What You Need To Know (But Haven’t Been Told) About "Core Training"
This article is one I have wanted to write for quite some time.
The term ‘core training’ is one that is misunderstood by most fitness enthusiasts. And many coaches, too.
Some people still seem stuck in the dark ages of crunches and sit-ups, for reasons I still don’t quite understand…
People all over Perth are still being subjected to endless reps of these outdated exercises, all in the quest to feel the burn.
While the abs are the most coveted, and visible, your core consists of so much more!
It’s not just the six-pack on the front. It goes well beyond the washboard you see on shredded guys and girls. It expands past the muscles you see in the mirror, the abdominals.
There are a total of ten muscles that comprise the core. Get to know them!
Because the system is more complex than just abs, it makes the job of teaching and training the muscles involved challenging for some coaches.
Most personal trainers don’t know how to coach it except by saying to their clients, “Engage your core”.
For the uninitiated, inexperienced, or uneducated, what the fuck does that mean?
And how do you even do that…?
In your head, you’re thinking to yourself, “Great idea! (duh) But…HOW do I engage my core?”
Your coach, instructor, or personal trainer can shout “Tighten your core”, or “Brace your core” all you like, but if you don’t know what that means and how to do it, it’s utterly useless.
It’s the equivalent of me handing you a cordless drill with no battery. You have what you need, but it won’t do anything without the power source attached.
That, my friend, is what I am going to help you with.
After reading this, you’ll have a much better understanding of your core, what it is, and how to maximise its power and potential.
This is one way I help my students find & “feel” where the correct position is when we do trunk training.
The term core training is bandied about and thrown around by fitness trainers, coaches, and gymgoers all the time. And it’s a phrase, that quite frankly, I hate.
Why?
Because most people have no idea what their core is, where it is, what it consists of, and how to train it effectively.
First things first — I want to address the rather large elephant in the room.
Let’s redefine what we are talking about.
Instead of saying ‘core training’, we’ll use the phrase I prefer, called ‘trunk training’. It’s not just semantics, either. It goes far beyond branding it with my own term.
This quick test should help explain why.
Tell me, what’s larger, more robust, and stronger;
A) An apple core
OR
B) A tree trunk?
Great! We both agree that it’s hands down, the tree trunk.
Game, set, and match.
That’s why I refer to exercises that specifically target the midsection — more commonly referred to as ‘core’ exercises — trunk training.
It is the area between your shoulders and hips. This rectangular structure connects your upper limbs to your lower limbs, tying your upper body to your lower body.
Now we have that out of the way, let’s dissect what trunk training is, which muscle groups are involved, and how to strengthen them.
I want to preface this by stating, that the prime function and role of the trunk musculature is to PREVENT MOVEMENT — through anti-movement exercises.
And, the overreaching goal of strength training is to (you guessed it) get stronger.
But…the way you do things is more important than what you do.
You could pick all the best exercises in the world. But if you execute them with shitty technique, the result you get will be, injury.
This means your lifting technique needs to be priority #1, always and forever. This is irrespective of your goal, training age, skill, fitness, strength or conditioning level.
When you move, especially under load, you want to hold a neutral spine. These are the natural curves of your spine.
This is not straight!
A neutral spine has a natural S-curve to it.
Neutral, not straight…see?
The amount of curve you have in your spine will be different to that of mine, or your next-door neighbour. We have all lived unique lives, have different genetics, and have exposed our bodies to various things.
Some have more wear and tear and mileage on the body. Some have little to no experience in strength training. Some have been training for a decade-plus and have supreme movement quality.
The point I’m getting at is this.
We’re all different and have a unique body structure to work from. Do the best you can with your body, abiding by these principles that are universal to all humans.
The premise is that you begin as close to your neutral as possible when starting any exercise, and you maintain that position and posture throughout.
For all intents and purposes, when I use the following terms, this is what I mean:
Neutral = natural curves
Extended = arched
Flexed = rounded
You don’t want to go from neutral to flexed, or extended. Or from extended to neutral, or flexed. Or vice versa.
The best, strongest, and safest position for your body — both in terms of performance and injury prevention — is a neutral spine.
You can produce more force and withstand more load when your intervertebral discs are stacked one above the other.
The keyword here is “stacking”. Placing one vertebra atop another, following the natural curves of YOUR spine.
This is an irrefutable fact of human biomechanics. A neutral spine provides a solid support system for a strong, healthy, and stable spine.
Whether you are doing push-ups, squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, or any other gym exercise, stay neutral. Especially when under load.
Every gym exercise you do and each strength training movement you perform is an opportunity to get better. With every rep, you can strengthen your trunk and further stabilise your spine.
More stability for your spine = less movement at your trunk.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret that will help you lift more weight, reduce the niggles, and achieve more from your strength training. It’ll also help you get rid of the aches and pains you get in your day-to-day life.
Your spine should not move or change shape as you perform your lifts.
That’s right!
Exhibit A - Heavy deadlift with a neutral spine.
The deadlifter you see online with a super rounded back whose spine looks like it’s about to exit his body isn’t doing it correctly.
And “No”, I couldn’t give a fuck how heavy he was lifting!
And “Yes”, it’s very detrimental to his short and long-term back health.
Start and finish with a neutral spine. Whether it’s a Push, Pull, Hinge, or Squat pattern, the rules do not change.
The four main ways we strengthen the trunk are through the following movement patterns:
Anti-extension (Resist arching)
Anti-flexion (Resist rounding)
Anti-rotation (Resist twisting)
Anti-lateral flexion (Resist side bending)
I will be writing up a follow-up article to this that goes into detail about the trunk training in all its glory. With video demonstrations and pictures to illustrate everything.
So you get a good grasp and finally, a proper understanding of how to do trunk training the right way.
So you can get stronger, move better, lift injury-free, and stay out of pain. That way you can strength train with superior technique, for a longer period of time, and enjoy the journey much more.
And ultimately, get better strength gains than ever before.
Better technique is the gateway to better performance AND safer lifting.
After all, who on earth wouldn’t want either of those things?!