People love to talk about core training. There are often two ends of the spectrum when it comes down to a debate on how to develop a strong chiseled midsection. There are those who will dedicate 30 minutes of direct core training at the end of every session. Performing multiple sets of sit ups and then targeting the transverse obliques.
Then there are others who believe that squatting heavy, deadlifting and over head pressing is all you need. While there is some truth in this, the big compound movements which should be a mainstay in your training programmes will not address everyone’s problems. People who need to strengthen their anterior and posterior core the most are usually those clients who suffer from back pain, lack mobility, and have alignment issues. These poeple will initially find it very hard to perform deadlifts and squats effectively, and therefore they will need another approach.
The key lies in determining what your weaknesses are and then building a programme to address them. Whether you are like most others who spend far too much time slumped over a desk at work or you are an experienced lifter, there are certain movements which will benefit you more than others. So stop mindlessly doing sit ups and read on.
Dr. Stuart McGill has produced some of the best research on spinal biomechanics and repeated flexion. His findings have shaped the approaches of credible trainers on core training. Let’s take an example of a client who has an office job. He is often slumped over the computer, which gives him that hunched back, tight chest and awful spinal position. Performing sit ups with clients like these would just reinforce the poor spinal positioning they have been in for the entire day at work. McGill’s research also shows that the forces placed on the vertebrae will cause more damage than good.
Such kind of clients often know little about their hips. Thus, with everything they do, they end up further damaging their spinal disc, as they are always going into spinal flexion. Whether they are seated at work or bending down to pick up items, their spine curves and slumps. This can lead to disc-related lower back pain. To combat this, you should opt for anti-extension exercises such as deadbugs, plank variations and half-kneeling Vertical Palloff presses.
Deadbugs
Deadbugs help in training the abdominals in resisting extension, which in turn will protect your lower back. It looks like an easy exercise to perform; however, if you execute it properly, you will find it quite challenging. Often, clients cannot move their hips without engaging their lower back muscles, or they cannot raise their arms overhead without arching their backs and sticking their ribs out. To perform the exercise properly, you have to really work hard to brace your abdominals while lowering your opposite arm and leg to the ground. If you don’t draw your abdominals tights enough, your lower back will arch, which is precisely what you have to avoid.
The deadbug teaches us how to isolate movement at the hips and shoulders without moving your spine. Improving this movement pattern is important, because it protects your spine from movements it was not designed to handle. There, are two progressions, the first one is the easier variation.
- Lie on your back with your arms extended in front of your shoulders
- Bend your hips and knees to a 90-degree angle
- Tighten your abs and press your lower back into the ground
- Take a deep breath in
- As you exhale, slowly extend your left leg towards the floor, keep your abs tight and don’t let your lower back arch.
- Slowly return your leg to the starting position.
- Repeat with your opposite arm and leg.
Once you can perform the first variation, progress onto the one shown below, extending your opposite arm and leg simultaneously. Perform 3 sets of 6 reps to 8 reps.
- Lie on your back with your arms extended in front of your shoulders
- Bend your hips and knees to a 90-degree angle
- Tighten your abs and press your lower back into the ground
- Take a deep breath in
- As you exhale, slowly extend your left leg towards the floor and bring your right arm overhead; keep your abs tight and don’t let your lower back arch
- Slowly return your arm and leg to the starting position
- Repeat with your opposite arm and leg.
Planks
During the plank, the entire core is engaged. This includes the deep core muscles that are dormant during the sit ups for maintaining the position.When you perform the plank well, it increases mobility through the hips, pre-activating the core muscles, thus helping with spinal stabilisation. In other words, it shows how to lock in neutral spinal positioning, thus developing a healthy well-functioning spine. There are plenty of variations of planks. Given below are three progressions, starting with the basic front plank.
- Set your elbows under your shoulder girdles
- Make sure a linear body position, where the head, shoulders, hips and knees are in a straight line, is maintained
- Draw the abdominals in tight and brace the core
- Do not allow the lower back to curve
Half-Kneeling Vertical Palloff Press
This variation encourages a bit more posterior pelvic tilt. Additionally, we get a deep active stretch on the hip hip flexor. This is a bonus, as many clients have chronically tight hip flexors. One might make a solid argument that the reason why many people have tight hip flexors is not because they are short or stiff, but rather their core is weak and unstable. Below are two variations to try.
- Keep your chin tucked (make a double chin)
- As you extend your arms above your head, try to prevent your rib cage from flaring out
- Don’t make this a tricep exercise – those who tend to feel it more in that area are pressing the cable too far outward and focusing on elbow extension; instead, you need to literally press straight up, preventing the cable from pulling you backward
- Breath out as you press above your head, drawing your anterior core inwards.
Tom Winterbottom Personal trainer St Johns Wood, personal trainer Marylebone