Core Conditioning Flashcards
A positive (as used by the medical community) Forword Flexion Activation test would be _______.
The umbilicus moving out away from the sprine & No change in the distance between the umbilicus and the spine.
Which region of the abdominals is generally strongest in most individuals?
The upper abdominal musculature
During the Lower Abdominal Strength Test, if the low back rises when the legs form a 15 degree angle to the floor, this indicates a strength grade of _____.
90%
The Wall Standing Test for determining lumbar curvature is positive (as used by the medical community) when the thickest part of the client’s hand _____.
Passes right through to the other side; Gets stuck prematurely, allowing only the finger tips between the wall and lumbar spine.
When performing the Squat Test with little of no weight, you can determine whether or not the stabilizer mechanism is weak if the ____ is activated.
Rectus abdominis
When performing the Lower Abdominal Coordination Test, if your client’s spine begins to arch before the feet tough the ffloor, this indicates that _____.
The lower abs cannot stabilize the lumbar spine against the pull of the iliopsoas and rectus femoris.
With posterior rotation of the pelvis, what trunk muscles are the prime movers?
The anterior fibers of the external oblique and the rectus abdominis.
During the Cervical Flexion Activation Test, which muscle(s) will you see activated if the tester overpowers the cranium causing the head to posteriorly rotate?
Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
How much of their respiratory volume do chest breathers get?
2/3 of normal or ideal volume
During the Forward Flexion Activation Test, why are the fingers placed above and below the spinous process of L3?
To feel the suprospinous ligament tightening and correlate the tightening and correlate the tightening with the activation of the TVA.
What muscles are postural antagonists to the sternocleidomastoid (SCM)?
Cervical neck flexors
When administering the Lower Abdominal Coordination Test, the psoas muscle will be dominant if the lower abdominal musculature cannot stabilize the pelvis.
True
TVA activation can be assessed with a Blood Pressure cuff placed under the lumbar spine.
False
Core deficiencies increase an individual’s risk for lower extremity injuries.
True
Janda’s Upper Abdominal Strength Test is more accurate than the Kendall Sit-up Test because ________.
It decreases the ability of the client to cheat & It increases the feedback to the tester through palpitation of the feet.
What test would you use first to assess the strength of the Transverse Abdominis?
Have the client lie prone with a Blood Pressure cuff under the umbilicus and inflate it to 40mmhg. The client must then draw the umbilicus in and reduce pressure in the cuff.
Which exercise should you or your client start off with when learning how to activate the TVA?
Four point kneeling tummy vacuum
A safe and effective way to double the range of motion of the crunch exercise and maintain extension in the thoracic spine is to _____.
Use a Swiss Ball
The “stabilization threshold” is defined as _____.
The ability to stabilize one’s spine against intrinsic and extrinsic forces.
Why is it important to test lower abdominal strength and coordination?
To assess the degree of muscle imbalance & To determine where to start your clients’ training.
Why is it important to have the tongue in the physiological rest position?
It allows the supra and infrahyoid muscles to aid in flexion.
Why is it important to keep the spine in neutral during the four pint kneeling tummy vacuum?
To reduce the load placed on the spine.
Why is it important to breathe through pursed lips, while lifting a weight through the sticking point of any lift?
To charge the thoracic cavity & To avoid the valsalva maneuver.
What is a negative effect of supporting one’s head during crunches?
Flexor chain is not strengthened in a functional pattern.
Assume you are performing the Oblique Muscle Balance Test and your client is lying over a Swiss ball on his/her right side. When the client side flexes, he rotates to his right. What type of imbalance does this indicate?
Imbalance between the right internal oblique and left external oblique.
Which actions indicate a negative finding (as used by the medical community) for the Forward Flexion Activation Test?
The umbilicus draws inward.
When should the Lower Abdominal Strength Test not be performed and instead be replaced by the Lower Abdominal Coordination Test?
Your client has low back pain.
Which of the following are typical ways a client can cheat during the Blood Pressure TVA Strength Test?
Using the hip extensors, Rolling to the side & Coming up on the toes
Why is it important to test both the eccentric and concentric movements during the Lower Abdominal Strength and Coordination Tests?
Lower abs must be able to work both eccentrically and concentrically.
During the TVA Strength Test, what constitutes normal TVA strength?
Pulling the umbilicus off the cuff 10mmHg.
The sooner a client reaches the “stabilization threshold” the better they are able to stabilize.
