Stabilization training
Core stabilization training for an indestructible core
Why stabilization training?
Maintaining the The neutral position of our spine in sport and in everyday life is extremely important in order to develop a lot of strength in the extremities and to protect structures such as vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs in the long term.
A stable core also offers us protection in the event of falls or unforeseen, extreme movements. For many sports such as running, cycling, skiing, cross-country skiing, soccer, tennis or golf, a stable torso is a massive boost to performance.
For people with back pain, regular stab training is usually the best, long-term reduction or even elimination of the discomfort.
The deep core muscles – pelvic floor, transversus and multifidus – are stunted in many people, sometimes very athletic. Therefore we first learn how to control them with so-called
Perception exercises:
We have to start with that – otherwise all of the stability training is free or even harmful!
Stabilization training – activate the pelvic floor:
Lying down, we imagine standing in front of an occupied toilet and having to stop the urge to urinate. We feel the pelvic floor tighten.
Activate deep abdominal muscles:
We relax on our back again and introduce ourselves, us pull our navel inwards towards the spine. To check, we put our hands on our stomach and feel the tension of the abdominal wall on the left and right next to the pelvic shovel. Among other things, the transversus muscle is tensed.
Control deep back muscles:
We lie down relaxed on our stomach and imagine we are doing a hollow back. Just imagine, not really hollow back. We feel how the small muscles become active in the depths, so we activate the multifidus muscle, among other things.
If it works with the perception, then in the next step we combine the tension of the pelvic floor, the deep abdominal muscles and the deep back muscles:
You tense the pelvic floor, deep abdominal and deep back muscles at the same time and hold the tension for 10 seconds. Then relax briefly and repeat, a total of 10 x 10 seconds.
Do this exercise in stabilization training in the supine position while standing and on the exercise ball.
From now on, calories will also be burned in stability training and we will also work up a sweat with the following exercises. Here is a selection of my favorites:
You can also find many other exercises in the Weight room – the gym of Kurt Exenberger .
Plank position
1 plank position
We get on our elbows and balls of the feet, then we tense the stabilizing muscles to the maximum and hold for about 30 seconds. Quality not quantity! Extra long planks only damage the technology and can therefore damage. A plank with poorly activated transversus is definitely unhealthy for the structures of your lumbar spine and does not really help at all!
In addition, we push our upper body out of the shoulders and round our thoracic spine, which also trains the chest muscles and the saw muscles (= musculus serratus), which are so important for shoulder health. We pull the chin towards the sternum and the cervical spine is thus in a linear extension of the thoracic spine.
We can also do the plank on our knees. It is difficult to activate the deep muscles properly in the right plank, it is easier when we shorten the levers and support us on our knees.
Reverse plank
2 reverse plank position
Press elbows and heels into the floor, tense the pelvic floor, transverse abdominal muscles, lower back muscles plus buttocks (= musculus gluteus maximus) as much as possible and hold for 30 seconds.
Side plank
3 side plank
We go sideways on our elbows and put our feet on top of each other. Tense your buttocks so that your hips are fully stretched – very important! Then tense the stabilizing muscles again and stay in this position for 30 seconds. Keep the cervical spine and head in line with the spine.
Side knees
4 side knees
Activate the multifidus, transversus and pelvic floor and bring the knees forward 10 times on the left and 10 times on the right. In between, pay attention to the activation of the multifidus.
Toe lift
5 toe lift
Plank backwards, activate and alternately lift one leg straight from the floor. Keep your pelvis in a horizontal position. Wide legs make the exercise more difficult, narrow ones make it easier.
Heel lift
6 heel lift
Plank, activate again and alternately lift your straight leg off the floor. Hold your pelvis still and pay attention to the activation of the multifidus between repetitions! Wide legs make the exercise more difficult, narrow ones make it easier.
Cross knees
7 cross knees
Plank, activate and alternately slide one knee towards the opposite elbow. While doing this, turn the torso and check the tension in the multifidus after each repetition and improve if necessary.
Training tips:
The stability training is not very exciting and doesn’t bring a six-pack. But it should not be underestimated in any case, as stability is the basis for any strength training.
These suggested exercises are just a basic selection of my favorites, there are a variety of other exercises – you can find a lot of content on YouTube.
A unit could be constructed as follows:
- first the perception exercises described above – 10×10 seconds
- then the 7 exercises in circular form for 30 sec. Load for the pure support exercises and 10 repetitions per side for the more complex exercises 4-7
- we start with one pass and slowly increase to 2 to 3 series
Train your stability often, daily if you have back problems, otherwise at least 3 times a week. Stabilization training is also the basis for other core strength exercises, which of course also belong to competitive athletes.
For athletes who work with higher weights, a stable torso is an indispensable prevention of injuries and an important guarantee of success.
After knowing these facts, the motivation for stability training will hopefully be easier for you and you can incorporate it into your everyday life as a daily routine.
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