Core Training
Core Training
Core Training
TRAINING
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
SIDE CRUNCH
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.
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.
BAND ROTATION
Band rotations are one of the most versatile ways to add
rotational movements into your training.
Just like the Pallof press, you can perform the action from a
standing (athletic or split stance), half kneeling, or kneeling
position.
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.
LANDMINE ROTATION
The landmine rotation is a brilliant exercise that can be
progressively loaded using weight plates.
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.
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.
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.
Note: Always make sure the rear section of the GHD is bolted
securely – most can be undone to change the height, etc.
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Note: placing your hands under your glutes raises your pelvis,
which helps to keep your lower back flat and makes the
exercise much easier.
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.
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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.
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.
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HOLLOW HOLD
The hollow (dish) hold is an intense exercise that involves
lying on your back with your legs straight and your arms
overhead.
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