Core strength is critical for full body stabilization. If a body can t stabilize, an athlete will have a difficult time exerting force into the ground while moving fast. This will translate into an inability to take on blockers or playing against other players. This also requires strong low back muscles, such as the gluteals, lumbar erector spinae group and other pelvic muscles. This area of development is critical as it is one of the strongest parts of the body and the strength here will permeate out to the rest of the body.
Much abdominal work is done either on the floor or on physio balls.
There is also an ab bench that is used, both with and without weights. The lumbar area is initially worked by performing hyperextensions without weights, or with pauses. This must be mastered before an athlete can ever add weights on their backs or over their heads. For athletes such as football players, too much distance work should never be done, as that will retard both strength and speed. Once an athlete shows they can actively demonstrate running tempo runs, have improved core strength, good joint mobility, improved body composition, aerobic and anaerobic skills and are going through the warm- up series efficiently, they are now ready and able to go onto the next phase, the strength phase.