MASTER CLASS

Grasping movement patterns key to core anatomy

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CELIA STOREY
Brittney Patty does the 2nd step of the Crunch With Leg Raise exercise for Matt Parrott's Master Class column in ActiveStyle.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CELIA STOREY Brittney Patty does the 2nd step of the Crunch With Leg Raise exercise for Matt Parrott's Master Class column in ActiveStyle.

Abdominal strength is sometimes confused with core strength, and vice versa. While the abdominal group is one part, the core includes many more muscle groups.

To comprehensively develop the entire region, it's important to include all relevant muscles in one's training program.

This week, I'll discuss some ways to ensure your core routine covers the territory. And I'll introduce an exercise that tackles these muscles in a new and exciting way.

The easiest way to understand core anatomy is to sort the various muscle groups of the torso into three general categories: trunk and hip flexors (abdominals), trunk and hip extensors (lower back muscles) and trunk rotators (obliques). Each of these areas encompasses several muscles, some larger and some smaller, but you don't have to memorize a bunch of muscles: The key is to understand movement patterns.

Let's start with trunk and hip flexion because these are easily the most-performed core activities of daily life. Crunches, situps and leg raises are just a few of the many exercises that challenge this portion of the core musculature. Usually, exercisers understand this and regularly include such movements in their routines.

Trunk and hip extension are far less popular. Hip extension is largely handled by the gluteal group, which is notorious among trainers for its absence from many people's strength-training programs. The lower back muscles face a similar -- but deeper and more frequent -- neglect.

The easiest way to incorporate trunk and hip extension into one's workout is to perform one simple exercise. The basic bridge is a simple isometric position. You can jazz things up by doing it while lying on your back on a Swiss ball. The ball should support your head and shoulders while your hips are held parallel to the floor in "bridge" position. This forces the lower back and gluteal muscles to fire constantly, which will improve their strength and endurance over time.

Trunk rotation is another frequently skipped movement pattern, but this is another movement that's easy to add to a routine. Medicine ball twists and cable twists are two simple exercises that meet the requirement for trunk rotation by challenging the oblique muscles directly.

This week I bring you a fantastic core exercise that addresses trunk flexion and hip flexion with one simple movement. Assuming you also do the aforementioned exercises targeting the gluteals/low back as well as the oblique twists, this one will complete your core training.

1. Select a light stretch band and anchor it to a low point on the floor. Lie face up on the floor with your head near the anchor point and the soles of your feet facing away from it.

2. Grasp the handles of the stretch band and extend your arms down by your hips. The stretch band should be taut.

3. Activate your abdominal muscles by pressing your lower back into the floor. As you do this, slowly lift the right leg off the floor until your right hip is at 90 degrees and the sole of your foot faces the ceiling.

4. Lower your leg, relax your core.

5. Reactivate your core and lift and lower the opposite leg.

6. Repeat for two or three sets of 12 repetitions.

I think you'll notice a nice contraction in the lower portion of the abdominals during the leg raise. Try to move very slowly through the range of motion and lower your leg in a controlled fashion. This will force the abdominals to support the weight of your leg.

Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master's in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.

vballtop@aol.com

ActiveStyle on 03/23/2015

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