Foundation Building The Core 2 Core Values

Today we have the second installment of foundation building the core, core values. The core is a fitness buzzword, that word that all of the baseball players that used PEDS start throwing around when they shrink. Oh yeah this offseason I worked a lot of core, Yoga, and Pilates maybe they hit you with I am plant based now as well. All kidding aside the word is often overused, but it is important for all of us especially athletes. A weak core has been connected to plantar fascitiis, low back pain, hip, knee and lumbar dysfunction.  To move correctly during any activity, in any plane, you need a strong core as well as a few other pieces of the puzzle but we will get to those later.  As a refresher the core runs from ball and socket joint (the shoulders) to ball and socket joint (the hips). It is made up of two systems the local stabilization system, and the global stabilization system.  The local stabilization system involves the muscles that attach to the vertebrae, they are responsible for keeping your spine stabilized. Muscles in this system are the transverse abdominus and the multfidi, the secondary muscles are internal obliques, diaphragm and pelvic floor muscles. The local muscles are made up of slow twitch fibers, active in endurance activities. They are activated at low resistance levels. The global stabilization system are superficial and are responsible for controlling for body’s movement. They are made up of the following muscles: rectus abdominus, external oblique, erector spinae, psoas major and the ilicostalis. They are made up of fast twitch fibers, used in power activities, and activated in higher resistance levels. Many people have a weak core is due to working one system without engaging the other system.  

Brad Pitt in Snatch

The last time we focused on building a base for your core teaching you the basics, how to brace and showing you the plank, psoas stretch, Janda situp, bird dog, glute bridge, glute march, and the russian twist. In this article we are stepping up our game so if you have been doing the exercises in the prior article please proceed slowly. If you have not been doing the exercises start with the first core article do the exercises for a few weeks then ease into Core 2. Now for the exercises the nasty nine:
First up is one of my all time favorites the Turkish Get up, for our purposes here the half get up. The full get up has been called a “beautiful exercise” by Dave Whitely Master RKC and Master SFG and it is. It will hit your core from angles you have not thought possible: 

Before doing a full get up or a half get up, you need to know how to pack your shoulder properly. Otherwise you could be in trouble picking up a load overhead. Packing the shoulder refers to scapula retraction back and depression down. The ability to suck the shoulder into its socket is very important for health and performance. 
You must keep the elbow straight for the duration of the get up. Not for the sake of the elbow but for the sake of the shoulder-elbow flexion compromises shoulder packing. The idea is to get up with the weight overhead using proper shoulder mechanics. It is important to remain mindful to keep the shoulder inside the body, this is especially important in the transition points of the movement. 

Half Turkish get up

1)  Lying on your back, bend your right knee, put the kettlebell in your right hand (extended towards the ceiling)  

2)  Using your abs, punch the kettlebell towards the ceiling and raise yourself up onto your left elbow.  

3)  Raise up onto your left hand while keeping your right hand vertical 
4) Go Back down onto your left elbow keeping your eyes on the bell always. 
5) Lie back in the starting position and repeat from step one 

                                                                                    TRX Pike 

                                                                    TRX Reaching Row

                                                                      TRX Pendulum

                                                                 TRX Oblique Crunch

                                                                       TRX Knee Tucks

 

                                                                 Stir The Pot Swiss Ball

                                                             Barbell Windshield Wipers 

                                           
Many of us will skip core training thinking unless we can see our abs we are not doing anything, huge mistake underneath the adipose tissue is muscles that need work. The hope is that you can progress to these movements, work them into your program slowly.  Please keep me posted with your progress!
On Friday I will finally have the supplement article up that I was part of writing up.  In the coming weeks we will be looking at GMO's, Anti-inflammatory diet, reasons to support local farmers and a further look into gut microbiology. Thank you for reading this blog. Please sign up for the mailing list and share it as well.