CORE CONDITIONING TRAINING TAKES CENTER STAGE - Abdominal Exercises

"Training for function versus fashion" is how one fitness professional describes core conditioning, an exercise program that is one of the fitness industry's hottest trends. Yet, many health and fitness experts consider core training more than just a passing fad and view it as an important step toward responsible and practical training.

"The core is the body's center of power. Regular conditioning of the core muscles is vital for preventing injuries, correcting posture and ensuring more efficient and functional movement patterns," Amanda Vogel, MA, writes in the article "Core Conditioning Takes Center Stage" contained in the March 2001 issue of IDEA Health & Fitness Source. And, Vogel suggests, "fitness professionals who want to help clients prevent or recover from musculoskeletal injuries should begin with core conditioning."

"Although there is no one definition of core conditioning," Vogel states, "most experts agree that core training involves integration and coordination of movement and stability in the entire body," and she cites Kate Grace, a physical therapist in San Diego, as saying that core conditioning "is a combination of strength, balance, agility and flexibility of the muscles that control the trunk and spine." While John Blievernicht, a kinesiotherapist in Flagstaff, Arizona, describes conditioning the core as "training the muscles around the pelvis, spine and skull for strength and coordination." Maureen Hagan, the 1998 IDEA Program Director of the Year who is based in London, Ontario, says, "core conditioning is responsible for stability, from which mobility can then take place."

"Many fitness consumers, and even some instructors and personal trainers, consider abdominal exercises and core conditioning to be one and the same. Although the abdominals are an integral component of core musculature, true core conditioning is a departure from traditional ab work," Vogel notes. "Typically, abdominal exercises like the crunch focus on strengthening the torso for movement. But people also need to train the core for stabilization, especially in the positions that simulate everyday movement." Linda-Joy Ewart, a physiotherapist in Delta, British Columbia sums up the difference between abdominal training and core conditioning by comparing the respective goals of each format: "Traditional abdominal training focuses on the rectus abdominis for hypertrophy and aesthetics – the ‘six-pack' look. Core training is distinctive from regular abdominal training in that [core training] is all about awareness and activation of the correct muscles for functional movement."

"Practicing true core conditioning means recognizing that the body functions holistically rather than as isolated parts. Training simply for core strength isn't enough. Proper conditioning of the core must also teach and establish functional movement patterns," Vogel writes. "Teaching core conditioning involves a progression of steps. First, clients must be able to establish and hold neutral posture. Next they must understand and demonstrate proper activation of the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. Then, once they are familiar with these concepts, clients can attempt higher-intensity exercise."

"Many fitness professionals already teach core conditioning exercises to their clients but participants can mimic an exercise without doing it correctly. The trick is ‘how' you do an exercise, not what exercise you do.' And the ‘how' requires learning to first activate the abdominals from the inner unit out," Vogel adds. Or, as she quotes Maureen Hagan, "I think the biggest thing we can do for our clients is show them how to engage the core, not only in the gym, but in everyday life. The core is where it's at."

In an IDEA survey of fitness professionals to be released in July 2001, core conditioning is ranked second among fitness programs increasing in popularity. And, in recognition of the importance and popularity of core conditioning, IDEA will offer a number of sessions at the upcoming World Fitness IDEA® convention that focus on this topic. This includes, among others, "Core Strength and Stretch," Reebok Core Training Basics," "Center of Power," "Reebok Sport Core Training," and "Muscle Activation Techniques." World Fitness IDEA, taking place in San Francisco, July 6 - 8, 2001, is the world's premier educational event for health and fitness professionals and attracts over 4,000 participants from more than 60 countries

Amanda Vogel, MA, the author of the article, "Core Conditioning Takes Center Stage," holds a master's degree in human kinetics and is a trainer of fitness leaders, a freelance writer and a workshop presenter who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

IDEA Health & Fitness Association is the world's leading membership organization of health and fitness professionals with more than 19,000 members in over 80 countries. Since 1982, IDEA has provided health and fitness professionals with pertinent information, educational opportunities, career development programs and industry leadership while helping them enhance the quality of life worldwide through safe, effective fitness and healthy lifestyle programs.

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Author Notes:

Daryl Marples contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.fitness-equipment-101.com. An online guide to fitness equipment reviews, exercises and abdominal workouts