Core Work for Stability and Performance

by Teige West

It’s a no-brainer that developed, strong legs is the first key to your success as a hurdler. But you’ve worked on legs, you’ve done the drills, your calves are cut and fit, so how do you push your performance and fitness to the next level? Core strength. If you google Olympic hurdlers and search through photos you will see athletes who have cut, hard abs. There’s a reason for those—and here comes a car metaphor—your core is like the chassis of your body. You wouldn’t buy a car with a wooden chassis. You want a steel frame. That frame does exactly what your core muscles do—your core provides stability, enhances endurance, and helps you keep your center of gravity.

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Here’s a photo of your abdominal muscles for reference:

The muscles of your core stabilize your spine, your pelvis and your lower back. That stability allows for less “wobble” when your body is in motion, which is incredibly important. Stability allows your body to adjust more quickly and efficiently if you shift off balance, clip a hurdle or if you are training outside and step on uneven ground. Not only does that stability help when having to make corrections, but it also allows you to make fewer corrections because those muscles are strengthened to hold your legs in position. The fewer corrections you have to make, the less likely you will suffer an injury. Additionally, a strong core can reduce muscle soreness in the lower back and hamstrings because those muscles are not overcompensating. All of this together should convince you to add some core work to your current routine.

What is considered your core? It’s all of the muscles between your chest and the mid-point of your thighs; however, this article is going to focus on four main muscle groupings:

Lower back & Glutes: Your glutes run from your lower back to just underneath your butt. Your lower back is made of many small muscles, and several large muscles that sit next to the spine and run toward your upper back. These muscles stabilize your spine, your pelvis and your hamstrings; these muscles also help to maintain your posture, which is important in hurdling. If you have tight hamstrings or frequent pain there, you may want to put a greater focus on strengthening these areas.

Obliques: There are two types of obliques, the external and the internal. These muscles are your side abdominal muscles that wrap around from the front to the back of your abdomen and chest. Strong obliques allow for more efficient rotation of the upper body, which facilitates flexibility, especially during drills and weight training.

Tranversus: The Transversus abdominis is a deep ab muscle that covers the front portion of the spine. This is incredibility important because this muscle stabilizes your spine, trunk and abdominal cavity to provide a better center of gravity and less unwanted core movement.

Rectus Abdominis: This is the muscle that creates “six pack” abs. These are the outer-most front ab muscles. The abs allow you to bend forward and tilt your pelvis more efficiently, which will increase your performance when clearing a hurdle.

Below you will find exercises that target these four muscles groups. Depending on your fitness level and goals, 3-5 exercises per muscle group per session is sufficient, which sounds like a LOT of work, but notice that many of these exercises work multiple groups, or the entire core. You may also notice that leg exercises or arm work also engage these muscles; for example, squats aren’t considered core work because they are leg-focused, but you will feel your glutes getting a solid workout from a squat. When creating a weight training plan, be sure and keep in mind that you don’t need to squats, deadlifts AND 3 glute-specific exercises named below, if your plan only requires, say, 3 glute exercises. A good plan doesn’t overwork any one muscle. Because there is so much overlap and depending on your fitness level, start by choosing one exercise from each group below per exercise session.

Additionally, every 6- 8 weeks, change up your exercises to keep working muscles in a new way, which will prevent a plateau and allow you to keep challenging your body. Below are numerous exercises for each muscle group. Start with the rep & weight level that you can safely and comfortably complete. The wonderful thing about core work is that you can always increase the difficulty by adding equipment such as a balance ball, dumbbells, resistance bands, and stability discs. Generally, do 3 x 10-15 reps of these exercises, but you may want to reduce reps when adding weight. For each muscle group, the exercises are ordered from easiest to most difficult.

 

Glutes

The Bridge: This is the quintessential glute exercise. Lay down on your back. Bring your feet up until they are directly under your knees, flat on the floor. Your weight will mostly be on your lower back. Lift your pelvis toward the ceiling and hold for several seconds. Lower your hips back to the floor.

Make it harder: Extend one leg into the air, making a straight line with your body.

Other more difficult variations: 1) hold a barbell across your hips (caution: this can put a great deal of stress on your lower back, so only perform these when you have a solid fitness base and always have a spotter). 2)Lie down in front of an exercise bench. Place your heels on the bench and lift your pelvis. You can also do this with one leg in the air. You can also add weight to this position with the barbell.

 

Leg Lift

Position yourself on your hands and knees so that your hands are directly underneath your shoulders and your knees are underneath your hips. Raise your right leg as far up and behind you as you can. Pause. Bring your leg back down without touching the ground and bring your knee into your chest. After finishing 10-15 reps, repeat with the opposite leg.

