Core Engagement
As a multisport coach, I preach “core engagement” to every athlete in every workout. To move powerfully & efficiently core engagement is the critical component. Done well it helps us connect top & bottom halves AND right & left sides of our bodies. Without core engagement our body parts move like independent units – synchronicity goes out the window & we’re left with disjointed motions that often counteract each other.
Suffice to say we’re all familiar with the concept of “core engagement”. Because it’s such a common concept there are many ways to describe it. “Pin your ribcage.” “Grow your spine.” And my personal favorite – “Don’t be schlumpy!” But what does it really mean to engage your core? Many people think it means to “suck in your abs”…which is part of it…but not the whole story. Although your 6-pack abs are a part of the core, they are only one piece of the puzzle. For my purposes I define “the core” as a fairly broad area – shoulders down to your mid-thighs. For a more complete picture of core engagement let’s delve into the 4 main areas that you can work on next time you’re swimming, biking and/or running.
Core Engagement #1 – The Shoulders
I would hedge a bet that most of you don’t think about your shoulders when you are thinking about your core. The tricky part is that, if your shoulders are not engaged correctly or at all, they will prohibit you from effectively engaging your core. Since your spine is a single structure made up of many little interlocking structures, what happens at the top will directly effect what happens at the bottom. So, when your shoulders are thrown back & your upper back is arched, your low back will also arch…thereby disengaging your core. The tell-tale sign of an overarched upper back is “pokey ribs”…your bottom ribs will poke forward. This position tends to throw your weight distribution off which will make you exert more effort to move forward in running & throw your rotational balance off in swimming.
To Fix: Close the space slightly between your bottom rib & the top of your hipbone. This will pull your upper body over your hips & pull your hips under your body. Voila – engaged core!
Core Engagement #2 – The Gluts
Like the shoulders, I would bet that gluts are another area that most folks don’t think of when I say “the core”. What part do the gluts play in core engagement? Well, they ain’t called “The Powerhouse” for nothing! As one of the strongest muscle groups to act on the hips, the gluts will position the hips to be the foundation…the place where all your power originates from. If the gluts aren’t engaged, generally the hips will roll forward creating an excessively arched back. And, as we learned with the shoulders, arching of either the upper or lower spine disengages your core. The trouble for most of us is that we sit…a lot. Excessive sitting is one of the main reasons that our gluts no longer know how to activate. In biking & running, it’s pretty obvious why we want great core activation through glut engagement. But what about swimming? If you experience low back pain and/or lateral hip drop (which makes you zig-zag down the lane), your core just might not be activating because of your gluts!
To Fix: Squeeze your gluts together slightly…like you’re holding onto a $100 dollar bill! When you do this notice your hips roll underneath you & a slight flattening of your low back – a big step towards engaging your core!
Core Engagement #3 – The Quads
The third muscle group in our Core Engagement discussion is the quads. While the quads seem a long ways away from our abs – what we typically think of as our core – they are a critical player in activating & engaging our core. The problem is that, without strong activated glut muscles, our quads will dominate & get very out of balance. They will become the prime movers rather than working in tandem with the other core engagement muscles to create efficient motion pattern. When I watch folks swim, bike & run I often see quad dominance…or rather glut weakness. In swimming, the sure sign is excessive knee bending while kicking. In cycling, riders with overly rounded backs & shoulders (this often happen when seats are positioned too far forward) often have overused quads. In running, the very common arched low back inhibits the gluts & hamstrings thereby forcing the quads to pick up the slack. To restate, quads are critical to core engagement…but not because they are strong & powerful. Rather, they do their best when working with the other core engagement muscles to produce a stabilized, supported, powerful body!
To Fix: Start working on your glut awareness. Exercises like Bridges & Single-Leg Deadlifts will go a long way towards encouraging your quads & gluts to play nice together!
Core Engagement #4 – Abs & Low Back
Finally! We got to the muscle groups you probably thought about when I said “Core Engagement”! Quite obviously they play a large role – they connect your shoulders to your hips & your right side to the left side of the body. Without the low back & abs…any movement would be downright impossible! But, to train these muscles groups properly we need to skip right over those sit-ups & crunches. “Core engagement” means all of our muscles – low back, abs, gluts, quads – work together in coordinated patterns to create powerful action. So, that’s exactly how we need to train them! Here are 3 fabulous exercises to get you started on down the path to excellent Core Engagement!
BOSU Bicycles
Place BOSU in low back region (flat side on ground). Lie back & balance with leg straight & feet held off the ground. Hands can be crossed over chest (easier) or placed in standard bicycle position (harder). Bring left knee into chest with right leg out straight as possible. Rotate the upper body to touch right shoulder to left knee. Keep elbows out. While extending left leg & bending right knee, rotate torso to touch left shoulder to right knee. Repeat.
Physioball V-Ups
Start in Basic V-Up position with small PB held in hands. Strongly contract the abdominals & raise both legs slightly off the ground. Simultaneously raise legs, arms, & torso to form a “V” with your body. At top of exercise, transfer PB from hands to feet. Lower down to start position. Raise up again into “V” & transfer PB back to hands from feet. Repeat.
Reverse Hyperextensions
Lie with physioball in stomach & hold onto something solid like a bench. Contract abdominals to protect low back. Keeping legs straight, extend hips to raise legs slightly above level (your low back should have a slight arch in it). Lower to 1st position & repeat.
Cheers,
Coach Michelle