|
 By: Alwyn Wong As athletes and trainers, we know that balancing opposing muscle groups improves performance and reduces injury. Balance, with regards to body awareness, also improves performance by increasing efficiency of movement. By focussing only on these types of balancing acts, in our quest to improve both strength and overall athletic performance, we may be neglecting the most important balancing act of all - balance between the deep, spinal muscles and the more superficial abdominal muscles. These are often referred to as the inner and outer units, respectively. In this article, the functions of these inner and outer units will be addressed. In addition, the assessment and the training of these units will also be discussed.
The inner unit refers to the muscles that attach to adjacent vertebrae, the transversus abdominus, internal oblique (fibres) and fibres of the quadratus lumborum.
Collectively, these muscles function to stabilize spinal and sacroiliac joints, and to control position and movement. Repeated damage to these muscles due to lack of control not only results in low back pain, but to diminished strength and coordination.
These muscles produce large movements of the torso. They include the rectus abdominus, external oblique, internal oblique, quadratus lumborum, and erector spinae. The actions of these abdominal muscles are easily visualized. As mentioned earlier, they produce movement. They also transfer the load between the pelvis and thoracic cage during weight-bearing activities.
At this point, I'll also mention the limitations of these global muscles. First and foremost, these muscles lack the ability to reduce shear between adjacent vertebrae, having no role in the prevention of this class of injury. They also place excessive strain on spinal structures (ligaments, disc, etc.) via excessive contraction and rigidity. Finally, these muscles reduce spinal support by causing too much movement of the trunk. These muscles are important and should not be neglected. However, they should not be trained at the expense of the deeper, inner unit.
For the sake of completeness, spinal stabilization involves the interplay between the ligaments, muscles, and nervous system. It is beyond the scope of this article, however, to explore in detail the functions of the ligaments and nervous system. Effective stability will result in the control of spatial orientation and joint movement. I must re-iterate the importance of this as it applies to injury prevention. Control of spatial orientation results in control of the neutral zone. The neutral zone refers to the range in which the strain on the ligaments is not excessive and is still within anatomical limits. Muscle fatigue, injury, and lack of motor control can all lead to movement outside of this zone, producing further injury.
When developing a spinal stability program, consider the following points for assessment and overall program design. 1. Type Of Muscles
2. Muscles Specialized For A Joint Stabilization Role
3. Muscle Stiffness And Kinaesthetic Sense (body awareness)
4. Co-Contraction Of Muscle Groups
5. Fast Ballistic Movements
6. Joint Pain
7. Loss of Muscle Control and Antigravity Function
With the aforementioned considerations addressed, a training program can now be discussed. When developing a training program, these principles should be loosely followed.
Well, what is this "skill"? It is actually a combination of the following four skills designed to better activate the inner unit and to integrate this activation into functional tasks.
 
2. Contraction of the pelvic floor muscles
3. Diaphragmatic breathing
I know what you're now thinking. How do I fill up my belly with air while I'm drawing my belly in? Here's your answer. Momentarily hold your breath while contracting the TVA and pelvic floor. Now inhale, filling the lungs with air. It is at this point that you're spine is most stable. Perform the exercise, slowly exhaling to completion. Be sure to maintain contraction of the TVA and pelvic floor! 4. Reduction of unwanted global muscle activity
This aforementioned step is the most important to learning proper inner unit activation. It involves the following:
 Improved perception and precision of deep muscle contraction Repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition… Control of skill in upright positions Quantitative re-evaluation of skill
Including proper contraction of the deep abdominal muscles into closed chain, bodyweight exercises is the first step. The exercises included here are ideal but can be substituted by a variation or a different movement:
Again, the focus should be on precision, not on the amount of weight lifted. Repetitions should be at least 15 to develop the proper, unconscious habits.
If performing these exercises will not improve my squat or deadlift, I probably will not perform them. If one cannot apply them whilst running, skating, or even golfing, they bear little relevance to the athletic population. It's important to note, however, that the activation of the inner unit should not be a conscious effort during heavy training. Visible abdominal hollowing is not necessary during heavy lifting or sport specific skill completion. The proper preliminary training of the inner unit should lead to unconscious activation and stabilization. Therefore it's not necessary to force the abdominal region to get "thin" during these movements. To illustrate the point, there was a study performed demonstrating that those golfers who could contract and hold their transversus abominus during a swing could drive the ball significantly further than control subjects. Furthermore, it has been concluded through various studies that the diaphragm contracts prior to movement of the upper and lower limbs, irrespective of breathing pattern. Since the load will be much higher during this last phase of training, one must be aware of the contraction of the larger, superficial outer unit. This cannot be avoided. And it's this type of contraction that may cause a visual abdominal expansion, rather than a hollowing. However, without control of the deep muscles, this contraction can lead to the problems mentioned above. Since any weight-training or sport-specific exercise can be used, the goal of this training is to develop unconscious, efficient muscle contraction. With time, you should be able to incorporate these subtle movements into your sport and your lifting program, increasing both performance and reducing injury. In other words, you'll be back in balance. About The Author Alwyn Wong BSc, DC is a chiropractor and has a kinesiology degree from the University of Western Ontario. He runs a private practise, Zona Health and Performance, in downtown Toronto. He can be reached at apwong75@hotmail.com. Visit his website at www.zona.ca. Alwyn Wong Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here! Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
Related Articles
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
With the activation of the inner unit perfected, it's important to next attempt incorporation of this skill into functional tasks. This is not only important for the athlete but also for your average client. This type of control is useful if it can be applied to carrying groceries, sitting at a desk, or simply going for a walk. For the athlete, these skills must be incorporated into the movements required for their 
Sign in for more FREE features and tools!
|
|
Give Us Feedback:
Report A ProblemSite Feedback |
Follow Us:
|
Bodybuilding.com Newsletter
Receive exciting features, |
