Core Stability

Vital to functional movement is the Core. This is the central part of the body, including the torso and hips.

Even though the abdominal muscles are an important part of the core, core training is not about isolating the abdominals during an exercise. Abdominal muscles work in coordination with the hip muscles and back muscles during activity.

Core training is not about strength. It is about stability and coordination.

Strength is the ability to produce force; stability is the act of controlling it. Stability implies control of motion. True core stability means the core area does not move when the extremities do, as in dynamic motion.

Therefore, the best core training programs require the spine to be held in a natural or neutral position, (while breathing normally) and the arms and legs are in motion.

Left and right differences in flexibility or movement affect core stability. The core is the body's gyroscope. It tries to balance the network of forces acting on it and redistributes those forces appropriately. The core will try to compensate for differences between right and left shoulder flexibility, right and left hip flexibility, or poor flexibility in the spine. Without proper flexibility, the core ends up absorbing some of the forces. This can cause injury and loss of power.