When we look at the general physical condition of our population it becomes obvious that a large number of people are either undernourished, or suffer from fatty liver, because of the lack of awareness about the importance of diet and exercise.

The level of awareness of even the exercise-conscious gym freaks and sportspeople is also not very encouraging, as most of them focus on building big muscles and body mass, but are unaware of a wholesome body conditioning framework, in which fitness of abdominals or core is of key importance.

The core is a relatively new term in the lexicon of training. The term is used synonymously with abdominals, which is not utterly accurate. The term was first used in the book Total Body Training by Robert Dominquez.

The foundation of total body training is the core, which comprises muscles in the centre of the body. These muscles stabilise the body while in upright, anti-gravity position or while using the arms and legs to throw. These muscles maintain the body structure during vigorous exercises and competitive sports of modern times.

It is interesting to note that the term core did not originate in the lab but evolved simply out of practice and experience. Practitioners of martial arts have certainly known the importance and function of core for thousands of years. In martial arts it is called chi or ki, the centre of energy. In scientific terms it is the location of the centre of gravity.

It is helpful to visualise the core as a firm cylinder that surrounds the body and gives it structural integrity. The core is the only muscle system in the body that we train for compactness rather than for volume, such as those of chest or arms. As we train our core, the ultimate goal is not only to have a sleek, toned midsection, but also to attain a functionally sound core that can rotate, contract and support whichever way you move.

Just visualise a golfer striking a long drive, a cricketer executing a reverse sweep or a hockey player attempting a powerful reverse flick in the goal and unable to execute it perfectly, or a squash player playing an imperfect drop shot, not because of the level of skill, but an untrained, undeveloped core, which was the major obstruction in perfect execution of the precise shot. A strong core thus enables the body to assume various positions involving instantaneous changes.

There are several myths about core function and training. One such misconception is that there is some optimal firing order of the muscles and this order can be consciously trained. Remember that there is no such firing order. In function the core muscles act as players in an orchestra. Thus, each muscle (instrument) has a different role depending on the movement (music).

The “Six Pack Abs” is another misconception in core training. First, achieving the six pack look requires significant reduction in body fat. Second, it requires an inordinate amount of work in one plane, the sagittal plane, to isolate those muscles. Thus, one overdevelops those muscles which have little role in functional movements.

The athletes must work the muscles of the core in patterns that enhance motor control and coordination. They must understand that the muscles of the core play a major role in the production and reduction of force, functioning as a big force transducer. There are 29 muscles that originate or insert on the pelvis; 20 of these link the pelvis to the femur, and the remainder link the pelvis to the spine. One of the best analogies is that the core is like the transmission of a car. Without a fully functional transmission, the force that the engine produces cannot be transferred to the wheels.

The above example should give athletes an insight into the importance of core training. The professional athletes or those interested in developing a perfect core should first carry out the functional assessment to evaluate the status of their core.

This is done through qualitative analysis with the help of videos doing the respective sport activity from front, side and rear. The next part of assessment consists of movements from top to down with the help of a medicine ball, such as a chest pass for distance off two legs and off one leg. Then a rotational throw test is conducted. The throw is done while facing away from the direction of the throw. Balance reach tests, lunge tests and excursion tests or lunge, hop, and jump tests are carried out to complete the assessment of core.

Successes and failures are observed in the assessment test or where abnormal compensations occur. Painful movements are noted. This method of assessing core strength takes the whole body into consideration.

Deficiencies in various movements are then related to chosen sports and the capacity of athletes has to be built accordingly.

The core development exercises and movements should be categorised in stabilisation, flexion & extension, rotation and throwing & catching. Many core training tools are available. They all can be used effectively. Among the most common tools are stability ball, body blade, power ball, stretch code, medicine ball and kettlebell. Over- reliance on one tool must be avoided and principle of variability should be kept in mind for better development of core.

The three keys to core fitness are breathing, form and speed. Always keep your breathing pace natural and steady during core exercises. Think of inhalation as pulling back the arrow on an archer’s bow before launch and follow it with a deep exhale on the positive or extended portion of movement as if releasing the arrow.

Form is critical to effective core training. Every exercise has its proper starting position, movement path and action. Controlled exercise develops strength, stamina, flexibility and ease of movement. Neither rush through your reps nor slow them down too much. Instead adopt a natural pace that can be sustained throughout the set while keeping proper form.

The core exercise should start from warm up exercises, side stretches, followed by supine lower back stretching, and half kneeling rotations. After the warm up the athlete should undertake the isometric plank stabilizing exercise to work out the entire core. This includes plank ups, side planks, side planks with reach under exercise and band row. T-stabilization exercise and atomic pushups with the help of a fitness ball is an amazing exercise for core stabilization.

I have mentioned a few of the core exercises for the benefit of readers, because I have witnessed people going to expensive gyms, paying heavily to the trainers and wasting their precious time on treadmills and free weights, without gaining necessary benefits of full body fitness. The same is the case with our elite athletes, who are at the mercy of foreign or local trainers, for achieving fitness without realising their fitness goals and sports-specific objectives.

The athlete must understand that it’s the era of knowledge economy, and competitive athletes edge out their opponents when they are best informed. Natural talent alone shall not help them rise to the top level. In order to match the ever-rising international standards in competitive sports, athletes must apprise themselves of the latest developments in the areas of skill, physical and mental fitness. And the coaching staff should also keep abreast of these developments, so that they can drive maximum benefit out of trainers, who are paid heavily to keep the players in top competitive shape.

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