 

Leg Raises

Lay on your back with your legs straight out and pressed together. Using your back and core muscles raise your legs until your body makes a right angle. Lower your legs back down.

Make it more difficult: Lay on an exercise bench with your lower back at the end so that your legs are not supported by the bench. Raise your legs up and the lower then to starting position. You can also add ankle weights.

 

Heel Drag

This is a more difficult exercise. Lay down and with a balance ball under your calves so that your weight is resting on your shoulders. Raise one leg off of the ball. Using your other leg, drag the ball toward you until only your heel is resting on the ball. Pause and then roll the ball until your calf is resting on the ball again. Do 2 x 10-15 each side.

Other exercises: Squats, deadlifts, lunges. (Refer to the article on leg strengthening for instructions.)

Obliques

 

Two-Handed Wood Chop

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp a dumbbell in the both hands. Start with the dumbbell next to your left knee. Twist the dumbbell across your body and reach up above your right shoulder, pause, and then reach back down to your left knee. This exercise can also be done with a cable pull or a resistance band. Stand sideways and pull the cable across your body just as you did the dumbbell.

 

Side Bend

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Grasp a dumbbell in your right hand. Keeping your spine straight and your pelvis tucked, bend to the right as far as you comfortably can, pause and then raise back to the center. Repeat on the left side.

 

Side Crunches

Lay on an ab bench that will allow you to lay on your side. Bend your side down as comfortably as you can, then lift upward as far as you comfortably can. Make it harder using a dumbbell or weight disc clasped to your chest.

 

Oblique twists

Lay down on your back. Raise your upper body, and then raise your knees so that your feet are not touching the ground. Clasp your fingers together and twist to the right, almost touching the mat on your right side. Return your hands to the center of your body. Twist to the left almost touching the mat. Return to center.

Make it harder: Grasp a weight disc, dumbbell or kettlebell instead of clasping your hands.

 

Parallel Bars

This is a more difficult exercise with two variations. Using parallel bars, hold your weight under your armpits and with your forearms braced on each of the top of the bars. Bring your legs up toward your chest and to the side. An even more difficult version is to perform this exercise on a chin-up bar. While hanging from the bars, engage your core to lift your legs up and to the side. You may need to start with fewer reps and build up.

 

Transversus

Ball Mountain Climbers

Using a balance ball, place your forearms or your hands on the ball with your feet on the ground as though you are doing a plank with the ball. Lifting one knee, bring your knee up towards your chest. Pause and bring it back down.

 

Flutter kicks

Lay on your back. Using your abs, lift your upper body just off of the ground. Raise your feet off of the ground and kick your feet up and down without lowering your heels to the ground. Do this for 3 x 20- 30 seconds.

 

Superman

Lay on your stomach with your arms straight out in front of you. At the same time, raise your feet and your hands off of the ground. Pause. Return your hands and feet to the ground.

 

Bird-dog

Put your hands shoulder-width apart on your knees with your legs resting on the ground. At the same time, raise one arm and the opposite leg so that both arm and leg make a straight line with the body. Pause. Return to the ground.

 

Rectus Abdominis

Crunches

These are the old standard, a good starting place. Lay on the floor, place your hands behind your head and lift your shoulders towards your knees. Be sure not to pull on your neck and keep your back straight.

 

Reverse Crunches

Lay on the ground or on an exercise bench. Lift your legs up with knees bent. Bring your knees as close to your face as you can. Return to starting position.

 

V-Tuck

There are several variations of this exercise. The starting version is to lay on your back. At the same time, raise your legs and raise your upper body as far as you can, keeping legs straight and the back straight. Lower partially back down, and then back up. Try not to return to the ground until you finish your set of reps. Another version is to lay down and to raise your feet and upper body so that you can grasp your feet with your hands, forcing you to into a more intense crunch. Remember to keep your back and legs straight. Again, only lower yourself partially to the ground.

 

Incline Sit-ups

Lay on an incline bench so that your feet are raised above your body. Place your hands behind your head and raise your upper body all the way up so that you can touch your feet. You can increase difficult by grasping a medicine ball, weight disc or dumbbell to your chest. Do 3 x 10-15 reps or whatever you can comfortably complete.

 

Try adding at least some of these core exercises to your routine, especially in the off-season. Remember to start with what you can comfortably complete, and always keep your lower back straight, never bowed in. You will find that strong abs and glutes will push your hurdling fitness higher, allowing for less soreness and a better performance during competition season.

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