The Core - How to Get Stronger at Everything! Part 2

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Last month I talked about how grip strength can make you stronger at everything. That was only half the story. In this article, I want to talk about how building a stronger core completes this puzzle. If you improve your grip AND your core strength without changing anything else, then without a doubt you will see your numbers go up.

So, what is the Core?

We all talk about it, but what do we mean when we talk about the ‘core’? Well, to take down some bro-science with a quick roundhouse to the face, the core IS NOT just the six-pack muscles (Rectus Abdominis)!

There’s no doubt about it, those ripped washboard abs do look amazing, but they are a poor indicator of a person’s strength, health or ability to function. If you are able to reach low body-fat percentage then you can usually attain a visible four or six pack, but this doesn’t mean it is a strong core.

The Rectus Abdominis is part of the core but think of it as the icing on the cake. It is the cladding that covers the brickwork. I prefer to call the ‘core’ the ‘midsection’ since it makes people think beyond the abs. Imagine the midsection as a barrel – it has a lid, a base and walls that travel full circle from the front, around the sides and connecting together at the back.

The Make-Up of the Core

The lid = the diaphragm (this is a key breathing muscle).
The base = the pelvic floor (think about the muscles that stop us when we pee).
The front = the TVA, the hip flexors and the Rectus Abdominis (the TVA is an inbuilt corset, much more relevant than the Rectus Abdominis).
The sides = the inner and outer obliques.
The back = the spinal erectors and the glutes. Also, the lats, since they connect the arms to the pelvis.

This is not an exhaustive list but the definition of the core just got a whole lot wider. If you cant remember the individual muscles then consider the core as everything attaching to the pelvis.

What does the Core do?

If you watch people train at the gym, you would probably answer “it helps us sit up” since the majority of core classes are built around core flexion exercises. However, we need to think more left-field than this, since there is relatively little use for core flexion in everyday life – when do we ever need to forcefully flex our spine? If you answer ‘to get up from the floor’ then I would argue you are better off learning to roll. This is evident if you’ve ever tried a Turkish Get-Up.

The core has 3 main functions:

It stabilises the spine – this provides the spine with protection.
It prevents us from collapsing (in all directions).
It transfers force between the upper and lower body (and vice versa).

So why should we strengthen the Core?

In simple terms, a strong core enables us to become stronger. We are able to handle heavier weights without leaking energy. We are also able to generate more power by transferring force from the top to the bottom of the body (or vice versa). This is necessary for any power sport such as weightlifting, golf, boxing, tennis, or sprinting.

A stronger core will also improve posture and is usually a fundamental step in correcting Anterior Pelvic Tilt by lifting the front of the pelvis (thus reducing back pain).

Signs of a Weak Core

These are a few potential signs of core weakness. If you nod to more than 1 or 2 of these then it is worth investing time into some dedicated core training.

Do you collapse forward on your squat?
Are you unable to perform a push up without your lower back dropping?
Does your lower back round on a deadlift?
Does your body lean to the side when performing a 1-arm overhead press?
Do you feel back pain when doing glute bridges?
Are you unable to hold a solid plank for 60 seconds?
Can you farmers walk for 30 seconds with 75% of your bodyweight?

How to train the Core

Now we know what the core does, it makes it easier to train our core appropriately. If we consider how the core prevents the collapse of the spine, we can see there are 3 ways that this could happen.

We can fold forwards or backwards (ouch). This is better known as flexion or extension.
We can fold sideways (imagine picking up a suitcase that is too heavy). This is lateral flexion.
We can twist. This is known as rotation (imagine walking a dog and the dog suddenly changes direction and pulls you into the middle of the road).

Therefore in order to build strength in our core, we should be able to resist all of these movements. This means we should focus on core exercises that are:

ANTI-flexion/extension (e.g hardstyle plank, ab wheel rollouts, kettlebell rack holds, TRX planks, dead-bugs, Mcgill curl) – these prevent collapsing forward/back.
ANTI-lateral flexion (e.g side planks, suitcase carries, waiter’s walk, Palof vertical holds) – this prevents collapsing sideways.
ANTI-rotation (e.g Palof horizontal hold, Full Contact Twists, Renegade Rows) – this prevents being twisted unexpectedly.

If you are unfamiliar with any of these exercises then please contact us at Graspp and we will be happy to give you more information. However, a good rule of thumb is that you can’t go wrong with any kind of loaded carry or plank variation to strengthen the core.

How to Brace the Core

It’s not enough to simply perform core exercises and expect them to be foolproof. It is essential that we can brace our core to create the maximum amount of tension and force transfer. So how should you brace the core? The easiest way is to contact the barrel of muscles surrounding our pelvis. This might sound like a tall order but here are 3 easy steps to follow:

Take a sharp sniff of air through your nose, straight into your belly. This is really important because we are trying to fill our barrel full of air. Your belly and sides should expand outwards not be drawn inwards. This is called diaphragmatic breathing.
Stiffen your midsection as if you are about to take a punch.
Squeeze the glutes hard, and draw the arms down into your armpits – this activates the lats.

Tip – You can reset the brace at the start of every repetition – this will help to maintain maximal tension.

Example Programming

So, now you know what to use and why, how should you implement it?

The warm-up should include hardstyle planks or side planks in the format of 2-3 x 10 seconds holds with 10 seconds rest. This will ensure the core is activated at the beginning of your session, which will carry over to everything you do. Think of it like a light switch for the body.

For a 3 day a week programme, try to include an anti-flexion/extension, anti-rotation and anti-lateral flexion exercise in the main body of work.

Here are 2 example weeks.

Week A

Session 1: Kettlebell Rack Holds – 3 x 30 seconds (anti-flexion/extension).

Session 2: Suitcase Carries – 2 x 60 seconds (appropriate weight dumbbell or kettlebell) on each arm (anti-lateral flexion).

Sessions 3: Palof horizontal hold (use a resistance band) – 3 x 30 seconds each side (anti-rotation).

Week B

Session1 : Ab wheel rollouts – 3 x 10 reps (anti-flexion/extension)

Session 2: Waiter’s Walk – 3 x 30metres (appropriate weight dumbbell or kettlebell) on each arm (anti-lateral flexion)

Sessions 3: Full Contact Twists – 3 x 5 each side (to be performed slowly) (anti-rotation)

I hope you find this useful.

Be bulletproof,

Coach Craig.

Author - Craig Peterson - Personal Trainer & Mentor

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