Which is more important in training? Core or extremity?
You may think core is everything and lean that way. It’s an obvious answer. Core after all is likely the most popular buzz word in the fitness industry in the past twenty years. Without it there is no point in having strong hips and shoulders if you have a pool noodle of a spine in the middle that cant bare the force of gravity and a barbell.
But what about the hips and shoulders? Flexibility demands, range of motion, stability and potential power output. All important things not to be ignored in training. Further more health and function of the secondary joints, knees and elbows. Wouldn’t want those weak or prone to injury. Thats a troublesome recovery. Add in the importance of hand and grip strength. You can’t really pick something up if you cant hold it well.
And if we are going to look at those extremities we should consider strength of the foot and ankle. If the foot collapses under heavy loads or high repetitions or long runs the knee follows after, then the hips causing the pelvis to tilt and the lumbar spine to flex and the cascade can continue right up every vertebrae to the skull.
While we are there, have you ever trained or considered neck strength? If you have never had neck issues then probably not but if you have overcome problems with a sore neck then you know strength and active flexibility work helped you overcome it. Furthermore a stronger more stable cervical spine helps keep the thoracic spine and shoulder girdle in better position under stress. So, maybe its a secret to expressing more upper body strength and keeping your spine more rigid during exercise, thus yielding a stronger core.
Lots of questions and variables to consider but no awnser to the original question: which is more important in training? Core or extremity?
Whichever is weaker.
Narrating a training program requires feedback from the trainee. This is not to be confused with complaining. It’s expressing to the coach what you are feeling, where there is tension, pain or strength. It helps to let the coach know what is working and what isn’t. This allows for immediate course correction. In this current workout and the next few. It allows for adaptation and optimization. In other words, we hear what you are saying. And we will make it better.
Coach Bobby