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Strength and Core
Why You Should Do More

Integrating a strength and core training program into your sport training has many benefits that are important to both the recreational and elite athlete. These benefits extend from not only time performing your sport (more comfort, endurance, and more efficient transfer of power while pedaling, running or swimming) but off the “court” as well(fewer chances of neuromuscular injury). The majority of athletes are concerned about carrying extra muscle weight, and taking time away from specific training in their sport. We’ll address these concerns and discuss the benefits of strength and core conditioning, as well as define various components of a Strength and Core Conditioning program.

The concern for both recreational and elite athletes alike is the limiting of the amount of upper body muscle mass one carries. Extra upper body weight (as either muscle or fat) will not help one perform, and in the realm of climbing for any sport, will be a detriment. Concurrent strength and endurance training has shown to increase endurance performance, and endurance training has shown to limit muscle growth (hypertrophy) and maximal strength gains. Also, the program design and exercises utilized are not your typical isolation exercise used by body builders and prescribed by many trainers and coaches. Multi-joint, highly functional exercises increase total body strength and stability without greatly increasing muscle size. The secondary concern of taking time away from actual sport training is easily addressed. Rather than spending hour upon hour sweating in the gym, the actual strength training sessions are all under 30 minutes in length 2-3 times a week.

To be a stronger athlete means to be able to effectively transfer power from one leg to the other. The athlete must strength train in such a way to develop total body strength with an emphasis on core stability and dynamic core strength. First lets look at core training. Core training has been “just another fad” for quite some time, but here, we are talking about a scientifically-based methodology that involves a functional and progressive approach to movement re-education and performance enhancement. The truth is most fitness enthusiasts (and professional athletes) still believe the abdominals and primarily the rectus abdominus (the six pack muscles) is your core. This being the case most core training for most still differs little than from 20 years ago were crunches and side bends made up the majority of the time spent “core training.”

Core Function. This brings us to defining what is the core and how does it function within human movement. The core is basically all the muscles between your limbs, not just the abdominals, these include the back muscles deep and superficial, hip flexors, gluteus muscles and of course your deep and superficial abdominals.

As Gray Cook (author of “Athlete Body in Balance) points out, “First, you must understand that the brain recognizes movement patterns and not simply muscle groups”. Yet, many fitness enthusiasts and professionals alike are still stuck in isolation training or muscle group training. Understanding movement patterns is a little more in-depth and complicated than simply understanding muscle groups. Understanding the role of stabilizers, the role of movers and the most basic patterns of human movement illuminates and prompts action towards developing a solid program. The neuro-developmental sequence develops starting in infancy and developing through childhood and the most fundamental activities of the human body revolve around simple and basic movements of running and climbing. Running and skiing demand that the spine be stable and transfer energy from one leg to the other as well as deal with the counterbalance movement of the arms as they swing, Cycling is similar in the need to transfer muscular energy from one leg to the other, but also must support the upper body in a semi seated position that places greater stress on the lumbar spine.

Many cyclists,runners and skiers have sore and stiff backs or worse develop back injuries from their sport. It is also easy to spot a cyclist with low core strength as they pedal they weave from side to side since their weak cores are allowing their upper body to sway causing the handle bars to move. Climbing requires that the spine be mobile, adaptable and dynamic also important in cycling especially in off road cycling. These are two very fundamental movements of the human body, and yet they contrast each other in their demands of the core. Given this information the exercises suggested within the strength and core training program will focus on stability and dynamic movement of the core musculature.

Functional Exercise. The type of strength a cyclist, runner, skier or triathlete needs differs greatly than that of the Olympic lifter or power lifter or body builder; the type of strength needed by the endurance athlete is functional full body muscular strength, power and endurance with an emphasis on single leg muscular strength, power and endurance.

First, please understand what is meant as a functional exercise by starting at the actual definition of functional: Func.tion.al 1. capable of operating or functioning 2. having or serving a utilitarian purpose; capable of serving the purpose for which it was designed. (Webster’s Encyclopedia Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, 2nd Edition, 1996)

Second what are the characteristics of a functional exercise and program.

