SubscribeIs there a stabilizer muscle?
Posted on Feb 01, 2010 under Muscle training, Muscles, muscle function |I keep running across articles that deal with strengthening the stabilizer muscles. The authors correctly bring out that stabilizer muscles need to be strong to allow for safe, effective and well coordinated movement.
But, can you isolate stabilizer muscles? If you look in any anatomy book you will not even find a category for stabilizer muscles. However, muscles can act as stabilizers when a movement is performed.
Not only is there no such thing as a stabilizer muscle but if one understands how muscles function, he or she would know that any muscle can act as a stabilizer or as a prime mover or as an antagonist. This is why it is important to know how the muscles function during any particular movement.
During a movement some muscles act as prime movers while others act as antagonists. To enable the action to take place without other actions some muscles contract to hold a joint or joint action stable. They do not allow unwanted movements to take place.
Thus, it is proper to address the roles and functions of muscles during the movement as they can change depending upon the type of moment being executed. In one action the muscle can be a prime mover (agonist), while in other movements it can be an antagonist and in still other movements, it can play a role as a stabilizer.
For more information on muscle action see Kinesiology of Exercise
by Ross, on February 13 2010 @ 8:06 am
It seems to me that trying to hold a heavy weight statically overhead for time or carrying something heavy for distance or time hits about every muscle in the body.
Especially the stabilizers.
by DrYessis, on February 17 2010 @ 4:40 pm
Ross, you are correct in your statement. However, you must also look at what type of contraction the muscles are undergoing. In this case, the muscles are contracting statically (isometrically). This is not the best type of contraction for strength training except in specific instances as for example in holding.
It should also be noted that the stabilization gained in this exercise may not be or is not the same stabilization of the joints needed in the skills of throwing, hitting etc.
Because it is a good exercise for a strong man contest it does not mean that it is effective for athletes in skilled sports.