“Poorly understood”, “no universally accepted definition”
No wonder we need a new book on the subject!
Body workers, yoga teachers, Pilates teachers, PTs, athletics and swim coaches, we all talk about the core and its importance. But have we truly ever defined for ourselves what we mean by this? And if we have confined either to a very limited group of muscles (‘the abs’) or a body-wide linked system for transferring force, what is the basis for our understanding?
‘Born to Move’ founder Owen Lewis has written a truly thoughtful and practical book on this least understood and most talked about part of the body. With a background in elite sport and degree in sports, health and physical education, a master’s in applied sports and exercise psychology and postgraduate certification in education, Owen is a qualified structural integrator and sports massage therapist with teachers that include James Earls, Thomas Myers, Robert Schleip, David Tiberio and Diane Lee.
Do you want to build your core strength or do you have clients who want or need to build their core strength? Owen clearly explains how the core works to manage and transfer the force of movement through the centre of the body, building on principles of biotensegrity (how the tension and compression of different muscles creates a balanced structure which distributes stress and strain). The final chapters of the book provide a range of useful, functional training exercises suitable for lay readers but especially helpful as examples for therapists and trainers to use with clients.
Surprisingly “There is” says Owen “no universally agreed-upon definition of the core or the muscles it comprises.” One of his motivations in writing this book was “to convey a sense of the unbroken wholeness and totality of the body.”
Owen writes that “commonly used, the core is a vague and consistently inconsistent term. The inconsistency in defining the core tells of an important underlying story. The ability to adjust and respond to the chaotic world within and without reflects the nature of our watery core.”
In addition to a thorough exploration of the core of the core system, the book includes exercises to act as a catalyst to provoke imaginative movement explorations.
Core makes it easy to understand the anatomy of this crucial region of the body, as well as key principles for more effective and safe exercises and training regimens.
You can buy the ‘Core’ here
