Core Essentials Blog Fitness in Nanaimo

Core Athletic Development

Core Athletics is a breakthrough training system that will raise the level of any athlete of any sport! Unlike most athlete programs which only last a few days, Core Athletic trainers understand that true skill development takes an injury free body, accurate repetition and time.

To accomplish this, young athletes need to start at the beginning of our five stages of developing an injury free athlete,

Stage one: The Athletic Assessment will look at the biomechanical structure of the body to determine any structural misalignment, muscle imbalance, weakness, joint flexibility/stability, and spinal stability. Once we have determined the strengths and weakness of the athlete, we can focus on building a powerful and injury free athlete through the remaining 4 stages.

Stage two: Athletic Essentials will focus on developing kinesthetic awareness. Movement is generally developed unconsciously by most athletes, which is generally incorrect and inadequate to meet the demands and rigors of sport. Core Athletics connects all the "kinetic" dots to ensure consistency in performance. In addition, the athletes will develop better joint stability and core stabilizing muscles through our ``Neural Fit`` kinetic sequencing system. No core strength, no strength at all! Attention to areas of weakness, based on assessment results, will be priority. At the end of this stage, the athlete must demonstrate mastery of the exercises taught.

Stage three: General Strength Development focuses on continued kinesthetic awareness while incorporating strength components, both static and dynamic. The athlete will be educated on muscle sequencing, correct perception of movement and lever loading. By the end, the athlete will be able to demonstrate these concepts with biomechanically sound technique.

Stage four: Athletic Power. By this stage, the athlete will have the knowledge and structural framework to be able to demonstrate efficient body control, stability, core strength, and flexibility. Now athletic power can be incorporated. Using their newly mastered skills, the athletes will be challenged through a variety of drills including acceleration drills and deceleration drills, agility drills and power complexes

Stage five: The metabolic link cycle. In this final stage we further refine their skills and incorporate the metabolic equivalent or energy systems necessary for sport. This way, the athletes will have the opportunity to use what they have mastered in a sport specific approach.

Any athlete, any sport. Core athletics produces strong and explosive athletes; displaying injury free, biomechanical sound performance every time.

Core Athletics Alumni

Since 1993 Core Essentials Personal Training & Rehabilitation has been working with athletes of all levels helping to improve their chances of success in their given sport. By using our ``Neural Fit`` training technology we are able to develop foundationally sound athletes every time!

Here is what some our Core Athletics Alumni are saying:

I am just going into our World Championships and Olympic Qualifiers down in Miami. ...I wanted let you know that the training programs you designed have made a huge difference. Thank you so much for all of your help, you are an inspiration and definitely part of the team that got me here. See you in the gym when I get back!

Olympian Sarah Marshall Canadian Yingling Team

I had a great season this year, and had my first CIS Interception which I ran back for about 25 yards! My strength and overall fitness was evident all year, and I found that my balance and overall level of fitness was much higher. I guess what I'm saying is I FELT GREAT! I can't wait to get back home and start my intense summer training with you! If my game was affected this much with little over a month of Core Athletics Training, then I anticipate a much greater change after an entire 4 months!

Thaine Carter Queens University / Winnipeg Blue Bombers

I started training last year at Core Essentials with Dave to try and improve for my sport of baseball. I came off my first year at the College of Southern Idaho being a non-starter. After a summer with Dave I went back to the school being the starting catcher and earned the First Team All-Conference catcher at the end of the year. My game has improved in the aspects of power, speed, arm strength, and most important to all baseball players being able to stay consistent.

Grant Vickers College of Southern Idaho

I have been working with the Core Essentials Team for the last 6 years and it is no walk in the park. They have great people working with you and they know how push you to your maximun and because of their help; I blew everybody away at last years and this years preseason fitness evaluation! Thanks guys for all your help! You have helped shape the hockey player I am today!

Randy McNaught Chilliwack Bruins

Throughout my career I had so many shoulder dislocations that I literally lost count. These dislocations led to two very intense shoulder operations and essentially left me side lined for just over two years. I truly believe that my injuries could have been avoided if i had pursued Core Athletics early on in my career. Prior to my shoulder complications I was talking to a number of different high level organizations and playing alongside many elite athletes who have now gone on to play professional hockey and sign with NHL organizations.

