Are
you tired of endless crunches, leg lifts and side bends? That's a good
thing! Those exercises are far more likely to cause back pain than carve
a solid core.
Finishing
your workout with four to five sets of traditional ab exercises, often
termed "isolated movements," used to be considered good core training.
In reality, though, your body doesn't work in isolation.
Instead,
think of your body as a single chain. Movement is created through the
coordination of multiple muscle groups. So when you train your core,
focus on integrated movements, not on trying to isolate a particular
muscle or muscle group.
Another
issue with performing a high volume of crunches and sit-ups is that they
can leave you with bad posture, shortened hip flexors and lower back
pain. So here's what you need to know to better sculpt your midsection.
What Is the Core?
Before you can understand what's meant by integrated movements, you must first know the definition of core.
"The core really
encompasses everything from your head to your toes, as every segment of
your body is intimately linked, both structurally and functionally,"
says Eric Cressey, certified strength and conditioning specialist and
co-founder of Cressey Performance in Hudson, Mass.
While there are
many exercises that train the torso, the most effective (and the most
functional) are often similar to what you're already doing — squats,
deadlifts, lunges — but with asymmetrical loading and optimal trunk
positioning.
Your abs aren't
just your "six-pack muscles" (rectus abdominis). You have your
transverse abdominis (musculature below the rectus abdominis),
multifidus (deep lying stabilizer), and internal and external obliques
(muscles in your sides that aid in twisting and hip flexion).
Stabilizing the
torso and engaging in movement is a collaboration among these muscles
and the antagonistic engagement of the entire posterior chain — the
lats, spinal erectors, glutes and hamstrings.
Build Functional Core Strength
Joe Dowdell,
certified strength and conditioning specialist and founder of Peak
Performance in New York City, says true core training is about selecting
appropriate core exercises. That means those that will challenge your
abilities while safely and effectively progressing you toward your goal.
"The ultimate
goal is to develop a core that is both strong and stable and will allow
us to be able to either resist and/or transfer significant amounts of
force in any given movement pattern," he says.
One example of a
highly effective core exercise is the cable chop/lift sequence. From a
kneeling split squat, set up perpendicular to the high or low attachment
on a cable machine. From this position, rotate your locked arms across
your body in various patterns — diagonal up, straight across or diagonal
down — while keeping your torso fixed and braced.
Incorporate Compound Movements
Compound
movements and variations of many conventional upper and lower body
exercises can develop high levels of torso strength, stability and
balance. When you change the loading, base of support or plane of
movement, you're required to stabilize or resist movement for the
duration of the exercise.
When performing
exercises such as squats and deadlifts, you often hear the term
"braced." It essentially mean tensing and contracting the core as if you
were bracing for a punch. It's a skill that can be developed, and it'll
keep your spine safe and allow you to build and transfer power.
Conventional core
training has given way to a more intelligent, integrated program
design. When you better understand the function of the core and how the
body works, you'll be able to structure your workouts to eliminate
weaknesses and improve your lifts or your performance.
The introduction
of integrated core movements, unilateral upper and lower body variations
and static postures will help re-enforce bracing and improve your torso
stability under load.
Source: Live Strong
