I’m starting a new section on the blog today.  It’s going to be called Mike’s Bookshelf, and I’m going to review current books I’ve read to keep up on the industry.

In today’s edition, the book is the following:

Stability, Sport, and Performance Movement: Great Technique Without Injury

JoAnne Elphinston

This book was brought to my attention by Rick Huse, an RKC here in town.  The title alone piqued my interest, so I decided to pick up a copy and see what it was all about.

Right from the start, there were things I definitely liked about this book.  First off, even though we’ve mentioned mobility numerous times (in Magnificent Mobility and Inside-Out), the topic of stability seems to get a little less press.  Obviously, this book covers it to some degree, and it’s something we’ll cover in greater depth in our upcoming project, Assses and Correct.

I also liked the concept of increasing stability levels as determined by the exercise at hand.  For instance, you shouldn’t brace as hard to perform a low-level activity like a birddog, as you should when pulling a max deadlift.  Instead, you should “turn up” your stability much like a volume dial on a radio.

Finally, the book does come with some programming to help you re-build your stability, if it is in fact a limiting factor.

In contrast, there were some things I didn’t really care for as well.  Firstly, I think there’s a little bit too much emphasis on what I would consider rehab/prehab type exercises, and not enough focus on progressions to big-bang stability exercises.

As well, I’m not quite sure why the author was so enamored with the swiss ball.  It seems as though a large portion of the exercises outlined used a swiss ball, and I’m not quite sure as to why.  Maybe there was something I missed, but we just don’t find all that much need for these in our programming.

If you’re looking for a book that has some solid technical/coaching cues, as well as a slightly different aspect on how to train for optimal performance, this book can definitely be of service.  It’s definitely not the be-all, end-all of training, but there’s certainly some quality information that can improve your skills as a coach or trainer.

Stay strong
MR