The document provides information on core training exercises that target the trunk muscles and promote stability. It discusses exercises like planks, sit-ups, side planks, pallof presses, and woodchops that work muscles of the torso through isometric contractions and movements involving rotation and anti-rotation. Maintaining a strong core through these exercises is important for stabilizing the spine during movements and developing strength.
The document provides information on core training exercises that target the trunk muscles and promote stability. It discusses exercises like planks, sit-ups, side planks, pallof presses, and woodchops that work muscles of the torso through isometric contractions and movements involving rotation and anti-rotation. Maintaining a strong core through these exercises is important for stabilizing the spine during movements and developing strength.
The document provides information on core training exercises that target the trunk muscles and promote stability. It discusses exercises like planks, sit-ups, side planks, pallof presses, and woodchops that work muscles of the torso through isometric contractions and movements involving rotation and anti-rotation. Maintaining a strong core through these exercises is important for stabilizing the spine during movements and developing strength.
The document provides information on core training exercises that target the trunk muscles and promote stability. It discusses exercises like planks, sit-ups, side planks, pallof presses, and woodchops that work muscles of the torso through isometric contractions and movements involving rotation and anti-rotation. Maintaining a strong core through these exercises is important for stabilizing the spine during movements and developing strength.
CORE TRAINING Your core is the musculature of your torso, and these muscles are responsible for stabilizing and transferring force from one aspect of movement to the next, for example, changing direction – core stability is often referred to as trunk stability.
This being said, the rectus abdominis (abs) and obliques
are the most renowned aspects of your core because they are associated with your superficial physique.
Other muscles integral to trunk stability but not so
commonly associated as the core are the erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, latissimus dorsi, and gluteals.
When you engage the core musculature, it’s referred to as
“bracing your core”. BECOME THE EXPERT
BRACE Brace is the ability to create tension and resist forces and is integral for all forms of strength development. Regardless of whether we are squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, or stationary in a static posture, we need to maintain control of our entire body, especially when under heavy loads – a heavy squat or deadlift requires strong isometric contractions of the trunk muscles.
Exercises that involve isometric contractions of the trunk muscles that resist extension, flexion, lateral flexion and rotation of the spine are known as anti-movements.
For example, a front plank is an anti-extension exercise because the abdominals are contracting to prevent the spine from extending. A side plank is an anti-lateral flexion (side- bending) exercise, and the Pallof press is an anti-rotation exercise.
This PDF looks at both anti-movements and movements that work the main core muscles, for example, the side plank and side bends – many of these exercises are key to building rotational strength. BECOME THE EXPERT
CORE MUSCLES Although when we say “core”, the first thing we think is “abs”. Back muscles like the QLs are, of course, extremely important for maintaining the position of and moving the spine. BECOME THE EXPERT
FRONT PLANK Plank variations are isometric holds where your core musculature works to resist gravity as it pushes you into hyperextension (front plank) and lateral flexion/side bending (side plank) of your spine.
The front plank involves being raised up on your
forearms (low plank) or on your hands (high plank) while in a prone position (face down). However, we commonly practice the RKC plank variant.
The RKC plank is named after the Russian Kettlebell
Challenge by Pavel Tsatsouline, a famous Russian strength coach. It uses a few variations from the standard front plank while concentrating on engaging total body tension. BECOME THE EXPERT
SIT-UP VARIATIONS There are dozens of sit-up variations, and it is well worth cycling different variations into your training to help keep things interesting.
• Full Sit-Ups. • Butterfly Sit-Ups. • Crunches – Floor & Exercise Ball. • Heel Taps. • Rotational Sit-Ups / Rocky Sit-Ups. • Reverse Crunch. • Ab Cycle. • V-Sit Up – Double Leg and Alternate. • Exercise Ball Hands to Feet Pass. • Weighted Sit-Ups. • GHD Sit-Ups. BECOME THE EXPERT
SIDE PLANK The side plank is ideal for developing the core musculature that supports your spine and resists lateral flexion (side bending of the spine). It specifically works the obliques and the quadratus lumborum.
People tend to find the side plank much harder than the front plank and holding the position for longer durations can work the quadratus lumborum intensely. The quadratus lumborum is a muscle that is often tense in those that suffer from lower back pain and often benefits from work like this.
The Copenhagen plank is a side plank variation where the top
leg is held by a partner or supported on a bench (or J-Cup – pictured), allowing the individual to perform hip adductions.
Copenhagen planks are incredibly intense on the hips and
groin muscles and a great progression for anyone who has previously suffered from groin strains. BECOME THE EXPERT
SIDE CRUNCH
The side crunch is an excellent exercise for the obliques
and quadratus lumborum and can be performed on an exercise ball or GHD.
We can emphasize the work on the obliques by holding
ourselves at an oblique angle, facing slightly more to the ceiling than directly side-on.
On the GHD, we can also perform static holds in the
side-on position, which works in a similar way to the side plank without any stress on the supporting shoulder. BECOME THE EXPERT
SIDE BEND Side bends involve bending to the side with a weight in one hand – you don’t hold a weight in both hands as they will act to counterbalance each other.
