Martial artists long have recognized the importance of well-developed core musculature.
One of the main differences between a novice practitioner and a black belt is the
black belt's development and use of his core (called “center” or “Ki”) to produce
balanced, powerful, and explosive movements. For middle- and long-distance runners—whose
chosen sport involves balanced and powerful movements of the body propelling itself
forward and catching itself in complex motor patterns—this stable core, as well as
a strong foundation of muscular balance, is essential. In many runners, however—even
those at an Olympic level—this core musculature is not developed fully. Weakness or
lack of sufficient coordination in core musculature can lead to less efficient movements,
compensatory movement patterns, strain, overuse, and injury. This article discusses
the importance of muscle balance and core stability for injury prevention and for
improving a distance runner's efficiency and performance. It includes a detailed series
of core exercises that can be incorporated gradually into a runner's training program.
The program starts with restoration of normal muscle length and mobility to correct
any muscle imbalances. Next, fundamental lumbo-pelvic stability exercises are introduced
which teach the athlete to activate the deeper core musculature. When this has been
mastered, advanced lumbo-pelvic stability exercises on the physioball are added for
greater challenge. As the athlete transitions to the standing position, sensory motor
training is used to stimulate the subcortex and provides a basis for functional movement
exercises that promote balance, coordination, precision, and skill acquisition. The
ultimate goal of core stabilization is to train “movements” and “positions” rather
than muscles. Exercises are most effective when they mirror the demands of the athlete's
sport.
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© 2005 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
