Sprinting can make you faster

By John, Foot Tools Owner

Do you want to improve your running form and develop speed?  Then introduce sprint training into your training program.  For inspiration, watch 200 and 400 metre runners and how they float around the track.  Sprinting is an excellent way to develop the glutes, an area of weakness for many runners.  Sprinting also works the calves as you strike more to the forefoot as you increase speed.  Long slow distance running can lead to some sloppy bad habits and poor form; introducing sprinting into your routine will require focus and will break the monotony of steady paced running, which will be a refreshing change and will help you build on speed.

Another bonus of adding sprinting to your routine?  Sprinting burns calories and builds muscle, a great weight loss combination!

Introduce sprinting gradually and make sure you have a good quality warm up as an essential part of your work out.  Start off with 50 metre sprint accelerations at about 50- 85% of your top speed.  Also, short fast acceleration of 20 meters will help you work up to your top speed.  As you progress, add 60 to 100 metre repeats with a full recovery of 100 meters of easy running or walking.  Sprint spikes will help you get the full benefits from sprinting.  A quality sprint spike has a full-length sprint plate, which promotes power through a sprint-specific pattern that focuses energy where it is needed most. 

Mizuno Tokyo

Foot Tools has a promotion on the Mizuno Tokyo Sprint Spike – regularly $99.99, the Tokyo is now on sale for $30.00!  A great deal for someone introducing sprinting to their training program.  If you are looking for more variety to see what works best for you, we also carry the Asics Japan Lite-Ning, Nike Zoom Superfly R3, Nike Zoom Ja, Saucony Showdown, Puma Complete Theseus Pro Ltd and many more. 

Come in and we will fit you in a performance fast shoe.  Speed is fun and we will help you get there!

The Saucony Peregrine – A nice surprise

By Paula, Foot Tools Owner

It’s cold and it’s winter.  I can’t wear sandals anymore and I needed a dark shoe to wear with my black pants while here at Foot Tools.   As the owner, I have my pick of any shoe in the store (definite perk!);  I have a big foot, with a high arch, so I needed a dark neutral shoe.  I came across the Saucony Peregrine, a black shoe with some dark pink trim on the sole, a new trail shoe out this year.  So what the heck, I try it on.  It looks great with my black pants, which was the main reason I put it on.  But oh my goodness!!!  I could not believe the feel and the immediate comfort.  A “right out of the box” fit and no break-in period.

Women's Saucony Peregrine

I have worn a lot of makes and models of running shoes , but there are not too many that give me that “ aaaahhhhh” feeling on my feet.  The Saucony Peregrine, so you know, pioneered the “minimalist movement”… ( less is more in a shoe).  So that is why it has the natural feel on my foot.  It has a low profile look (4 mm heel-toe drop).  So there is no “hunk a chunk” build up and my heels are not jacked up in the shoes.  It has some nice lugs on the bottom, so if I do decide to go on the trails, I can focus my way through any terrain.  But the lugs aren’t so large that it would not be comfortable to run on the road.  I found just running down the street in the Peregrine that it was incredibly responsive.  When I got back the store, I weighed the shoe and it was only 8.2 oz.  Now that is pretty light, yet I could feel the cushioning in the shoe.

Men's Saucony Peregrine

If you like the Saucony Kinvara, a lightweight trainer, you will love this trail version, the Peregrine.  Named after the Peregrine Falcon, lightning swift and known as the “fastest animal” on the planet with its ability to reach diving speeds of 240 mph, which would give this bird a 100 mile PR of about 24 minutes!

Come by Foot Tools and check it out for yourself!

Proper footwear is not a joke…

By Brianne, Sidelined but not out!

As you may or may not know, at the end of September I was sidelined with an irritated meniscus and lingering knee issues from an old injury.  I had to drop out of a 25km trail race and then walk a destination half-marathon I had signed up for in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Being on the injured reserve list has made me even more sympathetic to the woes of our clients when they come in to Foot Tools with issues, especially when they are knee and foot related.

Normally when I’m in a race, I’m not really paying attention to the people around me – other than the odd person lacking in race etiquette who goes kamikaze all over the place and doesn’t really look to make sure they aren’t taking people out (sigh).  My attention to detail, however, completely changed while I was walking the half-marathon in St. Petersburg.