During a heavy side bend, you must concentrate on the muscles
that you are trying to work (obliques and quadratus lumborum) rather than just bending at the spine and placing all the stress on the vertebrae.
You can emphasize the work on your obliques by standing up tall
and emphasizing the mind-muscle connection to your obliques. Whereas to emphasize the quadratus lumborum and lower erectors, you can bend forward slightly.
Side bends are a brilliant way to build resilience in the lower
back, as they will prepare the body for uneven forces around the spine. This is especially important for exercises like the deadlift, where both sides of the back should be working evenly to lift the weight. BECOME THE EXPERT
PALLOF PRESS The pallof exercise can be performed as a press or as an isometric hold and was named after a physical therapist named Pallof.
Standing side-on to the band attachment point and
pressing or holding the band out to your front while there is tension on the band works the core musculature incredibly hard and can take your breath away. This is because the rectus abdominis, obliques, and quadratus lumborum are working hard to resist rotation (anti-rotation) and lateral flexion (anti-lateral flexion).
The pallof press or hold can be performed while standing
(athletic stance, split stance, etc), kneeling, or even lying, and each will test your core and hip stability in different ways. BECOME THE EXPERT
BAND ROTATION Band rotations are one of the most versatile ways to add rotational movements into your training.
Attaching a band to a solid structure such as a post allows
you to rotate in any direction or from any angle you like. You can isolate the rotation to your thoracic (upper) spine or pivot on your feet and incorporate hip rotation.
Just like the Pallof press, you can perform the action from a standing (athletic or split stance), half kneeling, or kneeling position.
You can also perform the action from a bent-over position
or even while in a high plank position.
Tip: Have a play with different positions and find what
angles really work you hard or feel good. BECOME THE EXPERT
AB ROLL-OUT Ab roll-outs work your abs incredibly hard while requiring you to maintain the posture of your lumbopelvic region, making them one of the best core exercises in your arsenal.
The ab roll-out involves you bracing your abdominal muscles to
maintain the positioning of your lower spine (stop it from hyperextending) while you extend your hips and knees as you roll the ab wheel out to your front. This means that you are flexing and extending your hips while your abs maintain the positioning of your pelvis and lower spine, which is what your abs have to do while you squat and deadlift.
Many of your adductors connect to your pubis on your pelvis, which
is the same area that your abdominals attach. Therefore, combining the engagement of these muscles will increase your overall stability during the exercise.
To increase adductor engagement during the ab roll-out, simply place
a medicine ball between your legs and squeeze your legs together as you roll out – this makes the ab roll-out much easier. BECOME THE EXPERT
LANDMINE ROTATION The landmine rotation is a brilliant exercise that can be progressively loaded using weight plates.
The exercise can be performed with no movement at your
hips, with the rotation isolated to the thoracic spine, or with the whole body working to move the barbell, including pivoting on your feet and rotating your hips and spine.
When the whole-body action is used to rotate the landmine,
there is great emphasis on hip extension accompanied by explosive rotation, and this is vital to countless sporting actions, such as many strikes and throws in combat sports.
To perform a landmine rotation, you grab the top of the sleeve
with an alternated grip. From there, you face the barbell in a split stance, so the sleeve is placed on your mid-thigh, and you lift the barbell with your upper body and rotate to turn your body 180 degrees. BECOME THE EXPERT
WOODCHOP Woodchops can be performed with dumbbells, resistance bands, or a cable machine and you can hold the resistance in one or both hands) – you can also whack a sledgehammer onto a truck tyre to create an awesome rotational exercise.
Performing the exercise with dumbbells maximizes the
need to decelerate the movement towards the end of the lift, while bands create accommodating resistance as your progress through the movement (it gets harder as band tension increases).
The woodchop is performed by rotating the resistance
from one side of the body to the other and can be practiced from a variety of starting and finishing positions. BECOME THE EXPERT
RUSSIAN TWIST Russian twists are one of the most common rotational exercises, usually performed with a medicine ball or 5-10kg weight plate.
The Russian twist can be performed with your heels off the floor, which increases the stability element of the movement. It can also be performed with your heels down, which is commonly practiced if the lifter wants to concentrate on the rotational movement better or is using much heavier loads.
The key to the Russian twists is to lean back to engage your
abdominals and rotate with your thoracic spine. A great cue is “rotate with your chest.”
Russian twists can be a great exercise to finish with after a
heavy squat or deadlift session that can leave the lower back feeling a little tense. BECOME THE EXPERT
TORTURE TWIST The torture twist exercise was invented by sprint coach Barry Ross and is a brutal rotational exercise that completely takes your breath away.
To perform the exercise, you need to have your feet held
down, and this can be done with a barbell on the opposite side of a rack (pictured), or it is an easy setup on the GHD.
While sitting on a bench or GHD, you lean back so your torso
is in line with your legs or slightly above at a point your strength allows. You then press the weight to your front and rotate from side to side – the torture twist can be done with or without weight.
