FITNESS
HEALTH BY JUSTIN GRINNEL
Rotate the core Keep your body strong with core rotation exercises
T
he complexity of the human body seems to be endless, especially when it comes to movement. The body was designed to perform a multitude of tasks requiring each of its parts to work together. If one part of the body is off, it can make it harder for another to do its job. The optimal thing to do is to include a variety of fitness tasks into your regimen. This is especially true for core training. Exercises such as planks, sit-ups, roll-outs, press outs, all work on strengthening muscles in the core. However, it does not take care of all the dynamics of the core. While you can increase rotational power and strength by doing these types of exercises, they won’t do it all. Here’s why. There are two different things the core muscles do, in general: Anti-rotation: The ability to stabilize the lumbar spine and prevent it from rotating. The excessive rotation at the lumbar spine can potentially cause lumbar issues. Rotation: The ability to generate and transfer energy from the core to the overall torso and limbs in the transverse plane. The body also moves in three different planes of motion: Sagittal This plane divides the body into right and left sides. Movements in the sagittal plane are flexion and extension. You can move forward and backward or up and down. For core training, think roll-outs and sit-ups. Frontal This plane divides the body into front and backsides. Movements in the frontal plane are abduction and adduction. You can move side to side. For core training, think side planks. Transverse This plane divides the body into top and bottom halves. Movements in the transverse plane are rotational, both internal and external rotation. This is where rotational core training comes in. While anti-rotation exercises do help with this plane of motion as it is resisting rotation in the transverse plane, it does not take into account the proprioceptive component of rotation. This is where you can add a band or pully workout into your repertoire.
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Pulley rotation
Band rotation
Band/Pulley Rotations 1. Adjust the pulley handle or band to about chest height. 2. Step out and away from the attachment site. 3. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, arms straight and very stiff in front of you about shoulder height. 4. You must brace the entire body during the exercise so that you move as one unit. 5. In one movement, twist by moving your entire body as one unit by using your hips and turning your outside foot (see picture for proper foot movement). If you are rotating to your left, your right foot should turn in, and vice versa. 6. Make sure that you DO NOT rotate by using your arms. Keep them static. You must also be sure to not rotate at your waistline. As described above, you do NOT want to rotate much at your lumbar spine. You are rotating at your hips, which in turn rotate your torso. 7. After you rotate at explosive speed, pause for one to two seconds, then return to the start position slowly and repeat the steps on the other side.
