Several years ago, the fitness industry was overcome with a new aspect in physical training and conditioning called: CORE training. Exercise physiologists scurried back to their physiology and kinesiology textbooks to learn more about this new concept in physical training. What is core training...and where do you find out more about it? There are even books and online sites where you buy the "secrets" of Core training. Had personal trainers, physical educators and strength coaches been in the dark for all those years?
More than likely, Core training has been going on for many a year.... just by a different name. And as for those textbooks? Well, there is really no mention of Core training in any of the collegiate physiology textbooks that I researched. When I asked Ted Lambrinides PhD, an exercise physiologist, he stated that the Core could include muscles anywhere from the latissimus dorsi....all the way down to the knee, and that if one has been following a total body training program...they've been training their Core area all along.
And, as for the "secrets" of Core Training, if you wanted to pay an introductory $9.95 fee, you could go to a website and enroll. Please email us or click on "comment" at the end of this post if you do an enlighten us on those secrets.
On the serious side though, the Core Craze has placed a re-emphasis on total body training. Many athletes were using just a few "Core Movements" (different from Core Training) and subsequently leaving many muscle groups undertrained. Core Training has been a long time emphasis in Dan Riley's strength and conditioning program, going way back to the 70's...yet he never referred to it as Core Training. Riley worked as head strength coach with collegiate national champion teams at Penn State and Super Bowl teams with the Washington Redskins. Never referring to as CORE... but his workout routines are full of CORE training exercises. So, the pendulum swings back with emphasis on these muscle groupings again...just that now, it has a different name. So, for many of you long time coaches, rest assured that you probably have been training your athletes right all along. 
Coming soon to ASAP Athletic Strength And Power, will be the Podcast interview regarding CORE training that I conducted with Ted. I'm sure that you'll find of interest and you'll be able to take some of the information and inject it into your, or your athletes' workouts.
Also, later this week, we'll explain a great abdominal/ CORE routine that that we picked up from Sarah Ensminger, a former North Carolina State "Wolfpack" Volleyball Star. You'll like this one... so will your Abs... and we'll reveal the secrets of that routine....for free!!!! There is also a downloadable pdf that will accompany it.
Make your return visits this week as we delve into the CORE!
Keep Training! .........Coach Cicale
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