Essentials of Personal Fitness Training
Chapter 16
CORE TRAINING CONCEPTS
Chapter 16 Learning Objectives
• Identify the physical benefits of core training.
• Differentiate between the core stabilization and
movement systems.
• Describe the mechanisms of the drawing-in maneuver
and abdominal bracing.
• Identify proper progressions of core training exercises.
• Employ methods to effectively execute, instruct, and cue
core training exercises.
Introduction to Core Training
Lesson 1
Introduction to Core Training
Core Training Benefits
● Core stability: The ability of an individual to maintain a given position, adequately stabilizing the spine
while the extremities are moving.
● Core endurance: The ability to control the motion of the spine over a given longer duration.
● Core strength: The ability to control the motion of the spine.
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Core: aka the Lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (LPHC)
o Boundaries
■ Superiorly: diaphragm
■ Anterior/lateral: abdominals
■ Posteriorly: lumbar spine and glutes
■ Inferiorly: pelvic floor and hip muscles
o Two categories
■ Local muscles
■ Global muscles
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Local muscles
o Primarily Type 1 (slow twitch)muscle fibers: Muscle fibers that are small in size, generate lower amounts of
force, and are more resistant to fatigue.
o Control and stabilization of spine and maintaining proper posture
o Muscles
■ Rotatores
■ Multifidus
■ Transverse abdominis
■ Diaphragm
■ Pelvic floor muscles
■ Quadratus lumborum
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Local muscles
o Muscles
■ Rotatores
■ Multifidus
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Local muscles
o Muscles
■ Transverse abdominis
■ Diaphragm
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Local muscles
o Muscles
■ Pelvic floor muscles
■ Quadratus lumborum
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Global muscles
o Type 1 and Type II muscle fibers
o Move the trunk, transfer load between UE and LE, and provide spine stabilization of spine.
o Concentric force production and eccentric deceleration during activity
o Muscles
■ Rectus abdominis
■ External/internal obliques
■ Erector spinae
■ Gluteus maximus
■ Latissimus dorsi
■ Hip flexors (iliopsoas)
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Global muscles
o Muscles
■ Rectus abdominis
■ External obliques
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Global muscles
o Muscles
■ Internal obliques
■ Erector spinae
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Global muscles
o Muscles
■ Iliopsoas
● Iliacus
● Psoas
Introduction to Core Training
Core Musculature
● Global muscles
o Muscles
■ Latissimus dorsi
Importance of
Properly Training
the Core Muscles
Lesson 2
Importance of Properly Training the Core Muscles
Scientific Rationale for Core Training
● Scientific evidence supports core training for the following:
o Optimizing posture
o Performance
o Injury resistance
o Rehabilitation
Importance of Properly Training the Core Muscles
Scientific Rationale for Core Training
● Spinal curves – lordotic and kyphotic
○ Lordotic: The normal curvature of the cervical and
lumbar spine regions, creating a concave portion of
the spine.
○ Kyphotic: The normal curvature of the thoracic spine
region, creating a convex portion of the spine.
■ Optimizing posture
➢ Anterior Pelvic Tilt: An excessive forward rotation of
the pelvis that results in greater lumbar lordosis.
➢ Posterior Pelvic Tilt: An excessive rotation of the
pelvis that results in lesser lumbar lordosis.
Importance of Properly Training the Core Muscles
Scientific Rationale for Core Training
● Optimize posture
o Scoliosis: abnormal spine curve (side to side)
Importance of Properly Training the Core Muscles
Scientific Rationale for Core Training
● Performance
○ Foundation for transmitting forceful movements between the upper and lower extremity
○ Core stability and strength is associated with the following improvements:
■ Upper and lower extremity muscle strength and force production
■ Take off velocity and vertical jump
■ Speed and kicking performance
■ Dynamic balance and jumping distance
■ Throwing mechanics
■ Swimming sprint times
Importance of Properly Training the Core Muscles
Scientific Rationale for Core Training
● Injury resistance
○ May modify injury risk factors
■ Weak core results in increased lower extremity acute and overuse injuries
○ Core stability and strength is associated with the following improvements:
■ Balance and fall prevention
■ Acute lower extremity injuries (prevention programs)
■ Lower extremity dynamic landing control
Importance of Properly Training the Core Muscles
Scientific rationale for core training
● Rehabilitation
o Core training commonly used in the rehabilitation for low
back pain
o Drawing-in Maneuver: A maneuver used to recruit the
local core stabilizers by drawing in the navel toward the
spine.
