The Complete Guide series is designed for the fitness professional, coach and student, packed with ready-made training programmes, tips and strategies. This is an updated edition of the definitive 'core stability' training handbook for fitness leaders and enthusiasts in an 'all you need to know format. Core stability concentrates on core abdominal muscle strength to improve posture, strength and performance.This book looks at what core stability is, the muscles that are involved, and the benefits to improving your core stability. Including new exercises, with specific exercises for different sports, this new edition covers the use of a variety of equipment - from medicine balls to core boards to the new big thing in core stability - TRX training.Includes colour photography, new exercises and training programmes tailored to different sports.

Acknowledgements PrefaceIntroductionPART ONE: The Principles of Core StabilityChapter 1 What is core stability and what purpose does it serve?Chapter 2 The trunk muscles and mechanisms of stabilityChapter 3 Why is core stability important?Chapter 4 Who can benefit from improved core stability?Chapter 5 How to achieve core stabilityChapter 6 How to overload a muscleChapter 7 What you need to know before you startChapter 8 Before you beginPART TWO: The ExercisesChapter 9 Warm-up exercises and stretchesChapter 10 Stabilisation exercisesChapter 11 Classic abdominal exercisesChapter 12 The introduction of unstable basesChapter 13 Alternative unstable base exercisesChapter 14 Stabilisation exercises within conventional training Chapter 15 Hands-on partner workChapter 16 Medicine ball trainingPART THREE: The Way ForwardChapter 17 Multi-joint and plane movementsChapter 18 Kettlebell trainingChapter 19 ViPR TrainingChapter 20 Suspension TrainingPART FOUR: Alternative Training Chapter 21 Alternative training and exercisesChapter 22 Core stability training for specific age groupsChapter 23 Abdominal training in waterPART FIVE: Programme Ideas and Class StructureChapter 24 The basic structure of a classChapter 25 Sample programmesChapter 26 Designing a programme for individualsAppendix: SMR techniquesGlossaryReferencesFurther informationIndex