September 1, 2020

A Strong Core for a Stronger Game

“It’s important that we remember that a strong core does not mean chiseled stomachs. Your core muscles include your whole trunk area and training this to withstand the pressure of the court, and even life, starts from the inside.”

When we think about building our core, it’s hard not to have in mind the ‘six pack abs’ that so many influencers show on the internet, but your core muscles are so much more than this. The ‘abs’ that we have all become familiar with are just a small part of the bodies core and often, although aesthetically pleasing, the least important part. In order to build a strong core you need to think about all the other muscles that are included; your lats, your back, your inner core and even your glute muscles are all things we should have in mind when it comes to building our core muscles.

Why are core exercises so important?

Your core isn’t just there to look good in your post-workout IG updates. Having a strong and stable core is vital for our movement and mobility in every day life. We rely on our core muscles to help up stand, sit, turn, twist, push and pull – therefore without a strong core your are much more susceptible to injuries. When it comes to netball, our core stability is vital for helping athletes to remain strong on the ball. A good core will help to improve a players strength, allow them to withstand contact, improve their ability to reach for intercepts and passes, and will also help minimise the risk of injury else where on the body.

So how can I build a strong core?

When it comes to building a routine to incorporate core exercises into your workout, you need to come away from endless crunches and sit ups and instead think about performing exercises that will involve and engage the whole ‘trunk’ in order to ensure you are building a strong core from the inside out.

We use our core every day, so instead of just concentrating on your ‘core’ exercises once a week, you should instead think about including core stabilising exercises to each of your workouts (minimum 3 times a week) in order to really ensure you are working to improve your stability.

Saying that, a lot of the whole body, compound movements you are already attempting in the gym (or at home) are in-fact also beneficial for your core. Take the humble squat for example. In order to perform this correctly, you have to brace your core on the return phase and squeeze your glutes in order to help you to lift the weight. Also when lunging, you are relying on your core stability to keep you steady as you decline into the movement – this is even more important when using a weight in your lunge.

It’s important that we remember that a strong core does not mean chiseled stomachs. Your core muscles include your whole trunk area and training this to withstand the pressure of the court, and even life, starts from the inside.

Have a go at incorporating the routine below after your next workout or run. Try it for four weeks and see the difference it makes to your game.

Core Workout

15 x 3 (Complete each exercise x 15 and complete 3 rounds)

Exercise 1 – Dead Bugs – Laying with your lower back pressed into the floor, your knees in a table top position and your hands raised directly in-front of you. Slowly lower and stretch out your left leg and your right arm at the same time. You should make sure that your back remains flat and pressed into the floor at all times – if it starts to rise, do not lower your leg any further. Slowly return to the start position and repeat on the other side.

Exercise 2 – Military Plank – Starting in a plank position with your forearms on the floor, your core braces and your head, neck and hips in line. Raise up onto your hands and lower back to the start position. Repeat. Take care not to allow your hips to rock and to remain stable throughout the movement.

Exercise 3 – Russian Twist with Reach – Start by sitting on the floor with your legs stretched in front of you. Slowly raise your legs and tilt back from your torso until you feel tension in your abdominals. Hold it here. From this position, twist your entire shoulder girdle to touch the floor on the left hand side, then raise your hands and twist to reach the sky on your right. Complete full repetitions on one side before moving onto repeat the movement on the left.

Exercise 4 – Single Leg Raises – Start by laying with your lower back pressed into the floor and your legs lifted up in-front of you, outstretched, toes pointed. From here, slowly lower your legs keeping them stretched, pointed and your core tight. When you reach the floor, or your lower back start to raise, slowly return your legs to the top and repeat. Keep it slow and steady here and really focus on bracing your core.

How do I know I am doing the right thing?

Ever heard the phrases ‘engage your core’ or ‘brace your core’? Well, if you are not doing this while performing your core exercises, chances are you are not going to see an improvement. It is important that when we perform core exercises we make sure that we are ‘switching on’ our muscles and forcing them to work throughout the movement.

Imagine you are standing in the street and a really strong gust of wind suddenly pushes against you. What would you do? You would tighten and brace all the muscles in your core and your body in order to avoid being blown over! This is exactly what it means to ‘brace’ or ‘engage’ your core. Make sure you do this every time you attempt a core specific exercise.

How can I test my core strength?

You can easily see if your core is improving through scoring your exercises as you attempt them. If when your start out you are struggling to keep your lower back pressed to the floor, or you find that the final few reps are almost impossible that’s fine. Take a mental note of it, keep practicing, and in 3-4 weeks check in with yourself again. If you now feel that the exercises feel more natural and your are ready to increase your reps you have improved.

But if you still want a test to benchmark your progress, or your athletes’ progress, give this a try:

60 Second Core Strength and Stability Test

Lay with your forearms on the floor in a plank position and start a 60 minute timer. Keeping your head, neck, back and hips in line and elevated off of the ground, stretch your left arm straight in-front of you for 15 seconds. Return it to the ground and repeat with the right arm. Return and lift the left leg from the ground, hold for 15 seconds. Repeat with the right leg.

Athletes with a strong, stable core should be able to hold this movement without breaking their form for the entire 60 seconds. Record at what point and time you/your athlete breaks their form or can no longer complete the movement and use this as a benchmark for improvement next time. You should repeat this exercise in 4 weeks time to see if there has been an improvement.

Good luck!

Remember to check out our IGTV videos for some workout inspo. Each of our Lockdown Live Sessions looked to incorporate core training alongside agility and ball work. There are also lots of session ideas on our YouTube channel.

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