Optimization of Core Training with ART®
Optimization of Core Training & ART®
Dr. Sebastian Gonzales D.C., C.S.C.S., ART, Huntington Beach, California
Keywords: Core training, rectus abdominis, low back, pelvis, erector spinae, quadratum lumborum, running shift in body weight, muscles, strong, energy, swing, muscular imbalance, posture, active release technique, sebastian gonzales, pain, disc ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________Optimization of Core Training can be attained in combination with Active Release Techniques®
What is Importance of Core Training?
Who can benefit from Core Training?
How can lack of Core stability affect Posture?
Why optimal Core Stability cannot be obtained without Active Release Techniques®
Active Release can get rid of Soft Tissue Adhesions
Core training targets strengthening of the body’s core, which consists of a select group of muscles which are located in the front and back parts of your abdominal area, low back and pelvis. When most people hear about strengthening of your core, they usually think about the abs, which is also known as the “six-pack” muscle (rectus abdominis). The fact of the matter is, the rectus abdominis is the most over-rated of all the core muscles and as you’ll see, there are many muscles that are important in increasing your core stability. Here is a short and to the point breakdown of the important muscles of the core, including their function, which should be targeted in core training.
➢ Rectus Abdominis
➢ External Oblique/ Internal Oblique/ Transverse Abdominis – These muscles work as a team to increase intraabdominal pressure, preventing stress on the lumbar spine, decreasing probability of injury.
➢ Erector Spinae – These muscles travel from your pelvic crest up to your skull. They are important in their antagonist (opposing) action in flexion of the truck.
➢ Multifidus – This is a segmental muscle, which spans from C2 all the way down to the sacrum. Atrophy of these muscles is an extremely common finding in patients with back pain, leading to the question of how important they are in back pain prevention. In fact, atrophy of the multifidus has been found to occur within 48 hours of an episode of back pain. It is estimated that about 2/3 of the static muscle contraction in the back is produced by these muscles.
➢ Interspinalis/ Intertransversarii/ Rotatores – These are also segmental muscles that assist in rotation and proprioception of the spine.
➢ Quadratus Lumborum – This muscle attaches from the pelvic crest to the 12th rib, giving it support during breathing. It also creates lateral bending in the torso.
➢ Thoracolumbar Fascia – This thin fascial structure supplies tensile support to the low back and helps with the transfer of a load through the lumbar spine.
What is Importance of Core Training?
As stated before, core training should target the muscles mentioned above, so the body can function properly. The muscles of the core make it possible to stand upright and move the extremities. A strong core will function as a means for the body to transfer energy, shift body weight, control all movements, distribute forces from bearing weight, and protect the low back from injury. A strong core will be a stable base for all motions of the arms and legs, such as with racket sports, running, and swimming. An example of how a strong core will help with a baseball swing is this. Consider that all the energy comes from the legs, and then goes to the truck or torso and then to the arms. If there were an “energy leak” anywhere in that chain, the swing would have less power. As you can see, energy must be transferred throughout the body to accomplish this task.
Who can benefit from Core Training?
Many people might think that if you are strong and fit, you will have great core stability. This is not always true. Many times world-class athletes can even benefit from a core training program. Even though an individual may appear to be strong, they more than likely have muscular imbalances. Many times these imbalances develop after many hours of training within one plane of motion; this goes for people training specific for one sporting event or someone who trains on machines at their local gym.
How can lack of Core stability affect Posture?
When considering what poor posture actually is, we see that it is a muscular imbalance of the flexors and extensors of the spine, or the agonist and antagonists. The body has been designed so that all the muscles have a certain length and tension at which they can function to the peak of their ability; this is found with good posture. Poor posture will alter these length-tension relationships and poor core stability will only add to the problems. For example, if an individual has a tight rectus abdominis (“six pack” muscle), this will pull the chest forward and place the person in a slouched forward position. This affects the back as well as neck and shoulder function. Until the proper length-tension relationship is corrected, this type of situation will become a vicious cycle, feeding upon itself.
Why optimal Core Stability cannot be obtained without Active Release Techniques®
There are great core training programs out there and as along as they take into account tri-planar motion and stabilizer muscles I can endorse them; however, some people will see very little or no benefits from some of the best core training programs. The reason for this is because the adhesions, or scar tissue, within the muscles, ligaments, or tendons need to be addressed first.
Adhesions will tighten the soft tissue and cause a great amount of internal pressure within the tissue. This causes inflammation, friction, lack of blood flow, accumulation of toxins, lactic acid, and eventually laying down of more adhesions. Adhesions also cause soft tissue to have less resilience than normal tissue. Think about a muscle with adhesions as being like a rope, while normal muscle is more like a rubber band. A tissue in this state has very high probability of becoming injured. For these reasons, core training without addressing the soft tissue adhesions will have limited success.
Active Release can get rid of Soft Tissue Adhesions
Active Release Techniques® (ART®) is a patented, soft tissue system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. It is the most advanced and specific form of treatment for most all forms of soft tissue injuries. In fact, a full body certified Active Release provider must learn unique protocols for over 300 different muscles, ligaments and tendons.
Active Release Techniques® also holds the “miracle cure” for peripheral nerve entrapments by utilizing the Long Tract Nerve Entrapment Protocols®. In recent years, Active Release Techniques® has become the “Gold Standard” for all soft tissue treatments and for that reason it has become the “treatment of choice” for world-class athletes from around the world. The success of the treatment speaks for itself. In the patent document, it states an “expert medical practitioner” who diagnosed soft tissue adhesions (scar tissue) in 447 of his patient found 418 of them (93.5%) had significant improvement from symptoms of numbness, tingling, burning weakness or restricted motion with in an average of 6.2 office visits.1
For more on ART® or to find a provider in your area: www.activerelease.com
1) Leahy PM, Patterson T. Expert system soft tissue active motion technique for release of adhesions and associated apparatus for facilitating specific treatment modalities. Patent No. 6,283,916, Sept 4, 2001.
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