To truly understand core function in the context of function of the whole

body, you must shift focus from muscles to movements. The brain does not
recognize individual muscles. It recognizes patterns of movement, which
consist of the individual muscles working in harmony to produce movement. According to McGill
(2002, p. 144), “the muscular and motor control
system must satisfy requirements to sustain postures, create movements,
brace against sudden motion or unexpected forces, build pressure, and assist
challenged breathing, all the while ensuring sufficient stability. Virtually all
muscles play a role in ensuring stability, but the importance at any point in
time is determined by the unique combination of the demands just listed.”
To enhance core function, you must carefully consider how the core will
be activated in the activity you are preparing for. To train the core, train
in positions that are similar to the movements in the sport activity you are
training for. Think of patterns in which all the muscles of the core work
together to produce smooth, efficient movement.
Gravity plays a huge role in core function. It is impossible to ignore gravity; it is essential for
movement because it helps you to load the system. It
dictates the postures that you will use to train the muscles of the core. If the
sport takes place in a prone, supine, or seated position, then the majority of
the core training should take place in those positions. If the activity takes
place while standing, then the majority of the core training should happen
while standing. The orientation of the body to gravity and its effects must
be a prime consideration when designing and implementing a functional
core training program, or you are not preparing the body for the forces that
it must overcome and control.
The muscles of the core play a major role in the production and reduction of force, functioning as a big
force transducer. There are 29 muscles
that originate or insert on the pelvis; 20 of these link the pelvis to the
femur, and the remainder link the pelvis to the spine. One of the best
analogies is that the core is like the transmission of the car. Without a
fully functioning transmission, the force that the engine produces cannot
ThE CrITICAl BoDy CorE 11
be transferred to the wheels. A good functional training program will
work on the interplay between force production and force reduction with
core training at the center of the program. Core training is the center of
the training program because the core is trained daily and is active in
all movements.
As discussed in chapter 8, posture is dynamic, not static. The muscles of
the core play a decisive role in balance because of the location and function
of the core muscles; therefore, core training and balance training feed off
of each other. Training one will put demands on the other.