First of all, the expo prior to the race leaned heavily towards minimalist footwear.  There were reps from Inov-8, Vibram, Newton, and Zoot, as well as Saucony, Brooks, New Balance and Pearl Izumi.  Front row and centre in all of these displays were the latest in the minimalist line, with these reps more than happy to tell you all about how wonderful their shoe was for your foot.  There was even a shoe there with actual metal springs inserted into the heel to help relieve plantar fascitis and heel spurs and cure any other issues you experience when walking/running.

I’m a fan of minimalist footwear, when worn for the right reasons.  Yes, it is possible to run far distances in a minimal shoe, but not if the day before you were running in a Saucony Triumph or Asics 2160.  Of all the reps I chatted with, only the Saucony and Inov-8 reps really seemed to get it.  They asked me first if I had ever worn a minimal shoe, and then asked what activities I did when wearing their shoe.  Both firmly agreed with me when asked if a person should first drop down to a lighter shoe but with a less drastic heel differential, especially if their goal was to run distances greater than 5km over the long run.

At any race, I am guilty of checking out people’s footwear when waiting for the race to start.  While I was walking in Florida, I couldn’t help noticing how many people were wearing the wrong running shoes for their gait and speed!  It is pretty much a fact that a fast runner can get away with wearing a lighter shoe for a longer distance, because their foot is not touching the ground for very long.  A slower runner (that would be me as well) benefits from a little bit more under their feet, reducing soreness and injuries.  I cringed when I saw a woman running slower than I was walking in her Vibram Five Fingers, on concrete, cobblestone and brick.  I was wearing my Saucony Kinvaras and watching her go made my feet hurt.  My whole body ached when I watched another woman with severe pronation (her knees were collapsing with each stride) as she struggled through each step (in defense of women runners, this was a women’s only half, so there were few men to criticize!)  It isn’t necessarily their fault though – I wonder where they purchased their shoes and if anyone asked them what they were wearing the shoes for.

These are just two of many examples I saw while I was walking the half marathon.  It reminded me why it is important, when training and running – no matter if it is for a race or every morning before work – to always be wearing the proper footwear, and to know and understand what is needed to enjoy doing what we love.  When working at Foot Tools, I appreciate any opportunity I have to help our clients understand what they are putting on their feet and how it can help (or hurt them).  There are so many shoes out there, with pretty colours and neat features, but it doesn’t mean it is the right shoe for your feet.  Similar to resting and recovering from an injury, you don’t want to make a mistake and risk reducing how much you can go out and enjoy running.  A bad shoe can really ruin that experience, and if you are new to running – for whatever reason you have decided to run – it is important that you educate yourself and get to know your feet.

Foot Tools offers gait assessments, as well as advice and technical information when it comes to our products.  We can help you decide what shoe might be the best option for you and even let you take it for a test drive outside on the sidewalk to see how it feels in action.  We encourage you to take the shoe home, wear it around your house and out for a run (in dry weather of course!) or on a treadmill, and if the shoe just doesn’t seem right, then we’ll gladly exchange the shoe for one that works better, or give you a store credit for when the right shoe comes in.  We don’t want you wearing the wrong shoes; that’s why our motto is, Foot Tools…on your feet!

And now, a blog about Inov-8

By John, Foot Tools Owner 

The crossfit boom is having a big impact on how athletes train.  The latest training techniques are based on “total fitness”, with short and intense workouts with an emphasis on functional total body movements.  Mileage is reduced and quality over quantity is emphasized. This movement is driving the minimal shoe market. Crossfitters want minimal footwear that will allow them to make more natural movements while weight lifting, doing fast paced training, and running.  This has created a new market in the fitness shoe industry.  Companies like Inov-8 have designed shoes with a lower heel to toe differential.  They design shoes around the natural function of the human body’s bio-mechanics.

The F-Lite 195 weighs in at 6.2 oz for a woman’s size 8 and 7 oz for a man’s size 9. The F-Lite has the ‘S STICKY’, a

specially developed sole using rock climbing sole technology to optimize grip in wet conditions. The 195 features a 3mm differential between the forefoot and heel, which ensures that the foot remains close to the ground for stability and natural positioning.  This shoe also has a performance fit, which ensures minimal internal movement while ascending or descending various terrains.  The lightweight and breathable mesh fabric allows the foot to breath while it forces water out through the mesh.

