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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Master Your Core summary
Bohdanna Zazulak
A Science-Based Guide to Achieve Peak Performance and Resilience to Injury
22 mins
Brief summary
Master Your Core by Bohdanna Zazulak is a fitness guide that focuses on building a stronger core. It offers a variety of exercises and techniques to improve posture, reduce pain, and enhance overall fitness level.
Table of Contents
Master Your Core
Summary of 6 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 6
Your core initiates every major move your body makes.
Luke started throwing a baseball in little league. Years later, in college, he became a star pitcher, but he suffered from recurring tendonitis in his shoulder and missed a lot of games. Then he tore two shoulder tendons and had to have surgery.
Luke thought his pitching days were over. But the author had a different plan.
When she met Luke for physical therapy, she added core training to his routine shoulder-strengthening exercises. Luke not only healed, but also achieved a pitch speed of 90 mph – his personal record – and remained injury-free for the rest of his career!
How? It’s simple: by strengthening his core, he strengthened every other part of his body.
The key message here is: Your core initiates every major move your body makes.
Your body is an incredible machine. It’s made up of over 650 muscles that work together to get you out of bed and propel you through life. And your core is the most crucial link in that kinetic chain.
Before we dive in deeper, let’s get one thing straight: your core’s a lot more than just your rectus abdominis, or abs. It’s also your glutes, back muscles, hip joints, pelvis, and spine. It initiates and can enhance every major move your body makes. To throw faster, run further, or feel steadier, you need a strong core.
But strength alone isn’t enough. Its flip side, stability, is just as important.
The author’s scientific definition of core stability is “The foundation of dynamic trunk control that allows production, transfer, and control of force and motion to distal segments of the body.” In other words, you need core stability to move your body the way you want to – and also to avoid getting injured when you step on the proverbial banana peel.
In a purely physical sense, this stability depends on three types of muscle contractions. The first is concentric, like when you do a crunch and your abs shorten. The second is eccentric – those same abs lengthen when you jump or catch yourself when you’re falling. The third kind is isometric, when your abs maintain constant tension in a static position – think planks.
Core stability also involves proprioception. Often referred to as the “sixth sense,” proprioception is your ability to sense the location and motion of your body in space. Your levels of core control and proprioception are the most significant factors in preventing injuries. The author personally experienced this when she fell 50 feet off a steep cliff while mountain biking – and survived with just minor injuries.
On the other hand, isolated exercises like crunches actually promote injury because they imbalance the kinetic chain. The key is holistic training, which we’ll explore more in the coming blinks.
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What is Master Your Core about?
Master Your Core (2021) provides a holistic overview of how strengthening your core can directly boost your athletic performance and mood while reducing injuries. It offers a scientific explanation of “core stability” and includes breathing, stretching, and dynamic exercises to train your core muscles and improve your overall health.
Master Your Core Review
Master Your Core by Bohdanna Zazulak (2021) provides a comprehensive roadmap to strengthening and optimizing your core muscles. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Full of practical exercises and techniques, it empowers readers to build a strong core and improve their overall fitness and posture.
- By delving into the scientific principles and anatomy behind core strength, the book offers a deep understanding of how to effectively train this crucial area of the body.
- With its insightful tips and strategies for maintaining a healthy core, the book keeps readers engaged and motivated throughout their fitness journey.
Who should read Master Your Core?
- Desk workers who want to improve their posture and mood
- Injury-adverse athletes looking to boost strength and power
- Anyone craving sculpted abs with a side of mental well-being
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Book summaries like Master Your Core
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Master Your Core FAQs
What is the main message of Master Your Core?
Master Your Core helps you develop a stronger and healthier core to improve your overall fitness and well-being.
How long does it take to read Master Your Core?
The estimated reading time for Master Your Core is a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Master Your Core a good book? Is it worth reading?
Master Your Core is a valuable read for anyone looking to strengthen their core. It provides practical insights and exercises to help you enhance your fitness and performance.
Who is the author of Master Your Core?
Bohdanna Zazulak is the author of Master Your Core.
What to read after Master Your Core?
If you're wondering what to read next after Master Your Core, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Eat It! by Jordan Syatt and Michael Vacanti
- Move! by Caroline Williams
- The 12-week Fitness Project by Rujuta Diwekar
- Body by Science by Doug McGuff
- 30 Ways to Reboot Your Body by Ben Greenfield
- Idea to Execution by Ari Meisel and Nick Sonnenberg
- Spark by John J. Ratey & Eric Hagerman
- Cure by Jo Marchant
- Clean by Alejandro Junger and Amely Greeven
- The 12 Traits of the Greats by Dave Martin