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Bracing The Core

Bracing the core involves consciously activating the core muscles to create tension and stability in the spine and body. It is an important preparatory step for many exercises. To brace properly, the spine should first be in neutral alignment before co-contracting the core muscles. This involves relaxing or tightening different muscle groups to control pelvic tilt. Regular practice of exercises like planks while bracing can help train inclusive core strength and make the bracing action automatic. Progressions include variations like raising limbs during planks.

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April Kyle Vidad
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753 views7 pages

Bracing The Core

Bracing the core involves consciously activating the core muscles to create tension and stability in the spine and body. It is an important preparatory step for many exercises. To brace properly, the spine should first be in neutral alignment before co-contracting the core muscles. This involves relaxing or tightening different muscle groups to control pelvic tilt. Regular practice of exercises like planks while bracing can help train inclusive core strength and make the bracing action automatic. Progressions include variations like raising limbs during planks.

Uploaded by

April Kyle Vidad
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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BRACING THE CORE

Although the core muscles are always used whenever we move, we can brace them to gain greater
stability of the spine and body control. The term “bracing the core” was first coined by Stuart McGill, a
world-renowned expert in spine biometrics, in refer to the conscious activation of the core muscles to
create the most amount of tension thereby providing stability to the system. Thus, it serves as a
preparatory setup for most, if not all, exercises. Knowing how to brace the core is therefore important.
For most of us, keeping the spine in a neutral position takes conscious effort. The spine should be
in neutral position before bracing the core. This can be done through an integrated core training that is,
the co-contraction exercises of the core muscles. Neutral position refers the position of the spine where all
three curves of the spine-cervical (neck), thoracic (middle), and lumbar (lower) - are in good alignment.
You can check if your spine has good alignment in front of the mirror. You should see the natural curves
of the spine, where there should be no noticeable movement of the pelvis either forward (anteriorly) or
backward (posteriorly). If you try drawing an imaginary line, it should intersect with your ear, shoulder,
hip, knee, and ankle. The alignment should be natural though, not forced. As you become proficient,
conscious effort will not be needed to maintain the neutral position.
To practice bracing the core, relax the abdominal muscles enough to allow tension from the lower back
muscles to anteriorly from the pelvis (see figure 2.1a). Feel how well you can control this action. Return
to neutral with the aforementioned cocontraction. Now relax the lower back muscles, allowing the
abdominals to pull at their inferior (low) attachment side, which will slowly tilt the pelvis posteriorly
(Figure 2.1b). You will initially have to make an effort to apply this newfound control to exercises that
constitute our core training such as the dead bug, bird dog, and plank series. In this way, abdominal
bracing is practiced in a variety of positions. As you gain proficiency, the conscious effort to brace
becomes automatic as you instinctively maintain dynamic control of your core.
At this point, it is important to stress the need to train the core inclusively instead of focusing on muscle
isolation simply because all parts work together for the benefit of the whole. The act of bracing is done
by setting the abdominal area as if expecting to receive a blow to the misdirection. It is consciously
tightening the core muscles while continuing to breathe naturally. You will feel the front, side, and back
sides all

PLANK SERIES
Objective
Improve anti-rotation capacity.
• Front plank
Starting Position
Lie down on the floor in a prone push-up position with the elbows close to the sides and
directly under the shoulders, palms down and hands facing forward. Extend the leg and
dorsiflex the ankles.

Procedure
Perform abdominal brace.
Slowly lift the torso off
the floor, maintaining a
stiff torso and legs.
Continue to breathe while
holding the position.
Lower the body towards
the floor.

Side plank
Starting Position
Lie down sideways on the floor with the legs extended and stacking the feet, one on top of the
other.
Place the elbow directly under the shoulder.
Align the head with the spine and keep the hips and knee in contact with the floor.
Procedure
Perform abdominal brace.
Slowly lift the hips and knees off the floor.
Keep the elbow positioned directly under the shoulder.
Continue to breathe while holding the position.
Lower the body towards the floor.

EXERCISE REGRESSION

Kneeling front plank


Starting Position
Lie down on the floor in a prone push-up position with the elbows close to the sides and
directly under the shoulders, palms down and hands facing forward.
Procedure
Perform the abdominal brace.
Slowly lift the torso off the floor but instead of weight bearing through the toes, modify it
by placing the weight on the knees.
Continue to breathe while holding the position.

Lower the body towards the floor.

Kneeling side plank


Starting
Position
Lie down sideways on the floor with the legs bent at 90-degrees.
Place the elbow directly below the shoulder.
Align the head with spine and keep the hips and knee in contact with the floor.

Procedure
Perform the abdominal brace.
Slowly lift the hips and the knees in contact with the
floor. Continue breathing while holding the position.
Lower body towards the floor.

EXERCISE PROGRESSION

• Front plank – single


arm up Starting
Position
Lie down on the floor in a prone push-up position with the elbows close to the sides and
directly under the shoulders, palms down and hands facing forward. Extend the leg and
dorsiflex the ankles.

Procedure
Perform the abdominal brace.
Slowly lift the torso off the floor, maintaining a stiff torso legs.

Extend one hand over the head and keep the torso in line with the head and
legs.
Continue to breathe while holding the position.
Lower the body towards the floor and repeat on the other side.
Side plank – Leg or
arm up Starting
Position
Lie down sideways on the floor with the legs extended and stacking the feet one on top of
the other.
Place the elbow directly under the shoulder.
Align the head with the spine and keep the hips and knee in contact with the
floor.

Procedure
Perform the abdominal brace.
Slowly lift the hips and knees off the floor.
Raise the upper leg and continue to breathe while holding the
position. Lower the body towards the floor and repeat on the other
side.

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