Inov-8 has designed a  Fascia-Band; this is important when choosing minimal technology as this is an area of injury when runners scale down from heavy traditional shoes. The foot’s plantar fascia ligament structure acts like a large, strong bowstring, creating a tension along its length from the front of the heel to the ball of the foot in order to maintain the structure of the arch and help convert the foot to a rigid propulsive lever.  When we take a step, our foot impacts on the ground and the tension along the plantar fascia ligament increases as the heel lifts from the ground.  As the toes begin to extend and the heel raises further, tension on the plantar fascia increases until it carries the entire body weight of the runner. This increase in tension is often referred to the “windlass effect.”

How the fascia-band works

Originating at the heel, the Fascia-Band extends forward along the sole and divides, just as the human fascia divides, into five bands that terminate anterior to the metatarsal heads.  As body weight moves forward onto the metatarsal heads and the toes begin to extend, tension on the Fascia-Band increases, just as it does in the plantar fascia structure. When the heel leaves the ground, the Fascia-Band resists elongation of the medial arch and carries the entire body weight of the runner converting the shoe into a rigid propulsive lever.

Inov-8 is a leader in minimalist technology and will shatter established thinking. They look at the foot in its natural state – barefoot.  There is no support, posting, gel, zones or air cushioning; the foot is flat to the ground with no raised heel. All unnecessary structure has been removed, with every shoe being neutral based on the anatomical shape of your foot. They are also highly flexible and allow your toes to splay naturally with each stride.

Inov-8 is unique as it recognizes that switching to a minimalist shoe overnight is risky business.  Inov-8 is one of the only running brands to offer a range of shoes that allow you to make a gradual transition to a more natural running style, which is associated with significantly less injury rates.  Inov-8 road running shoes provide four different levels of cushioning (Shoc-Zone 0 to 3) and varying differential ( 0 – 9mm – the difference in height between the heel and forefoot). As you reduce the level of cushioning and differential, the foot eventually gets closer to its optimum natural running position.

Look forward to some great new Inov-8 shoes at Foot Tools March of 2012 in store now! We have the BARE-XT 210, a shoe for serious crossfitters with a sticky rubber sole and low heel that provides a strong base for lifting weights and the 1 piece TPU lacing support provides durability on the shoe when climbing ropes.  Don’t forget to also check out our current selection of Inov-8 shoes. We have the BARE-X 200, F-Lite 195 and the F-Lite 230. These shoes will give you a sense of freedom that will allow you to move the way your body was designed to move!

Why injuries suck…

By Brianne, Injured Reserve List

Injuries suck.  There is no other way to say it.  

It’s been a great year for me, with improvements on my speed and performance, becoming fitter and faster than I thought I could be, and really enjoying my cross training routine of running and crossfit.  I discovered trail running this year and fell in love with it.  Enjoying my fitness regime so much, I decided to sign up for the Run for the Toad at Pinehurst Lake, a 25km trail race on October 1st, followed by my very first destination race and half-marathon, in St. Petersburg, Florida, on November 20th.

So of course, why should my body go along with this plan?  With 2 weeks to go before the Run for the Toad, Chris (friend, running partner, instructor for some of our clinics) and I went out for a nice 8km run on a beautiful and brisk Monday morning.  About 5km into the run, this horrific pain went through my knee in mid-stride, so painful it made me cry out.  I walked it off for a bit and then tried to run again.  Nope.  My left knee was not having it.  Lucky for me, Chris is a great partner and extremely supportive.  She walked back with me with no complaints.

My first thought was – I will just ice it, rest it for a few days, and surely it will be fine.  Ever since I lost all the weight, my injuries have been few and far between.  I don’t believe in over-training, and I don’t like to do crazy long runs to train for greater distance races.  And without having to haul all those extra pounds around, my knees that have sustained some serious injuries from previous years of accommodating a larger frame, have really been causing little to no issues when out running or working out.  So the thought never even crossed my mind that this might be a little more serious.  Sure enough, after a week of rest, the pain was back within 1.5km of running.  I attempted to do the Run for the Toad with a pull-on tensor brace, but dropped out at 5km because the brace pretty much masked the injury, but in no way did it prevent it. 

I cried.  I cried a lot.  Our campsite backed right onto the trail at the 5k/17.5k/30k/42.5k mark (the race is a 12.5k loop), so despite it being 10 a.m., I grabbed a beer and stood beside the trail cheering others on.  I was miserable and it was really hard watching everyone run by.