• Comparable Reflex Profile (Righting and Equilibrium reflexes)
• Maintenance of your Center of Gravity over your own base of support
  • Static postural component
  • Dynamic postural component
• Generalized Motor Program Compatibility Open/Closed Chain Compatibility
• Improves Relevant Biomotor Abilities

Given this information when performing one of the aforementioned sports you are actually activating one leg at a time, not pushing two legs at a time, and you are also semi supporting your own weight.  So, self supported multi joint single leg exercises like step ups, rear leg elevated split squats are utilized over leg presses, squats, or isolated leg machines like leg extension or leg curl. These exercises focus on developing functional single leg strength, power and muscular endurance of the prime movers used.
           
The program outlined is more than just core and strength training for your sport, but a complete system to help you perform better while on the bike,in your shoes,boots and in your daily life. The program is designed utilizing one to five sub routines each training day so that you will be increasing your core strength, stability, and flexibility along with some activities to help you recover faster and better. Unique in this program is that each daily routine is different allowing time for development and recovery of other areas. Doing all routines daily is not only impractical but not optimal for increased performance and health.  When times occur where one can’t get in the daily prescribed activities, doing one or two activities thoroughly is better than a half-hearted attempt at all.  Below is a list of training program activities in order of priority.

Program Activity Definitions

Movement Prep
Movement prep prepares the body for movement. It boosts the heart rate, the flow of blood to the muscles, and it raises the core temperature. As a bonus, it also improves the function of the nervous system. A key to movement prep is replacing traditional static stretches with a series of dynamic exercises.

Prehabilitation (Prehab)
Prehab means training and conditioning often-injured areas of the body, such as the shoulders and hips, to prevent injuries and surgeries that would have required rehabilitation, or rehab. Prehab requires a proactive approach to training instead of waiting for an injury to occur that was almost certainly preventable.

Physioball
AKA the stability ball/ swiss ball has had long-standing success in the world of clinical rehabilitation, and due to their effectiveness as a training aid in developing balance and dynamic core strength the exercises are a key component within this program.

Regeneration Active Recovery/Rest
The program uses Active-Isolated Stretches and Foam Rolling as forms of activity for regeneration.

Active-Isolated Stretches (AIS)
They are an especially important component of regeneration. The distinguishing feature of AIS is holding each stretch position for two seconds then returning to the starting position. AIS also differs from static stretching in that you contract the opposing muscle group to help move the stretched area into position, and you use your own hands, a partner, or a device such as a rope or physioball to gently enhance the stretch.

Foam Rolling
A foam roller is simply a cylindrical piece of extruded hard-celled foam. Think swimming pool noodles, but a little more dense and larger in diameter. They usually come in one-foot or three-foot lengths. I find the three-foot model works better, but it obviously takes up more space. The application techniques for foam rolling are simple, based on an acupressure concept, in which pressure is placed on specific surfaces of the body and  for self-massage. Essentially, foam rollers are the poor man's massage therapist. They provide soft tissue work to the masses in any setting. The idea is to allow athletes to apply pressure to injury-prone areas themselves. These uses for foam rollers, will aid in injury prevention and performance enhancement.

Strength
The strength sub routines are comprised of exercises that fulfill the components of a functional strength program previously discussed, being: Comparable Reflex Profile (Righting and Equilibrium reflexes), Maintenance of your Center of Gravity over your own base of support, Static postural component, Dynamic postural component,  Generalized Motor Program Compatibility, Open/Closed Chain Compatibility, Improves Relevant Biomotor Abilities.

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Scott Hackett, CSCS
Director of Events at JDS Sportcoaching, LLC

Scott Hackett coaches elite to beginner mountain bikers in all disciplines. He also coaches road cyclists and triathletes of all levels.You can contact Scott or JDS Sportcoaching,LLC with your comments or questions.