Samenvatting

Background Information. Core stability has been described to be important for limb motion. We move in a kinetic chain rather than in single segments during complex movements. Furthermore warm-up programs have shown to enhance coordination as well as performance. The combination of the two of them, in terms of core stability warm-up, is widely used in daily practice but has to the authors knowledge not been investigated scientifically so far.
Objective. The objective of the study was to determine if core stability warm-up has an effect on high-intensity interval endurance capacity.
Design. The study was designed as a randomized prospective study.
Method. The intervention group performed planking and a side planking exercises combined with three minutes of fast walking. The control group performed fast walking for eight minutes. Performance was measured with the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test 1 and results were compared between control and intervention group.
Results. The measurements were performed on 22 recreational student athletes, randomized into intervention (eight male, four female; median age: 24 years) and control group (nine male, three female; median age: 26 years). No significant difference was found between the two groups.
Conclusion. Based on to the results of this study, one could assume that there is no effect of core stability warm-up on performance. However due to the many limitations of the study, neither rejection nor approval of hypothesis is possible. Nevertheless the possible positive effects of warm-up as well as of core stability exercises on performance, coordination, rehabilitation and injury prevention should be further researched