First thing Monday, I made an appointment with a sports doctor.  The visit was less than stellar, with the doctor looking at me like I was nuts and prescribing anti-inflammatories and a patella band to use when running.  His advice – try the band and drugs for 2 weeks and if it doesn’t work, come back.  At this point, I’m panicking and trying not to cry again.  I had a half-marathon in 6 weeks!  So, the next evening I put the band on and went out for a run.  Nope!  1km was all I got before the pain became unbearable.  Again, I cried (yes…I’m a baby when I’m frustrated!  I can admit it.)

I had a chat with Paula and John, looking for some advice.  Without any hesitation, John handed me a business card for Dr. Madhavji at Physiomed, a physiotherapy and chiropractic clinic on Brant Street.  I admit, I was a little suspicious as to what a chiropractor could do for me.  At this point, however, I just wanted someone to give me some answers, and maybe a little bit of hope.  So I made an appointment for an assessment.

Within 10 minutes of starting my appointment, I was feeling better.  Explaining the pain and its location, Dr. Madhavji went to work assessing my knee.  I then visited Billy in the physio clinic, who also did an assessment.  They spent an hour and a half with me, listening to me and working with my knee.  When they were done, I waited 5 minutes and then sat down with Dr. Madhajvi, who actually gave me a treatment plan and their goals to get me up and active, hopefully in time for my race.  I was blown away and so happy to have a team of people whose main objective was to get me healthy and active – and not just for one race, but for life.  Not only that, the people who work at the clinic are some of the nicest people you will meet.  They love what they do, and it shows.  Kim, who works at reception, is fun to chat with and Dave, who I spend most of my time with, is patient and great to work with.  The improvements I have seen in 4 visits are amazing.

The moral of this long and winding tale is this – when an injury strikes you down, be smart.  Yes, injuries suck.  They can be minor and go away, causing minimal interruption to your life.  Or they can be major and require time and effort to heal so you can carry on.  The bottom line is, listen to your body!!  It hurts for a reason and even if time is required before you can be fully active again, you will bounce back and be fitter and faster in no time.  When you ignore your body’s warning signs, you risk causing greater injury to yourself and there is always the potential that the damage can become permanent, affecting you forever. 

3.5 weeks until my half-marathon – there is the potential I won’t be able to do it, but at least I listened to my body and am taking care of it so that I will be able to run the next race!  Wish me luck!

A great and touching story

By Paula, Foot Tools Owner

One of the rewarding parts of owning your own business is having the chance to meet and build relationships with some of your clients.  We have many people who come into the store, who all have goals and seek advice from us; what’s truly great is when these same clients come back afterwards and let us know how it went.

Recently, Stephen Barnes, one of our many friends and clients, sent us this link to his blog, sharing his first marathon experience with us!  Stephen, we are touched and honoured that you wanted to share your journey with us (and we are glad you like your Mizuno Precisions)!  Our thoughts are with you and your family with the passing of your father.  Surely, he was with you in spirit as you battled your way through to an amazing time of 3:34:15!

For an inspiring read (that might bring tears to your eyes, as it did mine), here is the link to Stephen’s blog: http://snail-male.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-first-marathon-qualified-for-boston.html

Massage anyone?

By Brianne, Injured Reserve List

When pain gets you down…go for a massage!  With fitness comes aches and pains; that is why massage can be a great benefit to you.  By easing the tension and stress on your sore muscles after a good workout, you minimize the risk of injury, not to mention you feel pretty fantastic too!

When I’m sore or suffering from an annoying muscle pain that is affecting my training, either in crossfit or in running, I appreciate a good massage.  Crossfit Altitude (www.crossfitaltitude.com), a local crossfit box full of great people and friends, has two of the best massage therapists around.  Seriously, Joseph’s nickname is the Muscle Whisperer and there is a reason for this! Recently, Sigrid Ziegler has joined the Crossfit Altitude team and I swear she has the healing touch.  I think my rotator cuff has fallen in love with her hands.

