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Have you heard the term focus on the core? No,
we’re not talking about the inside of a golf ball; we’re talking about the
inner muscles that make up the abdominal region, hips, and lower back. Most
people focus their attention on the muscles that are more visible and easy
to train, such as biceps, pecs, and back. The most important muscles
that act as our foundation, however, are often over looked. So what is core training,
or better yet core stability, and how do you increase your core stability?
Core training is best done when the body is
placed in an unstable environment. One way to accomplish an unstable
environment is with the use of those big colorful balls, commonly known as
Swiss balls, Resist-A-Balls, or stability balls. Once used as a tool for
rehabilitation, they have now become a hot item for healthy individuals to
use for core and stability training. Swiss balls can be used in a variety of
settings; with bodyweight only, integrated with selectorized machines and
free weights, or with free weight or tubing exercises.
We have all seen Swiss balls in fitness
facilities, but the question many people ask is what makes Swiss ball
training so great? How can sitting, rolling, moving, or performing an
exercise on a ball be beneficial? Believe it or not, there are numerous
benefits to Swiss ball training:
1
Improved Posture. It takes more
energy to move your body when you have poor posture, not to mention an
increase of stress to the joints and stabilizer muscles. An athlete is
always searching for the edge over the competition and simply improving
posture will help the body function more effectively and efficiently. Swiss
ball training is an excellent form of posture training. Postural muscles
have to work in the unstable environment, unlike supported exercises such as
machine training.
2
Improved Balance and Stability. The
human body moves in three planes or a combination of planes and for improved
balance and stability, you need to perform exercises that allow you to train
in these multiple planes. Traditional machine weight training takes the
balance out of the picture and the machine actually becomes your stabilizer.
Swiss ball training places you in an unstable environment, forcing you to
utilize your neutralizer and stabilizer muscles to stay balanced in a given
position or through a particular motion. The result is improved sports
performance since you are able to apply more power and strength to any
situation where you need to balance and
stabilize your body on a hill or unstable position.
3
Improved Nervous System Activation.
The
benefit of improving your nervous system activation is that you are able to
transform the strength you developed from your training program to real life
situations, whether they are sport-related or everyday activities.
4
Strengthened Core and Extremities.
Swiss ball exercises require constant activation of the core muscles, which
translates to a more functional core as well as sculpted abdominal and back
muscles. Using the Swiss ball with free weight exercises will help develop
the extremities while training the core at the same time.
As you will quickly learn, you just don’t
get on the Swiss ball and begin your exercises; there are several rules to
follow in order to perform the exercises correctly and safely. Seeking the
help of a qualified personal trainer experienced in stability training will
be beneficial. For starters, using the Swiss balls is not just about getting
on one and trying not to fall off—you must maintain proper positioning
throughout the exercises. Tucking in the pelvis and pressing the belly
button into the spine are some cues that you will need to focus on through
the exercises.
In order to improve your athletic
performance, balance, stability, and posture, you will need to train in an
environment that places a demand on the core muscles. You will notice that
after training on a Swiss ball, you will become more confident in your
ability to move effectively and efficiently during both sports-related and
everyday activities.
Swiss ball training is only one aspect of
training in an unstable environment. The use of core boards, wobble boards,
foam roller, and discs all play a vital role in improving your athletic
performance and training in such a way that really translates to real life
activities.
No
matter what you're trying to accomplish, keeping a balance in your training
program is important. Components of fitness that should always be included
are: muscle strength and endurance, cardiovascular, flexibility, stability
and balance, and coordination. Athletes will need to incorporate speed and
agility to the list. Looking at the all the components that you need to
integrate, it seems as though there is not enough time in the day to
complete it all in a training program. This is where the professional
assistance of a personal trainer comes into play. A personal trainer will be
able to set up your program customized to your needs, wants, and lifestyle
so that you don’t spend hours in the gym. After all, we work out so that our
life is more enjoyable. Once you start adding stability training into your
program, you'll quickly see how it will improve other activities in your
life. No matter what your fitness level may be, anyone can utilize a Swiss
ball due to the vast variety of exercises available, from beginner to
advanced level.
Vaughn Marxhausen is a Certified
Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength &
Conditioning Association. Vaughn is an international presenter on a variety
of fitness topics, such as personal training, customer service, special
populations, and industry trends. Vaughn offers fitness consulting services
through his company, sportingimage.itgo.com. Sporting Image provides a
variety of fitness services from the fitness professional to the individual
looking to obtain fitness goals. Visit
www.sportingimage.itgo.com
for a list of available services.
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