It's always hard to say exactly how far I could have gone with hockey, but I cannot stress enough the importance of continually training to prevent the chance of injury. Going into the Core Athletics program I had just recieved my second shoulder surgery. The timing of my surgery left me only three months to go from completely immobile , to being in peak athletic condition in time for training camp. The degree of success of my rehabilitaion was incredible. I not only made a full recovery from my injury, but i was also one of the most physically fit players at camp.

I give complete credit to the success of my rehab to the core athletics staff, atmosphere, and training facility I highly recommend that all elite and aspiring athletes pursure a training program like that which is offered at Core Athletics. Core Athletics will not only help you pass your competition performance wise, but will also ensure that you as an athlete have the tools and level of physical fitness necessary to help eliminate the possibility of an untimely athletic injury.

Greg Halliday Prince George Spruce Kings

Any athlete, any sport. Core athletics produces strong and explosive athletes; displaying injury free, biomechanical sound performance every time.

Why Choose Core Athletics?

With millions of dollars being spent on youth athletic development each year, and with more and more fitness trainers jumping on the lucrative youth athletic bandwagon, there is a greater need now more than ever for scientific standardization in fitness training programs for young athletes. Due to the reduction in day to day physical activity, and prolonged static postures, the x-box generation is more susceptible to injuries caused by muscle and joint imbalances. These postural related issues (upper & lower crossed syndromes, Janda) can alter the normal biomechanical function of the various joints in the body and set the stage for strains and acute joint overuse injuries.

Prevention of shoulder dislocations, groin and hamstring strains, lumbar disorders and knee related injuries can often be avoided through proper assessment and training. Dr. Eric Small the author of Kids & Sports: A Doctor's Guide for Parents and Coaches states that ``with flexibility and strength training we can not only prevent injury but improve an athlete's performance. Young athletes enjoy participating. If they are injured they cannot participate to their fullest or may not be able to compete at all. ``

Not only are many injuries unnecessary, but the risk of losing an Athletic Scholarship is a reality for many athletes. With athletic scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $30,000.00, suffering a needless injury and risk losing out on a scholarship could be very costly. We have talked to athletes have missed out on a professional career simply due to injuries that were ill managed and overlooked.

As far as athletic development is concerned, most training camps only last a week which leaves little time for assessment and proper development for the young athlete. Considering the extreme cost of many of these development camps, one wonders what can be accomplished in a week when true athletic development can take years.

It all comes back to the fundamentals. Do the foundational training first and keeping the process simple and your athlete will naturally become faster, more agile, less injury prone and will show continual improvement year after year. This is the Core Athletics promise.

In Health,

David Gilks

Medical Exercise Program Director , Developer of Core Athletics

Any athlete, any sport. Core athletics produces strong and explosive athletes; displaying injury free, biomechanical sound performance every time.

A new workout for mom and baby. Bring your stroller, your baby, and yourself to Core Essentials Baby Stroller Boot Camp and melt the baby pounds away! The Baby Stroller Boot Camp instructors will teach you how to safely exercise with your baby with other moms just like you!

Build a tight and firm lower body, flatten your belly and tone your upper body, guaranteed! This is the last time you will have to start again!

Our outdoor schedule is starting right now, and class size is limited, so please call now to reserve your spot!

Now new moms can exercise with their babies! Bring your stroller and your baby to "Core Essentials Baby Stroller Boot Camp" and enrich your weekly schedule with the physical, mental, emotional and social benefits of exercise. Our specially trained Instructors will teach you how to safely exercise with your baby in the company of other moms just like you!

You'll build a tight and firm lower body, flatten your belly, tone your upper body and melt the baby pounds away - guaranteed!

With Baby Stroller Boot Camp you'll increase your energy level, sleep better, have a reduced risk of postpartum depression, improve your self-esteem and socialize with other moms!

Class size is limited - reserve your spot today!

To reserve your spot, download the Boot Camp Registration Form today!

Classes run every Tuesday and Thursday at our Nanaimo studio at 9:30 AM.

Cost is $95 per month or just $75 per month when you sign up for three months.

Class size is limited to 15 participants.

Items required for Baby Stroller Boot Camp:

• 5 lb hand weights
• yoga mat
• water bottle

Read more about our Fit to the Core Bootcamp

Core Essentials is introducing a fitness program for parents and their toddler children...

Read more about youth fitness