Stability First!

Stabilization First

Most of us have some kind of a fitness goal. Maybe you want to lose weight. Maybe you want to tone up or build muscle mass. Maybe you are looking to become a faster runner, or a more competitive athlete. Whatever you goal, there is one common denominator that is key to success for any fitness aspiration. Stabilization first – specifically, effectively developing the stabilization system to promote proper joint movement and to prevent muscle imbalances that lead to injury.

So what exactly is the stabilization system? It is a group of muscles that make up your core which carry the job of stabilizing the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex. It includes the internal oblique, transversus abdominis, diaphragm, pelvic floor muscles, lumbar multifidus and the transversospinalis. The other part of your core is the movement system, which does just as the name suggests – it moves the core. The movement system includes the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, external oblique, latissimus dorsi, hamstrings, hip adductors and abductors, and the iliopsoas. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the stabilization system.

A common mistake made by novice fitness enthusiasts to athletes, is to develop the core movement muscles while neglecting the core stabilization system. This is easy to do because the movement muscles are the visible muscles everyone wants to define (ie. six-pack abs by working the rectus abdominus). Because the core stabilization muscles are deeper muscles, we must look at training as beginning on the inside and working outward. Without first developing proper stabilization, the movement muscles cannot function at their full potential. Think of it in terms of building a house. What would a contractor build first? The foundation or the walls? The foundation. Why? Because without it, the house has nothing stable to stand on. The same goes for your body. Without a stable foundation, the rest cannot function properly.

You might find it surprising that over 80% of adults in the U.S. have experienced back pain at some point in their adult lives. Studies have shown that adults with back pain have decreased activation (i.e. weakness) of the stabilization muscles. In other words, there are a lot of weak cores out there. When your core muscles are weak, it causes an anterior pelvic tilt.

This is because the transversus abdominus, internal oblique and multifidus are, essentially, too weak to hold your organs and spine in. If you have tight hip flexors (often caused by sitting for long periods), you are at extra risk for having an anteriorly rotated pelvis.  You may notice in the diagram that figure a has postural problems all the way up, with a rounded upper back and slouched shoulders. Are you beginning to see how big of a role core strength plays in overall postural alignment and preventing muscle imbalances?

Let’s get to the meat of this discussion – how do you train for stability? There are hundreds of exercises, but I want to talk about my friends the Bosu ball and the Stability ball.

What is great about these is when you use them, your core muscles automatically activate because your body has to stabilize itself. A squat, plank, lunge, push-up – you name it – is taken to an entirely new level when you force your body to fight to hold itself up. And as I mentioned before, what is it that holds your “house” up? The “foundation;” the core stabilization muscles!

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit the first time I tried to get on an upside down Bosu ball to do quats, was almost my last time. It did not go so well. I ended up having to hold on to a wall to get on to the ball and my legs were shaking like leaves all the way down and up. Seriously, it’s harder than it looks, but do not give up! If you find this challenging, too, you can place one end of a body bar on the ground, and hold on to the other end for stability. Just stand there. You don’t have to do anything – you are still working your stabilizing muscles and developing balance. Once you are ready, try balancing on one foot, or try getting into a squat position and lowering down. It WILL get easier! Now, I have fun with the Bosu and Stability balls seeing what kind of crazy things I can do.

The possibilities are endless, but I will give you a few basic things to try. Or, simiply consider this – take basic exercises you currently perform, but do them on a Bosu ball, or on a Stability ball.

Here are a couple versions of a plank or push ups.

                        

Supermans on the Bosu ball

Squat on the Bosu ball

    

Bosu ball lunge

Stability ball hamstring curl

Stability ball plank

Stability chest press

I also want to squash a common misconception many (including myself at one time) have about stabilization training. You WILL get a good workout! You might be using only a fraction of the weight you use when you’re grounded on the floor, or you might not be using weight at all, but your body will be challenged! And as you have probably heard many times, change happens when you are challenged! For example, yesterday, I did my entire lower body workout on the Bosu ball. I rarely get sore anymore – something that disappoints me because I love being sore. But let me tell you, my quads are s-o-r-e, SORE, today! And the most weight I used was a 20 pound body bar!

As with any exercise, proper form is critical for preventing injury and for attaining fitness goals. I always recommend working with a trainer - someone who can observe your form, show you necessary corrections, and regress or progress exercises in a way that is beneficial to your body.

If you already exercise regularly, incorporate stability training into your workouts! If you haven’t started an exercise program yet, it is best to work on stability training first before moving on to things like plyometrics and heavier weight training in order to prevent injury. Remember – train from the inside out! 

How many planes do you train in?

How many planes do you train in?

 

I’m not talking about airplanes, I’m talking about planes of motion. Planes of motion refer to the imaginary planes in which the human body’s motion occurs. There are three of them: Sagittal plane, frontal plane, and transverse plane.

         

   Our bodies are designed to move in all three planes. However, most people’s workout routines involve exercises primarily in the sagittal plane, which divides the body into right and left halves. These movements include things like walking, running, squats, front lunges, bicep curls, etc. Think about all the cardio machines you see at your gym – the elliptical, treadmill, spinning bike, stairmaster, rowing machine – they are all (mostly) used for forward moving exercise. In other words, exercise in the sagittal plane.

            While these exercises are not bad, and are an important part of exercise programs, it is critical we train in other planes to encourage proper joint motion and work opposing muscles, which ultimately develops proper joint stabilization and reduces the risk of injury.

          

  So how exactly do you train in other planes? Let me give some examples. Next time you are on the treadmill for a run, take a few minutes and do a side run/shuffle, making sure to switch legs. This gets you into the frontal plane of motion. After my normal run, I typically set the treadmill at a 4 incline and do two minutes shuffling with the right leg leading, two minutes with the left leg leading, four minutes running backwards, and then repeat that sequence. Yes, you might get some odd looks, but you are giving your glutes and hip stabilizing muscles a much-needed workout that can spare you injury down the road. Please use caution when you start running sideways. You absolutely will NOT be able to side shuffle at the same pace at which you run forwards! Please start slow and work your way up.

            I mentioned running backwards, and you might be thinking that is still the sagittal plane. Yes, you are right! However, running backwards gives more attention to the opposing muscles you use while running forward, and I believe it is as critical as training in all planes of motion, which is why I include it here. Running backwards also forces you to have correct posture, something that can be lacking with running forward.

            If you are not a runner and don’t typically use a treadmill for your cardio workouts, I still recommend you at least walk sideways. This is an effective and challenging way to work the glutes and hip stabilizing muscles. And this can be done outside, too, not only on a treadmill!

            Another example is lunges. Instead of merely doing front and back lunges, add in side lunges, which work in the frontal plane. As with forward lunges, make sure your knee stays over your toes. If you find it hard to balance at first, you can rest one end of a body bar on the floor, and use it as a pole for balance. If you have access to TRX, this is an excellent exercise to use it for! To work in the transverse plane, do a backwards lunge, but at an angle. Your front leg is the loaded leg, and your back leg would come back to about 5 o’clock, if you imagine a clock. 

            Other examples of exercises in the frontal plane are side lateral raises, lat pull downs, jumping jacks, skaters, side planks, the seated adductor/abductor machine, etc. Examples of exercises in the transverse plane are standing woodchop (with cables or medicine ball), golf/bat swing and Russian twists.

           If you want your body to function at its’ full potential, in the gym and in everyday life, multi-planar training is essential! I’ve only shown you very minimal examples – the possibilities are numerous!