Midsection Fitness

Midsection Is Crucial Link In The Makeup Of Any Athlete
By Bernard "Bun" Gladieux, Jr.

When most athletes think of their weak link, minds usually turn to feet, ankles, knees and such parts.

Few of us think about that section of our anatomy that lies between our hips and our rib cage as an area that requires any special attention. Yet when you think about it, your midsection is a kind of central hinge that connects the bottom half of your body to the upper half and is the transmission link between your power source, your legs, and the rest of you.

The complex system of muscles that work your abdomen, and your lower back, hold your guts in, provide for your balance, control and your breathing and generally determine, as much as any other factor, whether your running stride will be smooth and efficient or lurching, rolling and exhausting. Ironically, few runners or other athletes give much attention either to maintenance or strength training in this area.

Here are some reasons for doing so and some simple exercises to take up the slack,
so to speak.

1. Your Back: If you are prone to low back pain, look to your abdominal muscle structure first. If those muscles are weak, your belly will tend to hang out and pull your spine in a way that puts undue stress on its curvature. The spaces between the vertebrae, the surrounding muscles and quite possibly, some large and irritable nerves also. Even if you have never had a back problem, get in the habit of doing some abdominal strengthening exercises regularly. Half-bent leg situps, crunches or abdominal curls are all variations on the same theme. Do the ones you are most comfortable with, but do them – daily if you have the stomach for it.
   
   Other midsection exercises for active runners and other athletes recommended by exercise physiologists include movements that stress the entire middle torso – sides and back as well as the large muscles in the abdomen. They can be done in a fitness center, a weight room or at home. But in order to do the job, they have to be done regularly, if not daily. Specifically these exercises include the “Back Raise” which is done face down and arching backward; the “Standing Side Bend” which can be done with a weight in one hand and the “Reverse Trunk Twist” in which, lying on your back, you use the weight of your legs to strengthen your twisting movement to both sides.
   
   
2. Your breathing: Belly breathing is the only way to do it if you are into any kind of aerobic/endurance training. Inhale as you relax your abdominal muscles. It’s like chewing gum: if you have some trouble getting it at first, don’t worry, with a little practice, it will seem like a piece of cake. Belly breath when you run, belly breath when you lift weights, or when you are reading the newspaper.
   
   
3. Your Gut: It is, of course, possible for anyone, even veteran athletes, to develop layers of fat around the middle. If you can feel it jiggle when you run or can pinch more than an inch of it between your skin and the first layer of muscle, you’ve probably got more than you need. Take a look at your diet and eating and drinking habits. If you are taking in more than you are using up day to day, your body is using your midsection as a storage bin. Be patient, but work to bring yourself into a happier balance.