■ Activates transversus abdominis
■ Creates thoracolumbar fascia tension
■ Stiffens sacroiliac joint
■ Poor form
Importance of Properly Training the Core Muscles
Scientific Rationale for Core Training
● Rehabilitation
o Core training commonly used in the rehabilitation for low back pain
o Abdominal Bracing: Contracting the global abdominals such as the rectus abdominis and obliques at the
same time.
■ “Bearing down” or tightening
■ May provide the most benefit to individuals with LBP
Guidelines for Core Training
Lesson 3
Guidelines for Core Training
● Comprehensive core program should focus on the entire muscle action
spectrum.
o Force production (concentric)
o Force reduction (eccentric)
o Dynamic stabilization (isometric)
● Proprioceptively enriched training environment
o Controlled and unstable training
o Multi-sensory environment
o Multiple exercise modalities and training variables
Guidelines for Core Training
Core Training Variables
Guidelines for Core Training
Designing a Core Training Program
● Goal: Develop optimal levels of core stability, muscular endurance, strength, and power.
○ Core program must include the following functional outcomes:
1. Intervertebral stability (stabilization of individual spinal segments)
■ Client maintains drawing-in position
2. Lumbopelvic stability (stabilization of lumbo-pelvic-hip complex)
■ Client performs functional movements (e.g., squats) without excessive spinal motion
3. Movement efficiency (improved movement quality and force output)
■ Client demonstrates smooth, efficient movements
Guidelines for Core Training
Designing a Core Training Program
● Core Training Progression 1: Lesson 4 has Pictures/Demonstrations
o Local muscles: Core training progression (drawing-in and bracing) for spine stabilization
■ Marching
■ Floor bridge
■ Ball bridge
■ Floor cobra
■ Ball cobra
■ Fire hydrant
■ Plank
■ Side plank
■ Dead bug
■ Bird dog
■ Pallof press
■ Farmer’s carry
Guidelines for Core Training
Designing a Core Training Program
● Core Training Progression 2
o Global and local muscles: Dynamic movements for LPHC stability, strength, and coordination
■ Floor crunch
■ Ball crunch
■ Back extension
■ Reverse crunch
■ Knee-up
■ Cable rotation
■ Cable lift
■ Cable chop
Guidelines for Core Training
Designing a Core Training Program
● Core Training Progression 3
o Global and local muscles: Exercises to improve rate of force production and movement of core and extremities
(explosive speed movements)
■ Medicine ball rotation chest pass
■ Ball medicine ball pullover throw
■ Front medicine ball oblique throw
■ Side medicine ball oblique throw
■ Medicine ball soccer throw
■ Medicine ball woodchop throw
■ Medicine ball overhead throw
Guidelines for Core Training
Designing a Core Training Program
● Five kinetic checkpoints
1. Feet: Approximately shoulder-width apart (when appropriate) and
pointing straight ahead (when appropriate)
2. Knees: In line with the second and third toes (avoid allowing knees to
cave inward)
3. Hips: Level and in a neutral position
4. Shoulders: Neutral position (not protracted or elevated)
5. Head: Cervical spine in a neutral position (chin tuck)
Chapter 16 Summary
YOU LEARNED
✔ The core musculature helps protect the spine from harmful
forces that occur during functional activities.
✔ Effective core training focuses on optimizing core stability,
endurance, strength, and power. Focusing on each of these
components is an important part of ensuring that individuals
can effectively stabilize their core, as well as forcefully
move their trunk.
✔ Both local and global muscles must be trained to effectively
acquire core stability, endurance, strength, and power
adaptations.
✔ Local muscles, such as the rotatores, multifidus, and
transverse abdominis, generally act to provide dynamic
control of spinal segments important for core stability.
Chapter 16 Summary
YOU LEARNED (cont.)
✔ Global muscles, such as the rectus abdominis, external and
internal abdominal obliques, and erector spinae, act to
move the trunk during core strengthening exercises.
✔ Fitness professionals should ensure that local muscles are
effective in stabilizing the spine when introducing more
advanced core exercises that use global muscles to move
the trunk.
✔ Additionally, it is critical to ensure that both local and global
core muscles demonstrate adequate endurance due to the
continuous need for optimal spinal stability and precise
trunk movements during many activities.
