Functional Abdominal Training

One of the key roles for the abdominal muscles is stabilizing the spine. How many of us have heard of a myriad of ways to do crunches? All of which are lying on our backs? You can do a sit-up all the way to your bent knees, you can crunch part way up and to the side or you can lift your legs and knees up and so on...

While this does strengthen your core it is not very functional. This does not help teach your abdominal muscles to contract when they are needed the most. In fact, it trains the muscles in an artificial setting. Throughout the day we are standing, walking, reaching and bending. These are the most common positions where spine injuries occur so these are the positions where we need to train our abdominal muscles to work.

Functional abdominal training would involve training the muscles in standing positions that first fully lengthen the muscles then contract the muscles in all three planes of motion. This concept is key. The muscles should be taught to contract in the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes.

Colling Chiropractic has functional assessment, treatment and training methods to help people of all levels of activity.

Once your training has been enhanced to include functional training you will be on your way to optimal functional health.

Kevin Colling, DC