False
When the umbilicus pushes out during the Forward Flexion Activation Test, this indicates that ____.
The TVA is not firing
The abdominal muscles are _____.
Striated skeletal muscles.
Strength development of the abdominal muscles can be done daily because the abdominal musculature repairs itself faster than any other muscle in the body.
False
At what level should a Blood Pressure cuff be placed when performing any of the lower abdominal exercises?
L3 & Belly Button level
When doing lower abdominal #4, use of the psoas will cause ____.
The knees to move toward head
Fully flexing the hips has what kind of effect on the psoas?
Inhibitory/weakening
A full contraction of the abdominal musculature during the crunch exercise performed from the floor willl flex the torso to approximately _____.
30 degrees
When performing the reverse crunch, the concentric movement cycle of the abdominal muscles involved is completed when _____.
The rectus abdominis is fully contracted
Which of the following muscles are part of the Inner Unit?
TVA & Pelvic floor muscles
When walking up stairs, the Lateral System stabilizes the spine in which plane?
Frontal
Exercises for the internal and external oblique musculature commonly require a rotary component of trunk motion. This has been shown to increase the likelihood of _____. NOTE: This is most common in the standing and/or seated positions, with the likelihood of injury increasing in proportion to the load on the spine.
Tearing of the annular rings of a vertebral disc.
Pulling hard on the neck while doing abdominal crunch exercises or sit-ups can _____.
Strain the extensor muscles and sprain the joints of the neck
Be associated with pain between the shoulder blades and in the arm region
Be a source of headaches.
The end of the concentric phase of the cross-crunch exercise is when _____.
The external oblique muscle being worked is fully contracted.
If you are sore when you begin your next abdominal workout and you feel you cannot complete your required number of reps and or sets, you should _____.
Take an extra day off
When setting up an abdominal program for yourself or someone else, it is not advisable to recommend an exact number of repetitions because _____.
It may be too many floor their level of ability
It may be too few for their level of ability
Each individual will fatigue at the number of repetitions compatible to his/her current level of ability.
What is the main fault with the Ab Roller device?
The flexor chain is not strengthened in a functional pattern.
Which exercise(s) must a client master before attempting hanging leg raises?
Lower abdominal #1-4
What technique modification is most likely to eliminate pulling on the head during safe and effective crunch and sit-up type exercises?
Placing your finger tips behind your ears.
At what point in a workout do you recommend performing abdominal exercises?
End
If you were developing an abdominal conditional class or segment of a class, what region of the abdominal wall would you exercise first, second and last?
Lower abdominals, obliques, upper abdominals
What are common postural changes in people who regularly perform crunch or sit-up type exercises without properly balancing these flexion exercises with extension exercises?
Forward head posture, Steeper first rib angle & Kyphosis
Traditional abdominal exercises target the rectus abdominis, external obliques and psoas are effective in improving back stabilization?
False
Phasic muscles react to faulty loading by becoming _____ and _____.
Long, weak
The Anterior Oblique System is comprised of a working relationship between _____ and _____.
Obliques, contralateral adductors
A Trendelenburg Sign is best defined as _____.
A center of gravity shift over the subtalar joint, while going through the stance phase of gate.
What muscles make up the lateral system?
Gluteus medius & miniumus, quadratus lumborum, obliques.
What role does the Posterior Oblique System play in the propulsion phase of gait?
Stabilizes the sacroiliac joint of the stance leg
The main function of the Outer Unit is to provide joint stiffness.
False
Which of the following exercises are effective for training the Inner Unit muscles?
Lower abdominal #1 and Seated posture training
The best exercise to train the Anterior Oblique System is the _____.
Woodchop
Acceleration, deceleration and multi-directional changes put demands on primarily which system?
Anterior oblique system
The Superman exercise targets the muscles of primarily which system?
Posterior system
There are _____ muscular layers in the abdominal wall.
3
The most superficial abdominal muscles are the _____ and the _____.
Rectus abdominis, external obliques
The rectus abdominis can flex the trunk and _____.
Posteriorly rotate the pelvis
The _____ is the largest muscle in the abdominal region.
External oblique
Left rotation of the trunk with the lower body anchored, such as throwing a ball with the right arm, is accomplished by the synergistic function of the _____.
Left internal & right external obliques
The psoas muscles are _____.
Powerful flexors of the trunk when the feet are anchored
Powerful flexors of the hip with the trunk anchored
Commonly overworked during abdominal exercises
The quadratus lumborum is the _____ and is _____.
