Core exercises
The core is more than just the abs. The core is the midsection of the body from hips to shoulders.
The core is the basis for all movement.
Hip, core, and shoulder stability is known as pillar strength.
If you think of your body as a wheel, the pillar is the hub, and the limbs are spokes.
If the hub is perfectly aligned, we can draw energy from it. We draw energy from it and effectively transfer energy throughout the body.
Using pillar strength when spiking
It’s impossible to move the limbs (your arms) efficiently and forcefully if they’re not attached to something solid and stable.
When you spike a volleyball, you’re not just using muscles in your arms. Powerful spikes are the result of a strong powerful core.
Training body movements not body parts
The reason we focus on training volleyball movements and not body parts is because everything about the body’s engineering is connected.
If there is dysfunction at one area of the body, other areas are affected. For example, if you have an injured big toe, this will affect the knees, the hips, and ultimately the shoulders.
Many workout programs do more harm than good by producing muscle imbalances and inefficient movement patterns that sabotage your highly coordinated operating system you were born with.
Developing Core Strength – It’s more than just training the abs.
Core strength training is not just about the abs. The abs are less than 1/3 of the equation.
Abdominal exercises are of little use for volleyball unless done in conjunction with exercises aimed at integrating your shoulders and hips.
The muscles of the core will become strong and stable with the right types of recruitment patterns that will enable them to work in tandem with the shoulders and hips.
Transfer of energy
The core transfers energy from lower to upper body and vice versa.
Developing the core for volleyball
The key is recruiting muscles in the right sequence, training the whole body as an integrated system rather than isolated parts.
Core training will improve your balance, agility, timing, speed, endurance, and power.
Your core muscles are the body’s engine, and most movements initiate from there.
Your volleyball strength and conditioning program should include exercises specific for improving volleyball core strength and power.
Read more volleyball articles from our Fitness section.
Check out our Stretching section, every Sunday a new story, tomorrow read about 2 Stretches to Prevent Chest Pain
