HOW TO BUILD CORE STABILITY
Reader Ed Kennington broke his back 10 years ago and now wants to return to tri. To help him build up his strength, it’s over to coach Nick Beer
“Superman, Dead Bug, Plank and Side Plank are key core exercises”
Ed: Ten years ago I broke my back in four places while on deployment in the Falkland Islands. I was told I’d possibly never walk again, let alone cycle or compete, but being stubborn I’ve since completed three 100-mile sportives and now want to return to tri. My biggest problem, though, is a lack of core stability. Any advice? Nick: Firstly, what an amazing recovery and congratulations on what you’ve achieved so far!
Our core muscles are essential in keeping our bodies robust and injury free. Their function is to control the position and motion of the trunk over the pelvis. This allows for efficient bio-mechanical function that maximises force generation and, above all, minimises the load on our joints.
Four great core exercises that should be included in all our training programmes to benefit swimming, cycling and running, are: Plank, Side Plank, Superman and Dead Bug.
Start by holding each exercise for 10secs, repeating the set three times over, every other day. As your body adapts and becomes stronger, increase the duration and frequency of each exercise.
What else should I factor into my training to get back in race shape?
When the journey to get back into race shape begins, we’re very motivated to get started. This is obviously a positive trait, but can be detrimental to long-term progression. You run the risk of doing too much training in a short amount of time, which puts extra stress on our bodies and increases the chance of injury. Factors to consider when starting back: Build the training volume steadily. Keep training intensity in the aerobic zones (where you can still hold a conversation). Focus on sport-specific drills and becoming technically competent. Once you become stronger and have adapted to the training demands: Start to gradually introduce high-intensity intervals. Ensure that they target your anaerobic zones (where you can’t speak and your heart rate is high). Practise race-simulation exercises, e.g. brick sessions (bike to run and swim to bike) at your race pace.
I’ve had my spleen removed as well, how will this affect my ability to endurance train?
The spleen is the largest organ in our lymphatic system. It acts as a blood filter and helps to fight infection. When we push ourselves in training, it can leave our bodies vulnerable to illness; most notably, respiratory tract infections. Without a functioning spleen, our bodies will be more susceptible to contracting viruses. Therefore, it’s essential to take rest days seriously, build your endurance up steadily, stop if you start feeling unwell and to trust that ‘less is more’!