Scientific Core Training

                

This weekend I was on the Scientific Core Conditioning class at the European CHEK institute.

I have not done anything to do with the CHEK institute for 15 years, so it was nice to return to the sytem that inspired me to become a Physiotherapist.

Our instructor was Leigh from BodyCHEK, in London.

The course was full of Fitness Professionals revising the core muscles and learning new exercises.

The exercises involve a cable machine, a Swiss ball, A wooden Dowel, some string a pressure biofeedback cuff and of course the Tornado ball!

There has been lots of criticism of Core Stability over the last 20 years.

The Myth of Core stability article by Leaderman is a classic example of this. Where Core stability is described as a "reductionist fantasy."

What was great about about this weekend was the integration into functional movement.

We were not just lying on our backs playing with the pressure bio-feedback cuffs.

There was a very quick integration into four point kneeling, kneeling, standing then standing on a single leg.

We rely on 10 sets of 10 second holds for us to say a patient has successfully grasped the concepts of core stability. 

But is this enough?

Of course not, but it is that transition from Pilates style exercise on the floor into Deadlifting and Resisted Rotational Movement with the core engaged.

Core stability provides the support for all dynamic movement, but how much stability training do we actually do?

After all, 

"You can't fire a cannon from a canoe!"

Video: https://www.youtube.com/user/DSWFitness