Why Debunking THESE Core Stability Myths Is Important

Today’s fitness landscape makes it MORE difficult to get accurate information about training than ever before. With the rise of influencers who can craft a message not based on evidence or even reality, it is easy to think that we getting the RIGHT training tips when actually it is sending us backwards. The misinformation, whether deliberate or just misunderstood, is a great example.

There a PLENTY of people online, even clinicians, that will make the claim that core training doesn’t help issues like low back pain. See, you have to be VERY careful here in how people phrase statements and also just know what the research says. That is why we it is actually really important to debunk these 3 core training myths because they not only can change your training, but impact how you end up feeling and moving.

Core Stability Doesn’t Help Pain

As I just mentioned, many are happy to throw out the idea that there is no research to show core stability helps pain. Well, if someone is being clever or disingenuous they might say, “there is no evidence that core stability ELIMINATES pain.” That WOULD be true, but then we could literally say that about anything including strength training, stretching, mobility, breathing exercises, you name it. What the evidence does show is that core stability CAN be very effective in reducing issues like low back pain.

Now, I know what you are thinking, “Josh, I have done core stability work and it has NOT helped myself or my clients perform better.” I understand that frustration, but there are several reasons why this could be the case….

-You accidentally began with too advanced version of a core stability exercise.

-Key cues in getting the benefits of the core exercise were overlooked.

-Core stability isn’t the main factor impacting one’s pain and/or we put a lot of pressure on core stability solving pain and this causes the nervous system to keep producing pain.

All Core Exercises Are The Same

This myth works along with our first point. People often don’t see much of an impact from core stability work because they don’t really think it matters what type of core exercise they use as long as it “works the abs”. The reality is not just the level of a core stability exercise matters, but also knowing what we are trying to achieve.

Take the dead bug as an example, a popular core stability exercise but what are we actually trying to achieve and is it just the same as any other core drill? During the dead bug we are trying to control the pelvis not just as the arms and leg try to pull the pelvis forward, but also with diagonal movement of the arms challenge some foundational rotary stability as well as the cross pattern connection of the upper and lower body.

The issue in many cases is that most start with the bodyweight version which doesn’t teach the lifter how to control their core correctly leading to compensations and lack of any real impact. Physical therapist, Jessica Bento explains in detail, shares why proper progressions really matter, and how the dead bug isn’t “another” core exercise.

The Purpose Of The Core Is To Create Movement

This has been a more recent one I’ve come across over the last few years. In the typical effort of people online trying to be “interesting” by being contrarians, there is a movement now that actually your core is designed to create movement. Let’s first explain that when we are referencing the core, we are typically talking about muscles that cross a lot of the lumbar spine and pelvis. YES! In certain contexts these muscles and structures create movement like the gluteal muscles. However, discussions like this can get really complex if we aren’t careful and create more confusion.

When we are running, for example, there are moments where our glutes are producing large amount of hip extension, but they are also controlling the pelvis and when our foot hits the ground they work hard to control the position of our femur and pelvis. So, context is a big factor and if we look at what causes injury, typically it is the inability to control unwanted movement. Therefore, it isn’t that your spine can’t and should never move, but especially under load our core is designed to help transfer forces from the lower body to the upper body while also giving a stable platform for the legs and arms to move from. When we lack these qualities we reduce our ability to produce strength and can make ourselves more likely to experience injury.

Coach Larisa Lotz demonstrates some great examples of exercises that demonstrate these concepts at higher levels. The key is to understand there is quite a bit of people making claims about the impact of core stability that is NOT based upon what the research says or what we know about the body. Being able to combine the science with real world application while understanding the importance of progression is what helps us actually reap the benefits of a very important method of training.

Want to learn more about knowing how to choose the right type of core training, how to coach, progress, and program core stability to make a difference in your training? Don’t miss our Exercise Prescription online masterclass with enrollment open right now with CEUs. Save 15% on the program with code “dvrt” HERE for 2 more days!

 

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