Not only is Sigrid a RMT and fellow Crossfitter, she is also a former track athlete, inline speed skater, and more recently, a cyclist at the professional level, competing in multiple world cup races and kicking some serious butt while doing it!  Being a trained athlete means she has both the experience and knowledge when it comes to assessing and treating those aches and pains that only fitness can give you.  You can book an appointment online by visiting Crossfit Altitude’s website, or you can visit Sigrid here: http://rmt.sigridziegler.com/contact_sigrid.html

Recently, Sigrid came to see us at Foot Tools to get new shoes for both Crossfit and track workouts – she left with two pairs of shoes and a smile on her face.  She sent me this review of her shoes - check it out!

http://athlete.sigridziegler.com/2011/09/new-shoes-new-workout/

 

 

 

 

Fat Brain vs. Fit Brain

By Brianne, “Former Fat Chick” 

Recently I read an article in Canadian Running magazine, where overweight runners talked about how they felt about themselves as well as how they felt other runners perceived them.  It was an interesting article, pointing out that the media enhances the skinny, fit stereotype and so do fitness apparel companies (seriously, would it kill some of these companies to make clothing that a larger woman could wear without muffin topping???)  Now I’m paraphrasing on the “skinny, fit” – I think they were a little more politically correct in their phrasing – but the point was the same.  There were a lot of other good points in the article, but what I really got out of it was how amazing our brains are and how they can really work against us sometimes.

So what do I mean by fat brain versus fit brain?  It’s really simple – those with a fit brain are motivated and for the most part, have always been motivated.  There usually hasn’t been a struggle to get out of the house and suffer the pain and agony of chaffing between their thighs from even just walking.  Fitness is a part of their regular routine and pretty much always has been.  Weight is never an issue because it never really was an issue.  A fit brain automatically makes good choices and doesn’t fall off the wagon when a bad one is made, because it has most likely has known what it is like to struggle in that capacity.  Most importantly, a fit brain will never think you are overweight and will always think of you as fit, healthy and happy.

A fat brain is…well, the complete opposite.  Having struggled with weight and confidence issues, a fat brain has a harder time coming around even after you have lost 110 pounds and you are in the best shape of your life.  A fat brain has the capacity to think you are fit, healthy and happy, but always with a little negativity looming in the background.  When you walk into a room and assess those around you, your fat brain will automatically lump you together with the bigger people in the room.  And if you are in the process of trying to lose weight and to get fit and healthy, a fat brain will be your own worse enemy.

An interesting comment in the article was made by a woman who trained for months to run a half-marathon.  She mentioned on the above stereotypes and how she felt her confidence lag when people ran past her in the race and gave her encouraging comments, words of encouragement that she was sure were given to her because she was an overweight runner.  She wondered if they were encouraging everyone they ran past.  She started doubting herself.  She felt that spectators were looking at her, wondering what someone like her was doing in a half-marathon.  Her fat brain went into a downward spiral and she couldn’t get it back.  She still finished the race, but it seems that whatever joy she might have had was overshadowed by her thoughts.

This is a common affliction of the fat brain.  Sometimes the smallest thing can shatter our confidence.  It’s hard and it’s an upward battle almost everyday.  Even after losing all that weight, I still have days where in my head I am the fat girl that everyone made fun of my entire elementary school career.  Sometimes when I am at crossfit, I will look at the other people working out with me and instantly I am downgrading my ability to compete with them because in my head, I am still that fat girl.  I will run a race and have a personal best, shattering my previous time because I trained better and am stronger, but while I’m running I will have constant doubts in my head that no matter what, I can’t seem to shake.

It isn’t all doom and gloom, though!  Just because you have a fat brain doesn’t mean you can’t ever have a fit brain!  It may sound ridiculously simple and slight corny, but it doesn’t change the fact that the best way to beat your fat brain is to pick yourself up when you are down, and get back at it.  As long as you don’t let your fat brain win, you will always be one step closer to having a fit brain.  Size doesn’t matter with a fit brain – when you have a fit brain, you have accepted yourself, no matter what.  You know what you need to do to be happy, and you will stick with the plan because you know, in the end, it’s right for you.  Your fit brain will let you think that you will never be the “skinny, fit” person beside you, because that’s not who you are!!!  You are meant to be exactly who you are at that moment.  You may be a heavy runner, but you are out there running and are one step ahead of that skinny guy sitting on the couch.  You just ran past that skinny girl who didn’t train for the race.

The moral of my blog is this – in the end, we all have a little of both brains inside our heads.  Some of us just have a greater capacity for overcoming the bad stuff.  If you ever need words of encouragement, come by Foot Tools for a chat.  I’m always available to talk about the struggles that comes with making a change.  Better yet, come out for our clinics, designed for all levels (yes, even those who want to learn how to run) and get encouraged by seeing what you can do!  Chris and I have both been there and understand how hard it is when your fat brain takes over!  We want to help you feel better about yourself, and what better way then to be surrounded by people who are probably going through the same thing.    See you out there!

