Olympic weightlifting helps us move efficiently, utilizing core to extremity movement. Mastering this principle will significantly increase our performance in athletics and life.
CrossFit is a unique program that incorporates many different fitness domains, one of which is Olympic weightlifting.
Olympic weightlifting refers to two lifts: the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. These highly complex and powerful movements take time to practice and perfect. It is necessary when learning and performing these lifts to utilize our bodies and muscles correctly and in the correct order, starting with the strong ‘core’ muscles first, then transferring that power out to our ‘extremities.’ This is a concept known (unsurprisingly) as core to extremity movement.
Learning how to recruit the right muscles in the right order to maximize optimal power output has not only physical benefits but mental ones as well. After all, the right execution requires us to think through parts of a lift, being mindful of what our bodies are doing and how we can improve our movement. This awareness can transfer to other parts of our life as well.
Core to extremity movement can be seen in sports other than CrossFit and weightlifting. Think of a shot-putter. The movement of their throw does not initiate in the arms; it initiates in the core and hips, which will drive the ball forward. The same can be said of boxers: the power of their blows does not come from the arms alone but instead starts in the core, which is then transferred into the arms (extremities). Baseball players, golfers, and many others all utilize this concept. After all, the core and hips are larger, more powerful muscles, and when recruited correctly, they will yield the maximum power output.
Learning how to apply the principles of core to extremity can be hugely beneficial for increasing athletic performance. But even if you are not an athlete in one of these areas, the skills acquired through correct movement patterns can help in everyday life. Strengthening the core muscles and using them properly throughout our lives can help reduce the risk of injury, and it can also be used in rehab and physical therapy practice.
“Practicing the Olympic lifts teaches one to apply force to muscle groups in proper sequence; i.e., from the center of the body to its extremities (core to extremity). Learning this vital technical lesson benefits all athletes who need to impart force to another person or object, as is commonly required in nearly all sports.”
CrossFit Level 1 Handbook
core to exremity in Sports performance
Let us take a look at a barbell Snatch:
To correctly perform this movement, the power will come from the hips. The arms should not bend until the third pull when the power is transferred from the hips to the bar and the athlete drops under to receive the weight. This part of the snatch can not be rushed. For many lifts, an ‘early arm bend’ is a common fault, and this is usually because an athlete rushes through a part of the lift, leaving behind unused power that could still be gained if they were slightly more patient.
The snatch is highly complex, and if not executed correctly, the lift will not work properly. For athletes, performing the snatch (and Olympic weightlifting in general) will largely benefit their sport-specific skills. Think about how many sports require making quick, speedy contact with another person or an object. Learning how to move quickly and get the body to act the right way will take performance to the next level.
But core to extremity movement is prevalent not just in these explosive, powerful movements. Even a slower lift, like the deadlift or a bench press, requires the correct utilization of the core muscles to set up a strong base and foundation from which to build the lift.
Whatever your athletic endeavors, it is wise to start thinking about how we use our core first and transfer that energy in our activity. This will help us physically and mentally – as this focused work will keep our attention present and allow us to think through a situation more easily.
The Core Muscles
The core includes more than just your abs. Core muscles include all the stabilizing muscles in your trunk, pelvic floor, and hips. Many of these muscles are not visible, as they are much deeper inside our bodies. However, they are very important to learn to use and recruit properly.
Strong, stabilizing muscles are essential for sports performance and injury prevention. They are also tools used in rehab as we re-train our bodies to operate efficiently.
These muscles also initiate power in our lifts and skills. Drilling the correct technique for Olympic lifts will help build the fast-twitch fibers in these muscles. We can also include exercises like pallof presses, squats, holds, and many other stabilizing movements that will continue to build our core.
The best practice is to be mindful throughout your sessions. Take a moment to engage your core before every lift. Let yourself these muscles engage even when doing arm-dominant movements. The more you do this, the more natural it will become to move core to extremity – allowing for maximal power output.
Be Mindful of Your Movement
It is always beneficial to take group fitness classes, especially when newer to CrossFit, because many gyms have coach-led progressions of lifts that allow you to feel how power is transferred throughout your body.
Taking the time to really pay attention and learn these principles and learn how your body works throughout them will make you more aware of how to correctly engage muscles. Even if you don’t consider yourself an ‘athlete,’ these are skills we can use every day to keep ourselves healthy and strong.
References:
CrossFit. (n.d.). Foundational movement: Snatch. CrossFit. Retrieved from https://www.crossfit.com/essentials/foundational-movement-snatch
Hampton, L. (n.d.). Core muscles. Physiopedia. Retrieved from https://www.physio-pedia.com/Core_Muscles
Leetun, D. T., Ireland, M. L., Willson, J. D., Ballantyne, B. T., & Davis, I. M. (2008). Core Stability Exercise Principles. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 7(1), 39-44. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/Fulltext/2008/01000/Core_Stability_Exercise_Principles.14.aspx
Messmer, D. (2024, March 3). What are core muscles? The Health Board. Retrieved from https://www.thehealthboard.com/what-are-core-muscles.htm
