Getting to the Core of the Issue

Pick up any fitness magazine on the shelves and I guarantee that you will find articles devoted to the ‘“new core shredding workout” or “the ten minute abs.” If you didn’t know any better you might conclude that the core is the most important group of muscles to work. But how important is the core when it comes to developing strength training and performance programs for athletes and average gym warriors like you and me? The research on how much time you should dedicate to the core and its resulting effect on athletic performance may surprise you.

Now I do have to say I was surprised by the trend of the results from the research on this topic. I have rarely seen such an overwhelming agreement in opinions of authors and results on a subject. Of all the research on this topic it was made very clear that programs that focus heavily on core strengthening do little to nothing to help increase the performance of athletes and average gym warriors. Now the research is not saying don’t bother with core training. As a therapist and trainer I know firsthand that a strong functional core is necessary for proper posture, which decreases the likelihood of injury. What the research is saying, however, is there is a point where the benefits of extensive and elaborate core training reaps little to no reward.

 
So, what does this mean for training programs, personal trainers and coaches that insist on spending long hours on core training and, as a result, less time on power and skills? It means that if the athlete or client is able to hold proper posture throughout the event or program, it would be more beneficial to the athlete to spend time on skill training and power training. Since workouts should be designed to grow from base strength/skills to power to performance, programs that spend more time on periodization of those three principles will result in stronger, faster, and more skillful athletes/clients as opposed to being bogged down in rudimentary base workouts.

Throughout the different training stages core workouts should be done by everyone, but in the workout stages when more skilled programs are being performed, the core should be part of the warm up routine. This way the neuromuscular pathways that have been developed in the first stages along with the high fatigue resistant muscle fibers do not become ignored and weakened.
Young, W.B.# uses the analogy of a fine tuned sports car when describing how to best build power in sprinters.

First you have to increase the engine capacity—increased cross sectional area of muscle fibers through squats, etc. Next, increase the power output by optimal timing of cylinders—increase intramuscular coordination by getting all muscle fibers to fire together and hard. Lastly, increase conversion of power from engine to road via an effective transmission—increased intermuscular coordination by increased activation of synergist and decreased activation of cocontraction of antagonists (i.e. getting the hamstrings to relax while the quads fire).
 

In this analogy you can see that the core plays a minimal role and as long as the client or athlete can hold good posture throughout the event that is all that is needed. Use the warm up time to work on the core, and focus more on power and skill. So, the next time you are waiting to get your haircut or on a long car ride to the South Coast and you pick up the latest fitness or health magazine with the latest ‘core shredding’ workout you can skim past it with the knowledge that it is most likely all fluff and no guts.





Example of workout program progression through different stages of performance development.

Week 1 - 6 General Conditioning Training: Increase Body Tolerance to Activity
3 sets x 8 - 12 Reps Moderate Load Moderate Intensity
Jumping Jacks - High knees - Burpees
Squats - Push Ups - Crunches
Lunges - Pull -ups - Planks
Dumbbell Press - Hamstring Curls - Physio Ball Back Extensions
Bicep Curls - DB Rows - Cable Twists
Tricep Dips - Lateral Raises - Superman’s  
Jogging x 20 - 30 min.

Week 7 -12 Strength and Hypertrophy Training:
3 Sets x 6 - 8 reps - High Load - High Intensity
Jumping Jacks - High knees - Burpees
Crunches - Supermans - Cable Twists - Planks
Squats - High kicks - High knees
Deadlifts - Reverse ball Crunches - Jumping jacks
Chest press - Ball tosses - Bicep curls
Flies - push ups - Dips
Rows - reverse fly - Ball Planks
Lat pull down - Shoulder press - crunch slams

Week 12 - 18 Power “BANG”
3 Sets x 3 - 6  Reps - Moderate Load - High Intensity
Jumping Jacks - High knees - Burpees
Crunches - Supermans - Cable Twists - Planks
Jump Squats - Jogging x 1- 2 min
Cleans - Jumping jacks
Snatches - Ball Tosses
Jogging x 5 min
Broad Jumps - Push ups
Box jumps - High Kicks
Sand Bag Toss - slow jog

*This Program is loosely based on the principles of:
Rhea MR, Ball SD, Phillips WT, Burkett LN., A comparison of linear and daily undulating periodized programs with equated volume and intensity for strength. J Strength Cond Res. 2002 May;16(2):250-5.
and Overreaching and Tapering.

For any questions about this article or others contact Dave@BetterHealthPro.com.

References:

1. The Relationship Between Core Strength and Performance in Division I Female Soccer Players. Nesser, T.W; Lee, W. Journal of Exercise Physiologyonline Vol 12 Number 2 April 2009.
2. The effects of short-term swiss ball training on core stability and running economy.  Stanton, R., Reaburn P.R., Humphries, B. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2004, 18(3), 522-528.
3. Transfer of strength and power training to sports performance: Young, B.W., International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2006; 1:74-83.