Core Training

Core training is critical to the success of our athletes reaching their full potential. At NSSA, we combine both core strength and core stability exercises. The core is not only abdominal and low back muscles, but everything from the neck down, excluding extremities. This also involves the hips and shoulders, if they are unstable, the athlete is at greater risk for injury.

For core strength, exercises should involve movement of the spine and hips into flexion, extension and/or rotation. Athletes will learn and perform a wide variety of medicine ball and other training techniques. Some of the strengthening movements include crunch, back extension and different twisting and rotating movements. For core stability, exercises should have no movement of the spine, only maintain spinal positions. Examples of this include bridging progressions, kneeling or the use of stability balls and other types of balancing exercises.

Core training is an essential part of both the Speed and Strength programs at NSSA. The core has the main purpose in athletics of allowing an athlete to transfer force from the ground upward and outward. It is crucial for everything from kicking, blocking, throwing, diving, etc. The bottom line is that our athletes must have a strong and stable core in order to reach their fullest athletic potential and decrease the risk of injury.