1305 Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2007, 21(4), 1305–1309  2007 National Strength & Conditioning Association CORE STABILIZATION EXERCISES ENHANCE LACTATE CLEARANCE FOLLOWING HIGH-INTENSITY EXERCISE JAMES W. NAVALTA 1 AND STEPHEN P. HRNCIR JR 2 1 Department of Physical Education and Recreation, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101; 2 English Department, Trinity High School, Trinity, Texas 75862. ABSTRACT. Navalta, J.W., and S.P. Hrncir Jr. Core stabilization exercises enhance lactate clearance following high-intensity ex- ercise. J. Strength Cond. Res. 21(4):1305–1309. 2007.—Dynamic activities such as running, cycling, and swimming have been shown to effectively reduce lactate in the postexercise period. It is unknown whether core stabilization exercises performed fol- lowing an intense bout would exhibit a similar effect. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the extent of the lactate re- sponse with core stabilization exercises following high-intensity anaerobic exercise. Subjects (N = 12) reported twice for testing, and on both occasions baseline lactate was obtained after 5 min- utes of seated rest. Subjects then performed a 30-second Win- gate anaerobic cycle test, immediately followed by a blood lac- tate sample. In the 5-minute postexercise period, subjects either rested quietly or performed core stabilization exercises. A final blood lactate sample was obtained following the 5-minute inter- vention period. Analysis revealed a significant interaction ( p = 0.05). Lactate values were similar at rest (core = 1.4  0.1, rest = 1.7  0.2 mmol·L -1 ) and immediately after exercise (core = 4.9  0.6, rest = 5.4  0.4 mmol·L -1 ). However, core stabiliza- tion exercises performed during the 5-minute postexercise peri- od reduced lactate values when compared to rest (5.9  0.6 vs. 7.6  0.8 mmol·L -1 ). The results of this study show that per- forming core stabilization exercises during a recovery period sig- nificantly reduces lactate values. The reduction in lactate may be due to removal via increased blood flow or enhanced uptake into the core musculature. Incorporation of core stability exer- cises into a cool-down period following muscular work may re- sult in benefits to both lactate clearance as well as enhanced postural control. KEY WORDS. lactic acid, trunk, lumbo-pelvic-hip complex INTRODUCTION I t is well known that exercise at intensities above the anaerobic threshold results in the ac- cumulation of lactic acid (1, 23). Lactate that has been accumulated during exercise is cleared primarily by muscle tissue. Hermansen and Vaage reported that glycogen synthesis at this site may be the primary mechanism for lactate removal (16), while A ˚ strand et al. confirmed that approximately 50% of the lactate formed during intense exercise is converted into glycogen in the muscle during recovery (2). It is im- portant to note, however, that lactate is related only to acid-base disruptions and acidity and is a consequence of working muscle rather than the cause of acidosis (28). Indeed, the formation of lactate serves as an important physiological buffer that protects the muscle cell against metabolic acidosis and allows high-intensity exercise to be extended for a period of time (28). Since muscle aci- dosis has been shown to inhibit oxidative phosphorylation (18), clearance of protons is important for continued mus- cular work. It has been established that an active recovery follow- ing exercise serves to significantly reduce lactate and as- sociated protons in the postexercise period compared to rest (4, 5, 6, 29). Various modes of recovery exercise have been shown to decrease the lactate accumulated during exercise. Denadai et al. found that running or swimming as recovery modes significantly reduced lactate compared to passive recovery after high-intensity exercise (9). Bo- nen and Belcastro observed greater decreases in lactate values when subjects performed continuous jogging or in- termittent jogging compared to a passive recovery (7). McLellan and Skinner found that lactate removal was en- hanced following cycle exercise when recovery was car- ried out just below the aerobic threshold (22), and Mo- nedero and Donne reported that recovery consisting of both cycling and massage was effective in reducing lactic acid buildup following a maximal effort exercise test (24). The core musculature is considered to be all the mus- cles that have an attachment at the lumbo-pelvic-hip (LPH) complex. Training of these muscles typically fol- lows a progression from core stability (i.e., the ability to maintain posture during an exercise) to core strength (i.e., improvement in functional contractility of the mus- culature) to core power exercises (i.e., the ability of the core musculature to produce force that is transferred to other parts of the body during explosive movement). As a foundation, core training exercises involve little joint mo- tion and are designed primarily to improve intrinsic sta- bilization of the LPH complex before core strength or power exercises are considered in a training program. In- creased ability to stabilize the LPH complex is thought to increase the performance of various athletic and sport- related skills. Although core stability programs have failed to show performance benefits in the limited liter- ature to date (32, 33), programs have been successful when aimed at decreasing low back pain or enhancing trunk musculature (8, 19, 25). In addition, strength and conditioning coaches from all of the major professional sports in this country have ranked core exercises among the top 5 most important exercises for the training of their athletes (10–12, 31). Active recovery typically involves some form of whole- body exercise that allows muscles to metabolize lactate and thereby facilitates quicker removal compared to a resting recovery (4). It is unknown whether exercises in- volving little joint movement directed at the core mus- culature of the LPH complex would also significantly de- crease lactic acid buildup in the postexercise period. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the lactate response to core stabilization exercises following high-intensity anaerobic exercise. METHODS Experimental Approach to the Problem To examine what effect activation of the core musculature had on lactate clearance, a controlled laboratory experi-