Deepest muscle of the low back & Frequently aggravated in low back conditions
Side sit-ups may aggravate any pre-existing condition in the quadratus lumborum.
True
Poor tongue positioning during abdominal exercises may lead to strain of the deep cervical flexors and/or over development of the sternocleidomastoid muscles.
True
A common result of shortened cervical flexors is _____.
A decreased cervical curvature
When assessing posture from the side, what point is used as the primary reference?
Ankle
Anterior pelvic tilt causes ____.
Increased lumbar curvature
Improper strength and conditioning techniques for the abdominal musculature can cause _____.
Low back pain
Postural degeneration
Neck pain
A long term postural change associated with increased postural curvatures is _____.
Dowagers hump
Protrusion of the abdomen
Forward displacement of the head
A loss of agility, spinal mobility and a decreased sense of balance may be associated with _____.
Increased spinal curvatures
Which of the following are short term (hours to weeks) implications of poor training technique with abdominal exercise?
Neck pain & Back pain
Which of the following are long term (months) implications of abdominal training with poor technique?
Forward head posture & Kyphosis
Aside from respiration, what is the main function of the transversus Abdominis?
Spine stabilization
The external oblique is a contralateral rotator _____.
When the pelvis is fixed
When performing trunk flexion exercises against gravity it is best to _____ to protect the neck.
Place the tongue on the roof of the mouth.
At 90% of lumbar flexion, the body switches from _____ support to _____ support.
Muscular, ligamentous
What force-couple relationship is involved in supporting the sacroiliac joints?
Abdominals and hamstrings
Sacroiliac joint pain is often the result of _____.
A dysfunctional abdominal wall
What is the long term effect on the abdominal wall from wearing a weight belt?
Sensory motor amnesia
The external oblique is an ipsilateral rotator when _____.
The trunk is fixed
The intra-abdominal pressure mechanism alleviates between _____ and _____ of the load in the lumbar spine at the L4 and L5 levels.
12%, 36%
Which back muscle may be a flexor of the spine?
Quadratus lumborum
The Fitter helps to develop _____.
Balance & Coordination
Joint stability
Strength
Most Fitter exercises are performed _____.
In all planes simutaneously
Surfing uses primarily which reflex?
Tilting
What modification could be made to a Swiss ball exercise to make it one that trains righting reflexes?
Fixate the ball so it cannot roll around
When should a client discontinue performing a high-performance core exercise?
Prior to breaking form
Chop pattern exercises _____.
Combine flexion and extension with rotation & Have a high level of carryover to work and sport environments
All of the following variables increase core demand except _____.
Heat
What abilities does Paul recommend you or a client possess prior to attempting the exercises in High Performance Core Conditioning?
Core strength
Which exercises are predominantly transverse plane exercises?
Tornado ball wall chop & Wood chop
______ plane dominant exercises are ideal for training a swimmer.
Transverse
Sit-ups are the ideal abdominal exercise to train baseball pitchers.
False
What sport would sit-ups be well suited for?
Rowing
Kneeling on a Swiss ball is an example of _____ relexes.
Tilting
Training on a Swiss ball primarily trains the righting reflexes.
False
Which of the following increases core demand for a firefighter?
Weight of clothing
Use of tools
Impaired vision
The difference between skill and ability is that skill is something you are born with and ability is something you develop.
False
What must someone be able to do in order to perform the reverse wood chop properly?
Reverse thoracic curvature
According to the DVD, what weight distribution shift tis recommended during the explosive wood chop exercise?
70% inside leg to 70% outside leg
The prone ball roll works in which plane(s)?
Transverse & Sagittal
While performing the integrated hanging leg raise, what does an excess lumbar lordosis indicate prior to hip flexion?
Eccentric overload of the lower abdominals
What sport would the drop and recover be best for?
Rugby
What muscles aid in flexion when the tongue is placed on the roof of the mouth during exercises where the head is being pulled posteriorly against gravity?
Supra & infrahyoid muscles
Which exercise best trains the hip flexors for quick movement?
Jump kick pass
When setting up for the Swiss ball crunch, which two parts of the body should be touching the ball?
Sacrum and head
While performing the wighted Swiss ball crunch, how much weight should be anchoring the fee to the floor?
Same weight as you are lifting?
To isolate the lower abdominals when performing the hanging leg raise, you must _____.
Rotate the pelvis backward and flex hips until the low back flattens.
How can the bilateral push be made into a transverse plane movement?
Alternate arms
