Fitness fads come and go.
And right now, one of the biggest fitness fads is “core training.”
There’s nothing wrong with wanting a strong core. But many of the methods today’s personal trainers are using to help people develop core strength are downright ridiculous.
Walk into any modern “glitz and glam” gym and you’ll see dozens of people training their core with giant rubber balls and wacky contraptions.
Granted, core strength is crucial. A strong core helps transfer power from your legs and hips to your upper body. Plus a strong core helps protect your lower back. And yes, a strong core is important if you want those all-important six-pack abs.
Which is probably why “core training” is enjoying so much press.
But nothing is more effective than the old-school, tried-and-true exercises for developing a strong core.
So in this article, we’ll take a look at how you can build a rock-solid core without big rubber balls or silly gimmicks.
Try any of all of these three old-fashioned exercises and you’ll build a strong core.
Old-Fashioned Core Exercise #1: Front Squat
The front squat doesn’t look like a “core” exercise, but the day after you do them you’ll be a believer.
Don’t cut these off at the bottom. Go deep, making sure you break parrallel with each rep. And drive your elbows up at the bottom to ensure that you don’t bend over.
Old-Fashioned Core Exercise #2: Overhead Press
This is another exercise that doesn’t look that tough… until you perform it. A good goal to shoot for is pressing your bodyweight overhead.
It might take a few years but when you accomplish this goal you’ll be in rare company.
You’ll feel the muscles of your core working hard to stabilize your body when the weights start to get heavy.
Just make sure you’re not bending over backwards.
If you look like this, you’re cheating far too much and risking injury.
Old-Fashioned Core Exercise #3: Overhead Squat
What do you get when you combine one brutally difficult core exercise (front squat) with another brutally difficult core exercise (overhead squat)?
Answer: The ultimate core exercise – the overhead squat.
Start VERY LIGHT on these and add weight slowly.
(I couldn’t find an “old-time” image of this exercise, so this one will have to do.)
Get strong on these three exercises and you’ll have an iron-clad core.
Best of all, you’ll never have to resort to ridiculous exercises on top of a bouncing rubber ball.
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Should also mention one thing:
I know the layout/look of the blog is a little dirty and messy right now. Sometimes the pictures don’t line up right and the text breaks in weird places.
But right now I’m more focused on pumping out good articles instead of making things look pretty.
In the future, the site will be re-designed to make everything nicer but for now it’s going to stay “bare-bones” and ugly.
Matt
Matt:
I purchased an interesting report from Eric Cressey on ustable surface training (I recommend it). It was a little technical but the basic conclusion was that that type of training (often part of the current core training fad) is only beneficial in rehab situations and can actually diminish the performance of athletes trying to increase performance. Otherwise there is no evidence that these funky core exercise are doing anything but making you better at performing that specific exercise. And I don’t know about you, but being good at doing overhead presses on squishy balls is not at the top of my priority list.
From my experience in the gym, not enough trainers put their clients on the basics, concentrating on strength. And as you know, increased strength overflows into all areas of performance, whether you are an elite athlete or a frail grandmother. Anyway, good post-I love the picture of the guy squating on the ball-I’ve seen similar stupid stuff live in my gym. Crazy!!
It’s amazing the amount of people that go for the trendy quick fix to get their goal body shape. I have been personal training for some time now and I use the strategies endorsed by yourself and other back to basic trainers. It’s amazing though how many people find this training “Too hard” & don’t follow through, they’re the ones who prefer to look good with the shirt “On” not “Off”, (Money can’t buy muscle)
Keep up the good work.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the gym…
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1913429
Sigh.