Training the Core

Jonny Parr
Mar 31, 2018
3 min read

When it comes to the fitness industry, everybody is obsessed with the core or ab training! Why is this the case? The most popular reason is due to the pressures of society and in particular celebrity culture. They would have us believe we should all have or at least seek to have ‘iron board’ abs or a carefully crafted six-pack.

Now while aesthetics are important, the core has far more important functions that often go unnoticed or unaccounted for.

Its primary role is to stabilize and protect your spine (stabilization). It also performs actions such as flexion, lateral flexion, rotation and extension.

A strong, powerful core is also vital given any fitness related goal. Whether you’re in the gym, playing a sport, or carrying shopping bags, they all involve a degree of activation from your core.

Therefore, the core is the foundation of everything! Anything else that you do is known as external loading. Put simply, you’ll struggle with most exercises if your core is weak and needs to get stronger.

HOW SHOULD YOU TRAIN THE CORE?

With the importance of a strong core being clear from a performance and aesthetic perspective, how should we train the area itself?

Lower Bodyfat – No amount of core or ab specific training will specifically lower bodyfat in the abdomen region (spot reduction). It will simply contribute to overall energy expenditure. From a training point of view, you will need to engage in activities that significantly elevate metabolism such as full body strength training and intense conditioning. What’s more and most importantly, no amount of exercise can out-train a poor diet. If you want to see your ‘abs’, you will have to eat clean!
Stabilization and anti-extension exercises – I tend to favour core exercises like wheel roll-outs, TRX jackknifes or basic planks ahead of flexion exercises such as sit-ups or crunches, both of which involve flexion at the spine. Why? Anti-extension exercises put less stress on the back and helps develop a rock solid mid-section making you far stronger and safer while doing any physical task. I don’t disregard flexion exercises altogether, but find anti-extension/stabilization methods far more productive.
Bracing and breathing – You will need to learn to breath and brace your core correctly to reap the benefits of core training. Doing so will lead to you creating abdominal pressure which will help protect your spine, improve your posture and again, make all physical tasks easier.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER!

While the above may seem complicated it really isn’t! A good fitness programme will ideally include compound movements such as squats, which require and develop a good level of core strength. However it is also important to incorporate core specific movements into your programme. Here is a home routine to get you started.

A1: TRX Jackknifes or Towel Jackknifes x 10-15

A2: TRX Hamstring Curls or Towel Hamstring Curls x 10-15

A3: Side Plank (30-60secs per side)

A4: Mountain Climbers x 30-50

Simply perform each exercise in order with little to no rest between exercises. That’s one set. After this, rest for approximately 60secs before repeating the routine for a total of 3-4 sets.