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Developing A Progressive Core Stability Program

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250 views3 pages

Developing A Progressive Core Stability Program

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Developing a Progressive Core Stability Program

Article  in  Strength and conditioning journal · October 2002


DOI: 10.1519/00126548-200210000-00017

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© National Strength & Conditioning Association
Volume 24, Number 5, pages 65–66

Developing a Progressive
Core Stability Program
Ian Jeffreys, MSc, CSCS
Coleg Powys, Penlan, Brecon, Powys LD3 9SR, U.K.

COLEG POWYS IS AN EDUCA- This involves traditional resis- “softening” of the lower abdominal
tional establishment in the United tance training sessions, where the area (or both). I consider a quarter
Kingdom catering to student ath- focus is on the principal mobiliz- out poor, half average, three-quar-
letes predominantly between the ing muscles for sports perfor- ters good, and full out excellent.
ages of 16 and 19 (essentially the mance and in addition, sessions In our experience the vast majori-
last 2 years of U.S. high school). where attention is focused on de- ty of our athletes only achieve poor
The majority of student athletes veloping the core muscles of the to average scores emphasizing the
are with us for 2–3 years, and op- trunk, especially the underlying need for this work. This lack of
timally developing these athletes stabilizing muscles. To develop core strength and stability can
within the small time scale avail- what I term the core stabilizing manifest itself in inefficient sports
able clearly presents a challenge. muscles (transverse abdominus, techniques and also predisposes
This is further hampered by the internal obliques, pelvic floor, and the athlete to injury.
lack of strength and conditioning multifidus), I have set up a core With the increasing number of
training in U.K. high schools and stability program that consists of core stability exercises being in-
thus the lack of preparation un- 2 dedicated half-hour sessions troduced, one of the challenges is
dergone by athletes before joining every week for all athletes. to apply the appropriate exercise
us. Our screening process has Our initial screening for core to the athlete depending upon his
shown that a vast majority of our stability and control involves a or her own ability and experience.
athletes are deficient in basic simple double leg-lowering test. To facilitate this, our program is
strength and conditioning on ar- Athletes lying on their back are re- based on 5 levels, each one built
rival. Indeed, within the U.K. we quired to raise both legs off the upon the previous stage; this pro-
are one of the few establishments floor with knees to chest, they vides us with a model on which all
committed to a strength and con- then have to contract the trans- program development and appli-
ditioning program. verse abdominus and slowly lower cation can be based. Because of
In our screening process over and slide both legs out to a this sequential nature of the pro-
the last few years what is evident straight position, with feet re- gram, athletes are not allowed to
is the lack of core strength and maining off the floor at all times. I move to the next level until they
stability in our athletes. Therefore, gauge the point at which the ath- have mastered the previous level.
our strength program takes an in- lete loses control of the transverse This 5-level approach allows us to
side out approach, with the pri- contraction, which normally man- classify exercises and to structure
mary focus being on developing ifests itself as an increase in mus- progressive programs for our ath-
the muscles of the trunk area. cle activity in the lower back or a letes built on the firm basis of a

October 2002 Strength and Conditioning Journal 65


successful performance at the ic positions, together with slow, ment, such as medicine balls,
previous level. controlled movements, such as rubber tubing, etc., to add anoth-
squats, one-legged squats, cross- er more dynamic stimulus to the
• Level 1 Mastery of core con- steps, etc. The aim of all of these exercises and to make them more
traction. exercises is to maintain stability sport specific. Stable environment
• Level 2 Static holds and slow by controlling the muscular con- exercise will be very sport specific
movements in a stable envi- tractions of the core muscles. To- and dynamic, incorporating resis-
ronment. ward the end of this stage, light re- tance, e.g., high knee drills with
• Level 3 Static holds in an un- sistance is added in the form of rubber tubing. This allows me to
stable environment and dy- partner pressure to test the stabil- develop very functional power
namic movement in a stable ity of the held positions. within our athletes while maxi-
environment. Level Three. Only when the mizing their core stability and
• Level 4 Dynamic movements athletes enter level three is the un- control.
in an unstable environment. stable environment brought in Within the session structure,
• Level 5 Resisted, dynamic using a stability ball, etc. This ap- exercises from previous levels will
movement in an unstable en- proach in delaying the introduc- be included, e.g., a level-5 athlete
vironment. tion of the unstable environment will not solely work with level-5 ex-
ensures that the athletes are (a) ercises. These allow for reinforce-
Level One. This requires the aware of the aims of the equip- ment of the basic core contrac-
athletes to master the contraction ment, and (b) adept at performing tions and can also serve as a
of the core muscles, and athletes the required movement control to warm up to the more dynamic ad-
are required to actively master obtain maximum benefit from the vanced exercises.
contracting and holding the core equipment. Here, progressive At all times, focus is on the
contraction. The use of ropes practices are setup where athletes form. If this breaks down, athletes
around the waist, small discs are asked to statically hold pro- are advised to return to the previ-
placed on the naval, etc. allows gressively challenging positions. ous level or to less challenging ex-
athletes to gain a visual focus to il- In addition, dynamic work is car- ercises within the level. “Neutral”
lustrate the contraction. In addi- ried out in a stable environment, body position is emphasized at all
tion, we encourage the contraction e.g., in-place knee lifts, etc., while times, and any deviations from
to become a natural part of the contracting the core muscles, with this are corrected immediately.▲
athlete’s routine by encouraging the aim of enhancing movement
the athletes to contract the core control.
muscles at trigger points during Level Four. This level involves
the day, such as the ringing of any the incorporation of movement
bell, etc. Only when we feel the into the unstable environment Ian Jeffreys is Director of Sport
athlete has mastered the basic with exercises, such as twists, etc. Science at Coleg Powys in Brecon,
contraction do they move onto on the stability ball. Exercises in Wales, where he also acts as Head
level two. This phase has the the stable environment become Strength and Conditioning Coach.
bonus of raising the athlete’s dynamic and more sport specific, Ian is also the Strength and Con-
awareness of the core muscles e.g., high knee drills, etc., while ditioning Advisor for the Welsh
and helps in isolating the contrac- contracting the core muscles. Schools National Rugby team at
tion during the later stages. Level Five. This level involves Under 16 level, and for the Mid
Level Two. This requires the the utilization of methods of resis- Wales “Elite Player Development”
athletes to take up and hold stat- tance to the unstable environ- Rugby Scheme.

66 Strength and Conditioning Journal October 2002

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