What’s the difference between core stability and core strength? Which one is more important? Find out below.
WHAT IS CORE STABILITY?
Core stability is the ability of the trunk muscles to hold a position. It involves low-level contractions (roughly 20–25% of MVIC, or maximal voluntary isometric contraction) and emphasizes precision and control of movement rather than sheer force.
A common core stability move is the Bird Dog. In this exercise, you keep a neutral spine while moving an arm and opposite leg. It doesn’t require maximal abdominal contraction; it requires a small, controlled effort to maintain a steady spine. There aren’t large forces involved.
Other core stability exercises include:
– Half-kneeling chops
– Half-kneeling lifts
– Dead bug
– Segmental rolling
– Prone supermans
These moves can be made more challenging with light resistance. The goal is to improve timing and sequencing of the core muscles, performed with accuracy and control.
WHAT IS CORE STRENGTH?
Core strength is the core’s ability to hold or control a position against higher forces from gravity, resistance, or added weight. Movements that target core strength include:
– Swiss ball rollouts
– RKC planks
– Stir the Pot
– Sledgehammer hits
– Anti-rotation (Pallof) press
All of these involve external forces. The core must generate greater force to resist movement through the spine.
WHY DO WE NEED BOTH?
You can have excellent core stability but be weaker in other ways, or you can have a very strong core with poor stability. For example, you might hold a plank for a long time, which suggests strength, but stability could still be lacking.
Quick tests to gauge core stability:
SEGMENTAL ROLLING
Key Points:
– Try to roll from your back to your stomach using one arm and no legs.
– You may lift your head and reach with one arm.
BIRD DOG
Key Points:
– Can you keep a neutral spine while alternating arms and legs?
– Is the pelvis level during the movement?
– If yes, you passed. If not, there may be stability issues related to hip extension, thoracic spine extension, or shoulder mobility.
HALF KNEELING
Key Points:
– Bring the front foot in line with the back leg.
– Maintain balance without shaking or using your arms for support.
– Usually one side is harder; an inability to stay upright in half-kneeling may indicate a stability issue.
– If you can perform the test on both sides with similar results, you passed. If not, there may be mobility limitations in the hip, ankle, or thoracic spine contributing to stability issues.
Core strength tests aren’t explored in as much depth here, but maintaining proper alignment during lifts like deadlifts, squats, or lunges is important to reduce injury risk and improve performance.
The spine relies on small stabilizing muscles that connect one segment to the next. If these muscles don’t do their job, stabilization falters and larger muscles have to compensate.
If you notice an imbalance during the Bird Dog, try placing a towel roll under your lower back and widening your base to challenge the movement while keeping good form.
If the half-kneeling test shows imbalances, try half-kneeling chops with a band around the lower legs to improve core recruitment.
These tiny stabilizers help hold the spine steady. When they don’t, compensations occur, placing extra work on larger muscles such as the paraspinals.
WHO CARES?
If the small stabilizers aren’t stabilizing effectively and the larger muscles are overworking, movement patterns can become compensatory over time, increasing injury risk and potentially reducing performance.
If an imbalance appears during segmental rolling, use some assistance to improve control. If problems persist, seek a clinician trained in the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA).
We need BOTH. Include core stability work as part of a dynamic warm-up or a supersets, and also include core strengthening work within the workout.
Run through these tests with clients to help improve movement quality by addressing both core stability and core strength.
(Note: The original article’s author bio and social links have been removed.)
