Trunk stiffness or making the hull stiff. You can see it as a corset that keeps the torso stiff and prevents us from assuming an incorrect position. This ensures that the muscle stimuli go better to the expected muscle group(s) and the exercise can be performed more easily and efficiently. This also pays off in everyday life and increases the sustainability of your body.
The most common cause of lower back injuries is energy leaks. An energy leak means that during an exercise other joints or muscles take over the movement. A good example is the deadlift that is performed with a rounded back, which puts an enormous amount of stress on the lower back. Or a push up where the lower back hangs or arches. Our body also adapts to an unfavorable position due to sedentary behavior (or sitting for long periods of time). In addition to correcting this posture, the term 'trunk stiffness' is the factor that will prevent these injuries.
How do you achieve this trunk stiffness?
Correct exercise forms.
You can achieve this through abdominal muscle strengthening exercises such as the plank, side plank, deadbug, ... but also through exercises such as the push where we have to prevent our back from going into a hollow. Back strengthening exercises should also not be forgotten, such as the deadlift, rack pull, birddog, etc. We should train the torso in a 3D aspect, as it were, to obtain optimal stiffness.
Abdominal breathing
Also through abdominal breathing (or diaphragmatic breathing). This is better than chest breathing because this way:
– can take in more breath
– requires little energy
– provides more stability to the spine
– reduces the risk of energy leaks & injuries
– is relaxing
We can easily test abdominal breathing by pushing our fingers into the abdomen and using abdominal breathing you have to push your fingers away from you. Using this method of breathing will also make bracing easier.
Bracing
When bracing, all abdominal muscles are contracted, such as your rectus abdominal muscles, your oblique abdominal muscles and your transverse abdominal muscles. The trunk stiffness increases due to this cooperation and this stabilizes your spine. To learn how to brace properly, it is important to learn to regulate your intra-abdominal pressure properly.
If you have back problems, if you want more progression in your training, if you are working on a conscious and sustainable body, make sure that the foundation is optimized and you consciously focus on this. Work on the basics and get started with abdominal breathing, bracing & trunk stiffness. Enforce Yourself!
Gianni Van Dooren
Enforce Master Trainer
gianni@enforce.international
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