CORE Basics Part 1

WE strongly dislike the word "core" here at The Spot Athletics. The reason being many people don't understand what the core actually is. People just assume that it's the 6 pack. Well I hate to burst your bubble but it goes much deeper then that. While the "6-pack" muscles are apart of the core there are many other muscles working together to help support and engage movement of the torso and also keep the torso stable and fixed when our arms and legs are in motion.

There are a few distinct components involved with the core. The first is the inner core. You will find within the inner core the diaphragm, the pelvic floor, the multifidi and the transverse abdomens. These muscles will usually fire first in most movements to help create stability. So think of these four muscles as a rectangle with a ballon filling the inside of the rectangle. The diaphragm would sit on top of the rectangle and the muscles of the pelvic floor would sit on the bottom of the rectangle. The diaphragm works antagonistically with the muscles of the pelvic floor. So when the diaphragm contracts, moving towards the pelvic floor  this will then stabilize the top and bottom of the inner core.

So when we bring the diaphragm down towards the pelvic floor in our rectangle it pushes down on the ballon or our abdomen and it begins to become distended. This is what we call an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, which we need for bracing. So when you're at The Spot and we tell you big belly, in a round about way this is what we mean.

Now The transverses abdomens sits at the front of our abdomen and the multifidus sits at the back (along the spine). So when that balloon in our rectangle begins to get pushed down the only place for it to go if forward as it braces against the spine. Now yes there is more to it then this but in the most simplistic manner I think you get the idea.

                                                      My sweet drawing of the body!

Now a muscle that is typical overlooked in inner core is the QL muscle. QL is short for quadrates lumborum. Its a square muscle that sits in the lower back. It connects the last rid and upper four lumbar vertebrae to the iliac crest (Pelvis) Don't worry I'll draw another sweet drawing for you. Now this little guy is responsible for segmental stability of the spine, lateral flexion and anti lateral flexion. This muscle along with the contralateral (opposite side of the body) gluteus medius (fancy term for a butt muscle) are firing almost all day long to help our bodies maintain posture and gait especially when we are walking.

                                               My sweet drawing of the QL muscle!

Thats enough for today. Next week we will move our way out towards the outer core.

If you have any questions just ask. We are here for you.

Coach B