training workouts focus on more than just ab exercises. There are many different exercises to develop core strength and stability.
A qualified trainer or a properly designed core training workout program can help you determine which core fitness exercises work best for you
One of the most commonly recommended core training exercises for low back pain sufferers is crunches. One of the reasons is that doing crunches strengthens the abdominal muscles which are typically weak in individuals with chronic low back pain.
But, are crunches really an effective core training exercise or is there a flip-side that isn’t being revealed?
In the video below I’ll explain the truth about crunches and whether or not they should be used in a core training program. The answer will surprise you…
Lower back, hip and knee pain are often the result of weakness throughout the trunk and hips. Because all 3 are related, core strengthening exercises should focus on these areas.
Your abdominals (a.k.a “core”) work to keep your trunk stable while your arms and legs move. Your glutes extend your hips by bringing your leg back like when you walk and run or by straightening your hips like when standing up from a seated position.
But, when your abdominal and other core stabilizers are weak other muscles end up compensating. This happens when your quadriceps and even your hip flexors try to perform the work your abs, glutes and hamstrings are supposed to be doing.
The result is often one or more of the following:
