Optimizing Performance by Improving Core Stability and Core Strength

Abstract

Core stability and core strength have been subject to research since the early 1980s. Research has highlighted benefits of training these processes for people with back pain and for carrying out everyday activities. However, less research has been performed on the benefits of core training for elite athletes and how this training should be carried out to optimize sporting performance. Many elite athletes undertake core stability and core strength training as part of their training programme, despite contradictory findings and conclusions as to their efficacy. This is mainly due to the lack of a gold standard method for measuring core stability and strength when performing everyday tasks and sporting movements. A further confounding factor is that because of the differing demands on the core musculature during everyday activities (low load, slow movements) and sporting activities (high load, resisted, dynamic movements), research performed in the rehabilitation sector cannot be applied to the sporting environment and, subsequently, data regarding core training programmes and their effectiveness on sporting performance are lacking. There are many articles in the literature that promote core training programmes and exercises for performance enhancement without providing a strong scientific rationale of their effectiveness, especially in the sporting sector. In the rehabilitation sector, improvements in lower back injuries have been reported by improving core stability. Few studies have observed any performance enhancement in sporting activities despite observing improvements in core stability and core strength following a core training programme. A clearer understanding of the roles that specific muscles have during core stability and core strength exercises would enable more functional training programmes to be implemented, which may result in a more effective transfer of these skills to actual sporting activities.

Effect of Core Strength on the Measure of Power in the Extremities

“…8,12  Core stability-the body's ability to control the position of the trunk and pelvis for optimum production, transfer and control of functional activities 9 .…”

“… Core strength -the muscles surrounding the spinal column's ability to maintain stability while acting on an external perturbation 12 .…”

“…The simplest definition is that the core is a box with the abdominals as the front, paraspinals and gluteals in back, the diaphragm as the roof, and the pelvic girdle and hip girdle musculature serving as the bottom 8,12 . There is one vital aspect of the core that is not addressed by this definition which is the obliques and latissimus dorsi acting on the sides of the box, but this definition is still very true to the actual structure of the core in the way it acts and is structured.…”

“…Several authors state that the core includes several of the muscles in the hip and thighs 8,9,12 . The core assessment used in this study did not assess those muscles.…”

“Functional” Inspiratory and Core Muscle Training Enhances Running Performance and Economy

“…The apparently crucial role of the CM during exercise has led to the suggestion that enhancing CM function would improve sports performance. However, most previous studies have failed to support this suggestion (10,18,19,22). Given the closely integrated relationship between CM and IM contributions to sports performance, it is perhaps unsurprising that interventions focussing only on the CM should fail to identify an improvement in sports performance.…”