Core Misconceptions

Training the core is vitally important for any strength program. One of the misconceptions that drives me absolutely crazy is, the intense focus on the abdominal muscles.

The most important aspect of core stability is the intrinsic core. The muscles involved here are the diaphragm, the transverse abdominals, the pelvic floor, and the spinal erectors. I'm sure a few of you have run into a few chiropractors and PTs who have greatly over emphasized this aspect of the core. They'll have you hold static positions while being hyper focused on breathing mechanics and not losing pressure. This over emphasis on breathing mechanics comes from a modality called Postural Restoration Institute. The information provided in these continuing education course is indeed very valuable, but it almost has a cult like following and they tend to preach that, once you learn this stuff, PRI is all you'll ever need to "fix" people. I took a very similar path with Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization. I took the aspects of these courses that I found important and integrated them into my strength training program. These concepts were ipsilateral (same side) and contralateral (opposite side) core work and applied them to the lifts within the program.

The next part of the core that should be addressed is the anterior (the front of the body) oblique subsystem. This subsystem included the interior and exterior obliques, the pec minor on one side of the body, and the rhomboids on the inside of the shoulder blade on the opposite side of the body. 

Next up is the posterior (the back of the body) oblique subsystem. The muscles involved here are the glute and the quadratis lumborum on one side, and the lat on the other. The lats are incredibly important as it pertains to running. Yet they are often overlooked, if they are trained at all. 

Humans are rotational creatures. These aspects of rotation are exaggerated when we are running. The neck and the lower body are rotating in one direction, while the upper body is rotating in the opposite direction. When these subsystems become dysfunctional, pain and chronic injury is often the end result.

The last subsystem we'll be touching on is called the lateral subsystem. The muscles involved in this system are the adductors and glute med on one side, and the quadratis lumborum (a muscle that stabilizes the low back) on the other. The purpose of these muscles is to keep the pelvis from dumping to one side or the other. A lack of strength in this particular muscle group has wreaked havoc on runners and their low backs for years. It's been most prevalent in the collegiate athletes I've worked with while they were doing the same workouts as the football team. However, during their last outdoor season, their strength training changed quite a bit. Focusing more on what runners need and less on lifting maximal loads and they had their healthiest season since I started working with them in 2018.

As you may have noticed, the abdominals are not mentioned anywhere in this blog post. Thats because they are very superficial and are, in reality, a weaker muscle group. They're kind of like the rug that ties the room together. Not to say they aren't important, because they are. They actually help the hip flexors in accelerating the leg forward. As the hip is in full extension, the pelvis tips forward slightly putting the hip flexors and the abs under tension. That load temporarily stores the load elasticly as they prepare to drive the knee forward. 

In my strength program, we don't really train the abs specifically. But, fortunately, they do get stronger by proxy.