movement as medicine
Cassandra Forsythe, PhD. & Brian St. Pierre, CSCS
A Quick Definition of the Core Here’s the simplest definition of the
core. Think of it as a box, with the following sides making it up:
Complete Core Training
• The diaphragm on the top • The pelvic floor on the bottom • The abdominals (rectus abdominus, trans verse abdominus) in the front
• The back muscles (spinal erectors, multi fidi) in the back
• The lateral stabilizers (quadratus lumbo- rum, internal and external obliques) on the sides
Obviously your core is much more than
just your six-pack muscles (a.k.a., the rectus abdominus), so it needs more training than just planks and draw-ins to improve spi- nal stability. The core does all kinds of fun things, so we have outlined below what you can do to get the most out of it.
Core Training for Smart Folks
Correct core training for optimal strength and ideal muscle visibility requires that you divide all your core training into four categories:
• Anti-Extension exercises • Anti-Lateral flexion exercises • Anti-Rotation exercises • Hip flexion with neutral Spine exercises
you look, feel and perform? The fact is you can have it all! Everybody wants a strong and lean midsection. However, most people go about achieving it the wrong way. A core training exercise program needs to take into ac- count what the core actually does – which means you really shouldn’t be doing crunches or sit ups at all! Your core is not meant to flex
D
your body forward, but instead keep you upright, tall and pain-free.
o you only want abs that look great? Or do you want abs that improve the way
Anti-Extension During these exercises you actively
prevent your lower back from over-arching. Examples include:
• Physio-ball/Swiss-ball rollouts • Ab-wheel rollouts • Blast Strap/TRX fallouts
These exercises are amazing for devel- oping stability and strength at the core, lum- bar spine, and pelvis. When done correctly, they will really work your external obliques and rectus abdominus. To ensure you are doing them right, and to maximize their ef- fectiveness, focus on the following:
• Keep your chest up throughout. don’t allow yourself to “crunch” over, using too much rectus abdominus to stabilize instead of your obliques. Stop it!
28 Natural Nutmeg Kettlebell Windmill Exercise
Anti-lateral flexion exercises are a perfect option for developing your quadratus lumborum, and the internal and external obliques. During these exercises, focus on the following:
• Lengthen the spine. Try not to allow any side-bending/sway throughout. • once you’ve mastered the basics, try to breathe normally while performing the above exercises. It will really take the difficulty up a notch.
• Think about tensing your obliques through- out. While we don’t want you to draw-in, think about engaging your obliques on the sides by thinking “tall and skinny,” versus “draw your navel into your spine.”
• When you’re really fighting over-arching (such as during TRX fall outs) think about cuing the obliques and squeezing your glutes. This will really crank up the intensity and get your core working hard!
Anti-Lateral Flexion During these exercises you actively pre-
vent yourself from side-bending at the lower back. Examples include:
• dumbbell/Kettlebell windmills • off-set waiters walks (walking with a dumbbell by the side in one hand ONLY)
• offset farmers carries (walking with a dumbbell pressed over head in one hand ONLY)
• Suitcase deadlifts (lifting on one side only)
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