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Sent: Monday, December 10, 2001 6:25 PM

Subject: Core Guru Cognitive Dissonance

Now that more and more scientific evidence is emerging to show that
deliberate attempts to activate transversus abdominis, to "suck in the abs"
or to use various related tricks to enhance "core stability", balance and
strength, it is interesting to note how some disciples are starting to defend
the long-promoted beliefs of their gurus.

In psychology, the action of defending or believing in something that you
know or sense to be uncorroborated or untrue is called "cognitive
dissonance".  Increasing numbers of folk are beginning to hear or read the
evidence of scientists such as Dr Stuart McGill that these ideas about
enhancing core performance and abdominal control are incorrect or misleading
at best, so the gurus and their followers are now being called upon to
respond and answer for their educational misdemeanours.

So far, what I have heard from these sources does not include any
acknowledgment of error or possible misinterpretation.  Instead, I have heard
nothing more than an unhealthy abundance of cognitive dissonance,
smoke-screening and evasions, which is not all unexpected, since whole
empires of fitness courses, lectures, products and advertising have been
built on these fragile foundations and the egos creating these misbeliefs
have been too vast to admit error.

Thus, we hear remarks like the following:

"When we advise sucking in the abs, we really mean tightening the abs,
bearing down and not really out or pulling in a little just to activate the
TVA, but not enough to promote trunk flexion."

"We mean that you must just suck in the abs a little at the beginning of the
exercise, because correcting the initial posture will set up the
circumstances for correct activation of the trunk muscles later in the
movement, which may include a little bulging of the abs."

"Most people do not reflexively activate their TVA in starting a lift, so
that this TVA activation method reprograms these people so that the TVA
becomes more automatic in reacting correctly in future lifts or later stages
of the exercise."

"When we advise activating TVA, it is because it automatically also activates
the diaphragm, which really is just as important in stabilising the core.  We
just cure the TVA because many other muscles are involved and this cue
integrates activity of all the muscles need to stabilise the core."

"What Dr McGill's research has shown is not really at odds with what we
teach; it is just another way of achieving the same ends.  Science and
practice don't always have the same language or way of describing events.  In
fact, we are just saying the same thing in different ways.   Both of us are
right."

As the King of Siam said in the "King and I" movie, "etcetera, etcetera,
etcetera.."  !  Have some folk been attending courses by a latter day Dr
Spock (not the Star movie hero) of politically correct child fitness gurus
upbringing, where they have learned that it can be very damaging to tell a
child that it is wrong?  Egos are to be preserved above all - if they are
not, we could be ruining the child forever and society will pay the price!

Maybe others would like to share their experiences regarding this issue and
how the guru gang is coping with the rising tide of critical analysis and
disproof of their fitness and rehabilitation legends.  Over to you!

Dr Mel C Siff
Denver, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/