SPRINGER: Get fit by training your core

It is obvious that the way to train in the gym is no longer the traditional push and pull of heavy weights. Workouts are becoming more specialized and creative as trainers work to push their clients to the next level of fitness.

Core training is a popular term in the industry and is relevant as every movement begins from the core area of the torso.

Trainer Mark Verstegen has worked with top athletes and has developed a new workout program that he claims will "transform your body and life." Core Performance offers a multitude of exercise ideas that all center around working the core to develop a better overall body.

Verstegen refers to the torso as the pillar -- it's the structural center of movement and life. The way we maintain that pillar and its alignment and function directly correlates to the health of our organs and the rest of our body. Everything is interrelated.

Pillar strength, thus, is the foundation of movement. More specifically, Verstegen refers to core, hip and shoulder stability. Those three areas give us a center axis from which to move. If you think of the body as a wheel, the pillar is the hub, and the limbs are the spokes.

Core strength goes beyond just developing strong abdominals. If the core is functioning at its highest capacity then the body is able to transfer energy through it more efficiently while moving with less wear and tear.

If you lack pillar strength the energy flow is broken and it "leaks out" at the hips and the body must compensate. More pressure is placed down toward the knees and up toward the lower back, which over time can cause degenerative problems.

Verstegen starts his athletes and clients with a foundation of basics. He has divided the Core Workout program into seven units.

Movement Preparation is the first step that involves an active warm-up routine that replaces traditional pre-exercise stretching. Preparing to move involves boosting the heart rate, blood flow to muscles and core temperature. It also improves the function of the nervous system.

Step Two of the Core Workout is Prehab: a proactive approach to protecting yourself from injury. Prehab is specifically geared toward strengthening the body to optimize mobility, balance, stability and joint function and to decrease the potential for injuries while improving performance.

Step Three of the program is labeled Physioball routine: a series of exercises to improve hip, core and should strength and stability.

Step Four of the workout involves Elasticity: a unit to help the body generate force and make it springy, much like a pogo stick. The ability to store and release energy when needed is essential for athletic movement.

Step Five of the Core Workout is Strength. A new approach to resistance training based on training the body movements for increased power, stability and mobility.

The sixth unit of the program is labeled Energy System Development: a departure from traditional cardio work, creating powerful bursts of energy.

The seventh unit of the program is Regeneration: a series of low-intensity activities designed to enhance recovery.

For more information on the Core Workout look for Verstegen's book or visit his Web site at www.coreperformance.com.

Kim Springer and her husband, Mike, are certified personal trainers and owners of Springer Training. They can be reached at 233-9442 or at their Web site www.springertraining.com.


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