Understanding Core Strength and Its Importance in Cross Training Gym
You don’t need to have been in the CrossFit gym for long for you to hear common phrases such as core strength or core. While most athletes appreciate the idea that having a strong core is desirable, few of them really dig up to find out what it means to have a stronger core and how it is helpful for them.
Core strength is not like a rippling 6-pack. You may have well-defined and shredded abdominal muscles, but this is not a guarantee that you have a strong core. By definition, your core is everything your body is made of except the limbs. However, to be specific for athletes, the core consists of sections of your trunk that help in stabilizing you and resisting forces of gravity while at the same time allowing you to operate those limbs in whichever direction you may, at the speed you desire.
It’s All in the Planes
For you to change how the core operates as you stabilize in the various directions the body goes, you have to manipulate the muscles in the core. For instance, if you want to have a slight forward lean as you run or efficiently move either up or downhill, you require some control over your sagittal plane movement. Does not matter whether you are in CrossFit gym or in planes, you can still focus on your core strength by workouts.
On the other hand, for you to keep balance while on rocky terrain or handle the effects of uneven leg lengths or generally forces moving you right and left, you require strong muscles which allow you to control the frontal or coronal plane movements.
If you are a runner, you may want to limit your trunk rotation as much as you can. For you to do this, you need to enhance the strength of the muscles that give you control in the transverse plane.
For all the alignment and directions needs, you have to pay attention to what is conventionally known as core muscles. Athletes ought to pay attention to their hip flexors, glutes, back, dip abdominals like the psoas, as well as the pelvic flow when doing their workouts of the day. If you manage to stay aligned, you stand the best chance to run effectively as you optimize your anatomy.
Weak and Inflexible Core
Whenever the core is inflexible or weak, some of the gravitational stress will be pushed over to the ends of the limbs attached to the core muscles. Your aching shoulders, sore calf, achilles, or tender plantar are some of the manifestations of inflexible or weak trunk muscles. It doesn’t matter whether you are struggling with an injury at the moment and you want to get out of it the soonest you can, or you want to improve performance and get more efficient, core strength should always be top on your priority list.
Addressing Your Core Strength
There are lots of ways you can build your core strength. Amongst them gym classes and do it yourself home videos. That said, the common elements which should define your approach should all focus on the variety of muscles ranging from the upper legs to the chest. There should also be a commitment on your end as far as consistency is concerned.
The earlier you start, the better. There are some CrossFit training routines that can help you build a stronger core as long as you are committed to hard work. So, get ready to work on your core strength at CrossFit Gym.
