Health Network News

Core training is somewhat of a buzz word in the fitness training industry today. We read about “core training” in magazines, see it on television and in every other late night infomercial.

Everyone wants a toned core and flat abs. If your back hurts, strengthen your core. Do more crunches and sit ups to burn belly fat. There are many myths out there but do people really know how to properly train the core to achieve maximum fat loss results?

First and foremost I want to discuss the anatomy of the “core” and what muscles are actually involved in all this crunch and sitting up. Many times when people think of the core they think about the abdominal muscles only. This is a mistake because it usually leads to minimal results and overuse injury. The core of the human body is made up of many muscles, small and large, that provide stability, balance, power, strength, and movement.

For the sake of this article let’s keep the anatomy simple and avoid getting into small groups of certain muscles. The main muscles of the core are:

o Abdominals

o Lower Back (Erector Spinae)

o Oblique Muscles (rotators)

o Hip Flexors

o Hamstrings

o Gluteus

o Quadriceps

There are several sub areas of each of these muscle groups but this gives you the general idea of just how much is involved with core movement and strengthening. The core is the gateway to all power and strength. Think of your body as a chain. If there is a weak link in any part of the chain, maximum effort in a given movement cannot be achieved. When you perform a squat you must transfer energy from the floor through your lower body and eventually through your core in order to get to the standing position.

If your lower body is strong but the abdominals or lower back piece of the chain is weak, your squat movement will be less than desired. In that same scenario if you have very little gluteal (butt muscle) activation, as you progress through your squat, your lower back muscles will have to take over to overcome the force of the movement. They are going to be stressed more than necessary and this can lead to injury. Having a strong and balanced core is the key to any exercise and will help you see progress in any training program regardless of your goals.

In order to strengthen the core, I take the same approach as I do for any other muscle group or movement. Work the muscles together and avoid isolation. Basic crunches will do nothing for your overall development. An isolated spinal flexion movement is really unnecessary because you are not recruiting any of the synergist muscles around that particular joint area.

Think of the core training like training any other area. Would you do 100 squats with no external weight other than your own body? Probably not because it would take way too much time and would be of very little value. So why would you do 100 crunches with no weight? The abdominals and the entire core region need to be taxed progressively overloaded in order to see results.

Here are a few of the most basic but effective core training exercises. The movements can be done in a gym setting or at home because they require little equipment. The movements have the same principles as any strength movement. Focus on multi-joint movements that use several muscles, use weight to overload the muscle (focus on form first), and use a balanced approach to training the body.

1. Dumbbell/Kettle bell Sit Ups

2. Standing Band Crunches

3. Medicine Ball Rotation Throws

4. Cable Rotations (straight arm for more difficulty)

5. Ab Wheel- the “evil wheel”

6. BB Dead lifts

7. BB or DB Squats

8. Glute Ham Raises

9. Hanging Knee Raises

10. Overhead Carries (DB, KB, Sandbag, or any heavy object)

Any large movement will immediately tax the core muscles but this gives you an idea of some exercises that you can incorporate into your training plan.

Everyone wants a toned and lean core but most people go about it the wrong way. Focus on large movements that burn more calories, incorporate multi-joint movements to train the core, and eat a healthy diet.

Medford personal trainer Callie Durbrow runs small group training programs for busy individuals. Her training programs are athletic based and help clients burn fat and build strength. For more information visit fitness training