Note: Always make sure the rear section of the GHD is bolted securely – most can be undone to change the height, etc. BECOME THE EXPERT
SUPINE LEG RAISE
Many leg raise type exercises can be performed while in a supine position (lay flat on your back).
• Supine Leg Raises.
• Flutter Kicks. • Scissor Kicks. • Pendulum – Straight and Bent Leg.
Note: placing your hands under your glutes raises your pelvis, which helps to keep your lower back flat and makes the exercise much easier.
Supine leg raises can also be performed with a partner. The
partner stands with their feet at either side of your head to do this. From there, you grab their ankles for support and raise your legs up. The partner then proceeds to push your legs down in different directions, and you work to keep your legs off the floor and return to the top position. BECOME THE EXPERT
HANGING CORE WORK
Hanging core work is an advanced way to work the core, hitting the rectus abdominis, obliques and hip flexors intensely while also working on grip and lat strength (if holding the bar).
You can also use hanging knee raise straps to remove
the need to hold onto a bar.
Hanging Core Work Variations:
• Hanging Knee Raises: Double & Alternate (a small
resistance band can be used on the alternates). • Rotational Hanging Knee Raises. • Hanging Straight Leg Raises. • Toes/Shins to Bar. • Windscreen Wipers. BECOME THE EXPERT
DRAGON FLAG Dragon flags are famous for being Bruce Lee’s favourite ab exercise.
The dragon flag involves lying on a flat bench and holding the bench at either side of your head. From there, you raise your legs to bring your body up into one straight line while your upper back and head are supporting you on the bench. You then slowly lower your legs while keeping your hips straight – bending the hips reduces the intensity of the exercise massively.
Note: The dragon flag can also be performed on the floor while holding a sturdy structure behind you.
The aim is to maintain the position all the way down until your body comes back in contact with the bench.
To increase the intensity of the dragon flag, you can add ankle weights or even perform flutter kicks while at the mid-range of the exercise, i.e., the point that puts your core muscles under the most strain. BECOME THE EXPERT
EXERCISE BALL TUCK & PIKE
The exercise ball tuck involves supporting yourself with your hands in a plank position and drawing your knees in towards your chest while your feet are supported on an exercise ball. This exercise works your abs and hip flexors.
The pike variation involves a similar action. However, your
knees remain straight and therefore, your hips are brought up, and you bring your feet towards your head.
Both exercises can also be performed on a suspension
trainer.
Note: If you find supporting your weight on your hands during
exercises like these hard on your wrists (people may experience a pinching feeling on the dorsal side of the wrist), use a set of push-up bars. BECOME THE EXPERT
DEAD BUG The dead bug is a great abdominal exercise as it involves you extending one leg and one arm while maintaining the positioning of your pelvis (the abs are working hard to maintain pelvic positioning).
This can be done with the same arm and leg (ipsilateral) but is usually performed with the arm and leg on the opposite side (contralateral).
The dead bug is a great exercise for those who want to build abdominal strength without stressing the lower spine, and this is because the spine stays neutral throughout. It can also be progressed in several ways that can turn it into quite an intense exercise and great for maintaining lower back health.
A small loop band or dumbbells can be used to increase the
intensity of the exercise. BECOME THE EXPERT
BIRDDOG More often than not, when an individual complains of lower back pain or has a history of it, the Birddog is an exercise I would introduce. This is because the Birddog works the extensors of the spine while placing minimal stress on the vertebrae. It also encourages trunk stability as we extend the arm and leg on opposite sides of the body (contralateral) while keeping the pelvis level – a common fault during the Birddog is tilting over to the side where the knee is down. Therefore, you need to work hard to keep the hips level.
You can also perform the exercise by extending your arm and leg on the same side of your body (ipsilateral). However, few people will be able to do this while keeping their pelvis level.
For some individuals who are in the early stages of rehab and may find hyperextension of the lower back aggravating, I would cue them to keep their spine neutral at the top of the movement. However, for those with no issues, allowing for hyperextension of the spine as the leg extends to the rear (hip hyperextension) will maximize the engagement of the back muscles – you can also add a band. BECOME THE EXPERT
HOLLOW HOLD The hollow (dish) hold is an intense exercise that involves lying on your back with your legs straight and your arms overhead.
From this position, you lift your arms, head, shoulder
blades, and legs off the floor and hold the position to engage your abdominals and hip flexors.
You can also perform a variation of this exercise where you
raise the entire upper body off the floor (lower back is off the floor – sat on your glutes). During this variation, your arms can be held to the front, and you can maximize the intensity by keeping your legs straight and bringing your torso and legs together, which requires both strength and mobility (having bent knees reduces the intensity of the exercise). BECOME THE EXPERT
STRENGTH TRAINING If you liked this content, you would love the entire Strength Training Online Course and Manual.
https://mybook.to/strengthtraining BECOME THE EXPERT
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MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL If you want to check out video tutorials for the exercises in this PDF, I have them on my YouTube Channel: Coach Jason Curtis
On the YouTube channel, I post a selection of video tutorials
from my BIG 8 Model.
https://youtube.com/c/coachjasoncurtisacademy BECOME THE EXPERT
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