The Core – Crucial Questions

What actually is the core? Has anyone seen a scientific

definition? To my know knowledge there is no definition

of the core in research literature. I first came across the

term the term in 1987 when I first read the book

Total Body Training (Dominguez, Richard H. M.D.,

and Gajda, Robert S.. New York, N.Y: Warner Books,1982.)The

term made sense to me so I started using it. They offered

no research basis for the term other than their practical

experience. From the perspective of the martial arts the chi

or ki is the center of energy, that may have had some

influence on the use of the term. I maintainthat the way

the term has evolved is has become a nebulous term

that has very little meaning. I offer the following example

from volume 38 # 5 May 2006 issue of Medicine & Science

in Sports & Exercise,on page 945 there is an article

entitled ”Core Strength and Lower Extremity Alignment

during single squats.” I got real excited because I thought

that I would finally see a scientific definition of the term

core in a refereed journal. Instead they use

the term and do not define it. There is no reference to

core in the references. They clearly equate the core with

the “trunk’” which is what everyone does. My argument is

why use the term if it not clearly defined. A kind of dumb

coaching question that I have is what isn’t the core?

Just because an expert, a PhD,or an MD writes about it

does not make it a fact. It is still opinion. That is my

opinion!!! Let’s stop passing round opinions and get

some science behind this. I propose that someone

undertake a scientific study that looks at the superficial

and the deep muscles of the trunk (those commonly

considered part of the core) and learn how they work in

functional positions like walking,

running, jumping throwing, bending and extending.

Let’s define the term core from a scientific perspective.

From my perspective as a coach defining the core as the

muscle of the hips, abdomen and back, I try to build the

athlete around the core. All movement works through the

core. It is the center of the action. It is made of both big

thick superficial muscles designed to protect the internal

organs and many small deep muscles that must work in

harmony to stabilize and produce efficient movement.

It is very strong if used properly, but to

use it properly it is necessary to know what buttons to push.