According to Mike Clark, CEO of the National Academy of Sports Medicine in Calabasas, California, there are two units in your abdominal and back muscles. The inner unit, which is closest to your joints and bones, supports and stabilizes your body when you move. The outer unit moves the body in different directions and produces power, speed and strength. Both units and muscle groups work together to prevent injury and improve athletic performance.
Multi-planar
Your abdominal and back muscles are part of several myofascial lines that connect your entire body together with networks of connective tissues, nerves and muscles. Thomas Myers, author of "Anatomy Trains," describes your abs and back as part of several myofascial lines that flex and extend your torso and hips, bend side to side and rotate in various angles.
When you train your back and abs, do not just train in one direction. Move them in different directions to improve movement and to add variety to your workout. For example, the medicine ball chop exercise trains abdominal, back, hip and shoulder rotation by swinging the ball across your body from a high position to a low position.
Integration, Not Isolation
According to Clark, your abdominal and back muscles do not function and move by themselves in sports and activities. They work with your legs, hips, shoulders and other muscles to maintain posture and balance, and to produce strength and power. Many exercise machines at the gym and on infomercials train your abs and back in one direction and in isolation. This method trains faulty movement patterns and causes a decrease in physical performance because the exercise results do not transfer to any sports or activities.
When you train your abs and back, combine other body parts and move in different directions. An example would be the one-arm squat row, where you use a standing cable column machine to pull. Stand with your legs hip-width apart and hold the handle with your left hand. With your arm extended, squat until you are past your knee, and pull the handle as you stand back up. This trains your abdominal muscles to stabilize your body while you pull and squat at the same time. Total-body exercises can also increase your calorie expenditure and save you time.
Stability Before Strength
According to Gray Cook, founder of Functional Movement Systems in Danville, Virginia, many people tend to train for strength and power before they train for stability. If you have weak stability in your abdominals and back, then you could blow your tendons and ligaments, or pull a muscle when you move. Without a strong foundation, you cannot produce quality strength, power, and endurance in sports and activities.
One exercise you can train for back, abdominal, hip, and shoulder stability is the kettlebell windmill. Hold a kettlebell with your right hand above your head and stand with your left leg in front of the other. Bend forward at your hips and slide your left hand down your leg for balance. As you do so, your torso will naturally turn to your right. Keep your right arm up and straight, and look up when you have reached your maximum range of motion. Hold the position for one deep breath and return to starting position.
References
- "Athletic Body in Balance"; Gray Cook; 2003
- "PTontheNet"; Essentials of Integrated Training - Part 5; Mike Clark; March 2002
- "Anatomy Trains"; Thomas Myers; 2008
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