Is Core Conditioning Really Necessary ?

What is the Core ?

The core is a group comprising of 29 pairs of muscles ,
bones , nerves and ligaments and is best though of as a
cube with the top being the diaphragm and the bottom
being the pelvic floor muscles . It has inner , middle and
outer layers the outer layers are the power muscles , the
middle are abdominal and back stabilisers and the inner
are intersegmental ( small spinal ) and proprioreceptive
( neural feedback ) structures .

However , viewing it as a cube simplifies its complexity they are all connected to one another , overlap and
function together as one unit .
What is its Function ?
Before we talk about this we must first look at The
Kinetic Chain Theory ( kinetic of , or relating to , or
produced by movement ) .
When you kick a ball you use your arms to help keep you
balanced the arms and legs are anchored to the trunk this coupling of the musculature of the limbs allows the
body to function as a unit . The motions are generated
from forces of contractions within the muscles of the limbs
which then disperse energy through the trunk . This
provides the stability which is required to complete the
kick . The dictionary meaning would be ' the
interrelationship of muscle activation and translation of
forces within the musculoskeletal system ' .

If you imagine that the forces travelling through the

body are motorways then the core is a huge multi-level
junction through which they must all pass . Before any
movement of the body , the core will prepare itself and
contract ( one muscle the transverse abdominus - will
always contract 30 ms before any shoulder movement )
this makes it the centre of the kinetic chain .
To the Head

To the Arms

To the Legs

They also provide stability in the spine before any

movement , they will tighten , reducing any laxity . This is
the same as blowing up a tyre as air is added , the walls
develop tension , allowing it to roll .
What happens When it Goes Wrong ?
We can divide this into 2 areas problems in the outer
body and problems within the core itself ;
Problems in the Outer Body
When an injury is present , say in one of the limbs ,
there is decreased postural control and proprioreception
( detection of motion or position ) of the core , kinetic
chain and limbs ( it has been shown that athletes with
ankle or knee injuries have a delayed firing pattern in the
gluteus medius ) . When a dysfunction such as this is

present , it is considered as an interruption in the kinetic

chain which causes instability in the spine and other joints
( I once knew a cyclist who broke her little finger you
wouldn't think it would have any effect but it completely
stopped her training for this very reason ) . This is why it
is vitally important to have any injuries treated as soon as
possible , especially the minor ones , which still allow you
to continue your work or sport .
Problems in the Core Itself
Problems here can be caused by overuse , underuse
( sitting in an office or car all day ) and can cause muscles
to become tight , weak , inhibited etc. which affects the
kinetic chain . I have had to deal with athletes runners in
particular who put out the SI joint in the hip because their
core is weak . The forces involved don't travel through the
chain but get diverted to the bones instead ( soccer
players are 20% more likely to develop osteoarthritis than
the general population for this very reason ) .
When the core lacks strength or endurance for
generating power , it can result in decreased efficiency of
motion and therefore injury .
When the system works efficiently , the result is
appropriate distribution of forces : optimal control and
efficiency of movement : adequate absorption of groundimpact forces and an absence of compressive or shearing
forces of the kinetic chain . To put it simply , it allows the
body to function in the way it was designed to .
If you are Interested in Strengthening your Core
The last thing that you should is to launch yourself into
exercises that you find on youtube or are given by a gym
instructor . You then need to go to a strength &
conditioning expert as there is a set procedure for working
the core . If you are a high level athlete then you need to
go one stage further before this and have your core

muscles evaluated but , sadly , this can prove to be very

difficult as few therapists know how to do this as it is very
specialised .
Training balance
What separates those athletes who dominate their sport
from their peers? Think of Jordan , Ali , Pele , and Bruce
Lee and their ability to perform "in balance" . None were
muscle bound men who could impress with their bench
press ability! Strength cannot be directed to enhance
performance if the athlete is off-balance , unable to direct
their strength in optimal directions at the right time
and with the optimal region of the body . Furthermore ,
balance is a dynamic variable in which inertial forces
developed during movement add to the challenge of
optimizing performance . There is a sophisticated system
involved in functional force development that depends on
feedback from the visual and auditory systems , vestibular
system , and the proprioceptive system . All aspects must
be challenged and conditioned to achieve optimal
performance . Not only are we seeking to control the
centre of gravity within the base of support , but also to
optimize the ability to develop supreme muscular force and
then create force projections that maximize performance .
A final thought addresses the universality of core
training . The exercise progressions that our scientific
work has justified over the years to reduce the risk of back
injury and to enhance performance , are very
similar to the progressions shown to reduce the risk of
groin injury , sportsmans hernia and knee injury ,
particularly to the ACL . All of us working in these areas
converged on the same conclusion . No one can
afford to neglect this building block of function . Core
training to enhance stiffness is the foundation , the
underpinning of one of the most fundamental laws of
human motion .

So the question at the top of this article has been

answered and the higher up the sporting ladder you go ,
the more imperative it becomes to keep this area strong
because of the abnormal stresses that you put your body
under .

Val O'Halloran
Massage Therapist