Are you in Canada? Click here to proceed to the HK Canada website.

For all other locations, click here to continue to the HK US website.

Human Kinetics Logo

Purchase Courses or Access Digital Products

If you are looking to purchase online videos, online courses or to access previously purchased digital products please press continue.

Mare Nostrum Logo

Purchase Print Products or eBooks

Human Kinetics print books and eBooks are now distributed by Mare Nostrum, throughout the UK, Europe, Africa and Middle East, delivered to you from their warehouse. Please visit our new UK website to purchase Human Kinetics printed or eBooks.

Feedback Icon Feedback Get $15 Off

FREE SHIPPING!

Free shipping for orders over $99

Need to access your Online Course or Ebook?

Use performance training for core strength and stabilization

This is an excerpt from Winning Jumps and Pole Vault by Ed Jacoby.

Core Strength and Stabilization


The human body is a unique structure. The skeletal system provides support and a point of origin and insertion for muscles. Yet despite its strength, the skeleton would collapse into a useless pile of bones if the muscles and connective tissues were not providing support and stability. Just standing in place requires a great deal of stability within the system. Imagine the stability needed when sprinting and then jumping!


The pelvic girdle is the critical stabilizing joint. The pelvis can rotate somewhat freely both forward and back and side to side. Without stabilization of the pelvic girdle during sprinting, the hip flexors would pull the pelvis forward, thus limiting knee lift and range of motion. This, in effect, would minimize elastic force generation, which is critical to running at high velocity.


Posture is also related to stability and has a direct bearing on movement efficiency. Both general posture and dynamic posture must be addressed on a daily basis when training elements that build stability in the system. Core, or pillar, training is a primary way to do this. The exercises in this section should be done at some level every day. They can be done at the beginning or end of the session. The load can be increased by increasing the number of repetitions or the amount of time.

More Excerpts From Winning Jumps and Pole Vault

SHOP


HK INSIDER

Get the latest insights with regular newsletters, plus periodic product information and special insider offers.

JOIN NOW