Core stability provides central body control. “It is the ability of your trunk to support the effort and forces from your arms and legs, so that muscles and joints can perform in their safest, strongest and most effective positions.”
Your core includes your abdominals, back, pelvic and shoulder girdles. These are responsible for transferring the forces of your arms and legs to your spine.
If the wrong muscles are activated or the muscles being worked are relatively weak your body will try and compensate by adjusting itself into positions not ideal for the movement in hand. This can then make you vulnerable to injuries.
There are many benefits to have good core stability some of which include:
• Increased ability to change direction as body momentum is controlled.
• Improved Posture.
• Improved balance and muscular coordination.
• Decreased risk of injury
The Muscles of the Core
Abdominals
Many people would assume the abdominals are one muscle but in fact are made up of the rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques and the transversus abdominus muscle. Each of these muscles have different actions and should be worked on equally. Are you working all of these areas?
Gluteals
These are the muscles around your hip and your bottom and play a key roll in lifting, speed and balance. If these muscles are weak it can possibly lead to back, knee and groin injuries due to lack of control in these areas.
The Upper Body
As the above help control the lower limbs and back movements. There are other muscles which provide the same role for the upper body using the shoulder blades as there base. The Trapezius and serratus anterior are responsible for the control of the shoulder blades.
By having a strong core your body can function more efficiently with less risk. Training core stability develops the foundation for effective movements from the muscle groups in the arms and legs.
A few questions to ask yourself:
Do you have a strong core?
Are you working the correct muscles?
Do you have any re occurring injuries?
Are you carrying out the correct training programme?
If your not sure then why not ask a professional in their field… personal trainer… physiotherapist…