Train for real life demands

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Friday, 11 February 2011 16:34

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Improve your rotational stability

The nature of movement in sport seems very one-dimensional, everything happens in a straight line. If we aren’t moving forwards we very seldom move backwards and we even more seldom move sideways. The human body was designed to move in three dimensions, which means our movements don’t only occur in a single, straight line.

Our abdominal and pelvic girdle is not only able to tilt or crunch up; it can turn, bend and it serves the important role of stabilizing the spine. Thus, to be strong and functional, we should train our bodies for real life demands and include the element of rotation.

Simply put, strong abdominals and obliques will serve to stabilize the pelvis and the spine in a neutral, healthy position. This will allow one to maintain a strong stable base of support from the hips to the head. The ability to control movement of the arms and legs will be minimized without this stability; one's ability to produce power in movements will also be inhibited. 

If we consider running, movement in a forward motion is what dominates the activity. Try and picture an amateur or beginner runner at the end of a marathon; the image you may have is that of an athlete moving very inefficiently with an un-cool swagger in a sequence of uncoordinated rotations, all in attempt to put one foot in front of the other. The unfortunate case here is that, due to fatigue the runner has lost his form. Running with strong abdominals that are able to stay engaged throughout the motion, through every stride and over the entire race distance is vital to powerful, pain-free running.

With added training and the inclusion of elements of rotation within a regime, the runner is more able to control his/her running form and delay the onset of the “zombie walk”. Due to clever training and not necessarily more of it, the runner will be more able to maintain good form and move forward faster and more efficiently, shooting from the hip.

Our bodies prefer to twist as a unit, as we perform a dynamic movement, the shoulders, hips, and legs engage in a coordinated manner. When considering the movement of a baseball pitcher for instance: when a pitcher throws a ball, there is a windup/preparation phase followed by a throw and follow through. The pitcher’s entire body from neck to ankles contributes in the action and the throw is not just a flip of the arm alone. When a golfer drives a ball, he turns and rotates his entire body to follow the swing. Boxing coaches often give the stimulus to, “punch from the belt”, thus generating a more powerful punch rather than a sloppy swing with the arms only.