What is Stability Training?

Controlled movements on unstable surfaces with low intensity reinforcing proper posture and alignment

Stability training looks different for athletes in comparison to the elderly, however is a crucial part of training for both demographics. For the athlete who is changing direction, back peddling, or accelerating, stability training improves functional movements preventing injury and increasing performance. The sprinter accelerating needs a stable base to jump from one foot to the next without wasting energy trying to maintain balance. For the parent of two who is getting out of the tub, stability training helps maintain balance and prevent falls. As we age the risk of injury increases while tolerance to surgery decreases. Stability training will help creates a stable base and make movements such as getting out of the shower easy.

Stability training  involves controlling unstable movements with low intensity and high reps. This will emphasize core and joint stability and ensure proper posture while providing an endurance challenge. Stability training requires proper postural alignment in order to stabilize muscles, joints, tendons preventing tissue overload (i.e. over-compensation leading to injury). Creating a stable base can improve coordination and cardio-respiratory function. Stability training has also been shown to increase neuromuscular conditioning which can be especially beneficial to elderly and unhealthy populations. 

7 Benefits of Stability Training

There has been a multitude of benefits as a result of stability training especially as people age. Among the benefits reported are:

1.    Creates Stability

• stability can be created with body weight exercise 

• stabilizes core, muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments 

• increases dynamic stability and decrease asymmetry 

2. Prevents injury

• decreases risk of injury due to overcompensation (i.e. overworking muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nervous system)  

• prevents tissue overload by preparing joints, tendons, muscles, and ligaments 

3. Improves conditioning

• improves cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular conditioning 

• improves coordination

• improves endurances of core and joint stability

4. Increases Neuromuscular efficiency

• increases neuromuscular efficiency in healthy, elderly, and unhealthy populations 

• improves proprioception “the ability to recognize bodily movement and position”  

5. Potential to help post birth

• can help women post baby 

6. Decrease pain

• can help low back pain 

7. Improves flexibility, posture and strength

• improves flexibility

• improves pelvic alignment/posture 

• improves strength 

Stability Tips

High reps, low weight

If you are starting from scratch, stability training should be implemented before diving into strength and power training. In order to avoid injury during stability training high reps (12-20) should be complimented by low weight. Some trainers chose to implement tempo lifting to tax the metabolic system due to a continuous demand for energy. More information on tempo lifting can be found here.

Be careful not to do too much too soon

The natural progression during stability training is to begin training on a flat surface with two feet progressing to a flat surface on one foot. Once the flat surface has been mastered then training can progress to an unstable surface on two feet followed by an unstable surface with one foot.  

Implementing Stability Training

Stability training does not only mean lifting weights. There are other ways to include stability training into your program including foam rolling, pilates, yoga, core work, bosu ball, balance disc, body blade and more.

Utilize stability training as active recovery

While general stability training consists of high reps with low weight, an alternative approach, with low reps and lightweight, can be seen as active recovery.  

Stability vs Strength vs Power: What’s the difference? 

Strength training is moving heavy weight

Power training is moving heavy weight quickly.

Stability training prepares the body (muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments) to handle load

Stability, power, and strength training work together to create a stable, strong, and quick individual of both mind and body.

Stability training helps prevent injury during power or strength training, however stability training is not strength or power training and cannot replace them. Strength training focuses on moving heavy weight so an individual can maintain stability under heavy load. Power training focuses on the speed at which you move that heavy weight so an individual can maintain stability and increase efficiency of movements under a heavy load. A periodic cyclization approach should be taken between stability, strength, and power training. It is recommended that you alternate between stability, strength, and power training to avoid burnout and have peak performance when needed.

Stay tuned for introductory articles like this on Strength and Power. For more information on stability training or for a personalized program email cwheeler@wheelthy.com