Today’s topic is core stability and how the “McGill Big 3” are the best place for all levels from your weekend warrior to your professional athlete.
First, let us discuss the core. No, it’s not those muscles that you try to do a thousand crunches to see at the beach or that you extreme diet and don’t let yourself have a slice of cheesecake for six months to obtain, the “core” are the muscles that surround your spine. It’s composed of the abdominal muscles on the front and sides, erector muscles of the back, and even larger muscles like the lats and psoas. Even your glutes(yes your butt muscles) play a huge role in core strength & stability. These muscles all must work in tandem to properly support and protect your spine with everything we are capable of. For more information look up *Dr. Stuart McGill of Waterloo University”.
Now, why is core stability important? Well, the core has two main functions 1) to spare the spine from excessive load 2) to transfer force from the lower body to the upper body & vice versa. Without a strong “core” we not only increase our risk of injury but we also dampen the ability to generate power and strength in our movements. So to protect ourselves from outside forces and to perform our best we must focus on building a strong and stable core. Here’s how!
THE BIG 3
- The Curl Up.
- The Side Plank
- The Bird-Dog
Explained & demonstrated by Dr. Aaron Horschig of Squat University