From The Center Out

Core strength is literally at the center of all physical activity. If you routinely neglect your mid-section training, you're doing yourself a grave disservice. Everything you do from picking up a coin off the ground to climbing a flight of steps requires good core strength. Core muscles are critical for assisting with movement, agility, balance and stability. If you do not give this area of the body serious consideration and training, the lack of attention will grossly affect physical activity and function throughout the entire body. For this reason, I spend a countless amount of time incorporating core strengthening exercises into the training routines of my clients.

If you are a boxer, martial artist, or any other athlete involved in a contact sport, core training will not only improve your athletic performance but will also serve as armor against violent impact to the body. Thus, a strengthened mid-section assists an athlete in maintaining his/her footing and balance during heavy confrontation.

Now, let us identify some of the major muscles and muscle groups responsible for core movement and then I will list some exercises that work these various muscles. Areas of interest include the: Rectus Abdominis, Obliquus Externus Abdominis, Obliquus Internus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis, Quadriceps Rectus Femoris, Psoas Major and Iliacus, Hip Abductors, Hip Adductors, Sartorius and Erector Spinae. Note that there are other muscles that work in conjuntion with the ones listed, but for the sake of simplification, I will focus on the muscles identified.

Rectus Abdominis - A long, sheet-like muscle under the skin extending vertically along the front of the abdominal wall which flexes the torso. It connects from the sternum to the public bone, and lies beneath the obliques.

External Oblique - A wide, flat muscle running diagonally down and toward the midline. This is the outermost layer of muscle. Unilateral (one side) contraction produces lateral flexion of the spine.

Internal Oblique - An internal, diagonal sheet of muscle beneath the external oblique, running the opposite direction. The internal oblique runs posteriorly (toward the back) and downward. Unilateral contraction produces lateral flexion. Bilateral contraction of both the internals and externals compresses the abdominal cavity.

Transverse Abdominis - The deepest layer of muscle in the abdominal wall, this muscle runs horizontally. Contraction compresses the abdomen.

Psoas Major and Iliacus - Commonly referred to as the iliopsoas. These muscles join from the pelvis to the femur, resulting in hip flexion.

Hip Abductors - (gluteus medius, minimus, tensor fascial latae with sartorius assisting) These muscles abduct the thigh and assist in flexing and rotating it laterally.

Hip Adductors - (adductor brevis, longis and magnus, pectineus and gracilis) A group of muscles located on the innner thigh. They adduct the thigh and assist in flexing and rotating it medially.

Quadricep Femoris Group - This group includes the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius. All act to extend the leg at the knee. The rectus femoris acts in flexion of the hip.

Sartorius - This narrow muscle attaches at the ilium and crosses over the thigh to insert at the medial portion of the tibia. Even though the sartorius is an anterior muscle, its contraction causes flexion of both the hip and knee. It also rotates the tibia laterally when the knee is flexed, as in crossing one leg over the other with the knee bent.

Erector Spinae - This band of small thin muscle attaches the iliac crest to the tranverse processes of the ribs. It allows for upright posture and extends the trunk.


Now, when it comes to exercising these various muscles, form and excution are key. It is important to breath out on the exertion of an exercise, and in on the relaxation. Holding your breath on the exertion phase only succeeds in raising your blood pressure, making you feel as though your head is about to blow-up. Your movement should be slow and deliberate, allowing your muscles to contol the movement, not momentum from the fast release of muscle contrations. As you may have figured, it will take a variety of exercises to work the core thoroughly, but the results are well worth it.


(Rectus Abdominis), (External Oblique), (Tensor Fasciae Latae), (Quadriceps femoris, Rectus Femoris)

• Crunches
• Sit-Ups
• Gym Ladder Sit-Ups
• Calves Over Bench Sit-Ups
• Incline Bench Sit-Ups
• Specific Bench Sit-Ups
• Machine Crunches
• Incline Leg Raises
• Leg Raises
• Hanging Leg Raises
• Broomstick Twists (additional muscle incorporated - Internal Oblique)
• Dumbell Side Bends (additional muscle incorporated - Internal Oblique)
• Roman Chair Side Bends (additional muscle incorporated - Internal Oblique)

(Erector Spinae)

• Back Extensions
• Lying Back Extensions
• Stability Ball Back Extensions
  

Sam demonstrates a perfect form wide-grip row, while exhibiting core control and stability from atop the Bosu ball.