Importance of Core – Part 2

By John, Foot Tools Owner

Last time I talked about the importance of “stability” and “strength” in the core.  Today we will discuss the muscles that make up the core.

Usually we think of the core as the neat looking ab muscles that pop up when we lose body fat to the single digit level.  This, however, is only a small part of what is going on with our core.  The core includes ALL the muscles that attach to your hips, pelvis, and lower back.  There are some intimidating terms but be patient and remember it is more important to know how they work.  The most familiar are the layers of the abdominals (rectus abdominis, external+internal obliques, transverse abdominis), but there are also your hip flexors and hip extensors (hamstrings, gluteals); spine extensors (spinal erectors, quadratus lumborum); hip adductors (inner-thigh muscles); and hip abductors (including gluteous medius).  There is also a neat muscle, the multifidus, which is a muscle you never hear about until you have back pain.  There is one group of muscles that many have not considered; the “lats” are part of the core as well.  The main job of the latissimus dorsi – that beautiful pair of fan-shaped muscles on the sides of your back – is to pull your arms downward.  When you perform the classic “pull up”, the lats are pulling with your arms to get the chest up to the bar.

Your lats play a surprising role in stabilising your spine and pelvis.  The lats are amazing in how they have many points of “origins” and “insertions”.  The lats have relatively small points of insertion on your upper-arm bones, but the origins extend from your thoracic spine (middle back) to the top of your pelvis; some of the connective tissues in between reach all the way down to your tailbone. That is a lot of important stuff that most of us never think about. With so many points of origin, distributed so widely, the muscles have to pull double duty: they work to stabilise your spine, even as they are acting as prime movers for your upper arms.  This is why it is much more effective to jump up to grab a bar or rings and start doing pull ups as you are strengthening your arms and lats, right down into your butt.  When you are doing lat pull downs in a seated position, you are not getting the full benefit as your lower back to glutes is neglected. The upper, mid and lower back are a big part of our muscular machine and need smart intensive work outs on regular basis.

If you want a strong core and a pain-free back, I suggest you purchase “The New Rules of Lifting for Abs” by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove.  Next time I will talk about” the little guys” and knowing your “neutral zone” . Until then, try some  pull ups or bent over rows to work those big important back muscles.  Better yet, sign up for one of Foot Tools’ Fit & Fast sessions, Tuesday and Thursday nights, where we show you the basics for strengthening and toning, as well as work on the fundamentals for speed.  www.foottools.ca or info@foottools.ca for more information!

A strong core is the key to top performance

By John, Foot Tools Owner

There are many different opinions on how to train and what determines a strong core.  One thing is for sure – without a strong core, your spine will not get the protection it needs.  Everything we do – jumping, running, lifting, etc. – impacts the spine.  When we have strong, well-trained abs and connection tissues, our spines are in a safe and stable position.

As we strengthen our abs, we want to avoid exercises that have the potential to damage our spine.  Stuart McGill from the University of Waterloo states that repeated sit-ups will cause damage in most people.  This runs contrary to the old school thinking of sit ups being the key to developing ab strength and fitness. The problem with old school sit ups is they flex and bend the spine; the limited benefits are not worth the risk.  Think of how we sit all day hunched as we drive or work at our computers.  Our spines are in a flexed position too often.  We don’t need to add to this over-flexing of the spine.  Research has found that there are far better exercises to replace the traditional crunches and leg raises. These new movements will develop strength, stability, and endurance in your mid-body muscles with-out putting your spine at risk.

We all admire well-developed, highly visual six-pack type abs.  Guess what?  They do not guarantee a healthy, functioning, pain-free back.  It’s not the size of the ab muscles that matter, it is the stability those muscles provide and their ability to keep your spine in a safe position.  Lack of stability is a pretty strong predictor of who will get lower back injuries.  Problems with core stability can even lead to knee injuries for female athletes.  I know we all want to look good and show off those cut abs but the most important thing is a strong, integrated core.  Function is far more important than appearance.

Check back for part 2, where I will discuss what muscles make up the core.  You will be surprised at one of the groups.  Also, I will discuss the latest movements that high performance athletes are using to strengthen their core.

Adapted from “The New Rules of Lifting for Abs” by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove.