The first thing we teach when training new clients is how to properly brace the CORE. “Why?”, you might ask. Well, CORE bracing is key for increasing performance and protecting the spine.
CORE is a concept that represents the center region of the body, and it involves engagement of all the muscles that surround the spine, in the front, back and sides.
Often people tend to “suck it in”, or draw the belly button towards the spine, when asked to brace. This technique activates mainly the transversus abdominis, the deepest muscle of the abdominal region, but it fails in recruiting the other CORE muscles, and therefore is an inefficient technique.
An effective bracing technique, as demonstrated by the innumerous studies from Dr. Stuart McGill, requires simultaneous contraction of all the layers of muscles in the abdominal region: rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, tva, multifidus, erector spinae, etc. These muscles can only work effectively if the hip and thigh muscles are also engaged. Yes, your glutes, hamstrings and quads are also CORE muscles.
The brace is an isometric contraction, so the shape of the spine doesn’t change. For a correct bracing technique, try this:
1- Place your finger tips on the sides of your abs;
2- Breathe in, and as you exhale, feel the increased pressure on your finger tips.
3- Repeat the process, but this time reinforce that feeling by tightening those muscles even more.
4- Repeat the process, but this time squeeze your thighs and glutes as well. This will potentialize the brace even more.
If done correctly, you’ll feel that all the muscles around your waist will tighten and engage. It’s the same feeling as getting ready to receive a punch in the stomach, you would tighten and brace everything in order to protect yourself from that punch!
This is extremely important for all the functional movements, not just for abdominal training. The more stable we are in the center, the more power we have in the extremities, and the more protected our spine is. For a good performance on squats, deadlifts, pushing and pulling exercises, always remember, everything starts with the CORE bracing. Willian Alba
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