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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,
however, the most important muscles that act as our foundation are often over
looked. So what is core training, or better yet core stability, and how does an
individual increase their 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, depending who you talk to, are commonly known as Swiss balls,
Resist-A-Ball or stability balls. Once used as a tool for rehabilitation has
now become a hot item for healthy individuals to use to core and stability
training. Swiss balls can be used in a variety of settings; use with bodyweight
only, integrated with selectorized machines and free weights, or can be used
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 but
there are numerous benefits to Swiss ball training, some of them are listed
here.
Improved Posture. It takes more energy to move the 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.
Improved Balance/Stability. The human body moves in three planes or a
combination of planes and for improved balance and stability, an individual
needs to perform exercises that allow them 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, especially out on the golf course, when
you need to balance and stabilize your body on a hill or unstable position.
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.
Strengthen The Core & 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, have better balance/stability or
improve your 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 from the golf course to 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 are trying to accomplish, keeping a balance in your training
program is important. Components of fitness that should always be included are:
muscle strength & endurance, cardiovascular, flexibility, stability/balance
and coordination. Athletes will need to incorporate speed and agility to the
list. Looking at the all the components that one needs 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 that is
customized to your needs, wants and lifestyle, so that you don't spend hours in
the gym. After all, we workout so that our life is more enjoyable. Once you
start adding stability training into your program, you will quickly see how it
will improve other activities in your life as well as your performance on the
golf course. No matter what your fitness level may be, anyone can utilize a
Swiss ball due to the vast variety of exercises from beginner to advanced
level.
About The Author
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.
sportingimage@usa.com
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