How strong is your core really? Do you give it as much attention as you do your other muscles when you squat or deadlift or even when you’re doing bicep curls in the squat rack (just kidding about that last point)? Is your core ever sore the day after a heavy day of lifting? Are you ever at a loss for trying to work in new core exercises because you’ve moved past planks and L-sit-ups?
Unfortunately, most trainees are still under the assumption that working their core starts with lying down on the ground (first mistake) and performing high repetitions (old and ineffective) of the same crunches and sit-ups that they’ve done for years (just plain stupid). The truth is if you have a weak core or don’t know when and how to use it when you lift, you’re short changing your efforts in the gym. This means you aren’t lifting big weights (or not as much as you could), you aren’t getting any closer to great looking abs, and you’re coming close to some sort of injury (namely your lower back or hip flexors).
I’m not suggesting that you do a new abdominal training routine because that’s been done to death. There are plenty of great core routines and exercises available on this site. I’m talking about using the weight belt you were born with. Here’s how…
You’re using more than those abs you check out in the mirror every morning before you lift or—as I’m seeing more and more—as you lift. By tensing your deep abdominals and diaphragm, you’re keeping the abdominal fluids and tissues under pressure, thus increasing the safety of your lifts (site source). This is basically the job of a weight belt because it’s meant to increase pressure in your abdomen thereby allowing you to lift safely without throwing out your back.
Those who have tried doing heavy squats or deadlifts without generating enough intra-abdominal pressure in their deep abdominal muscles can probably recall how much their lower back disapproved of this unwanted assignment. There’s a reason the core is in the middle of the body. It’s the foundation with its primary job being to stabilize the body. Besides those abs you keep staring at in the mirror between sets, the core is made up of several other muscles that need to work together if you’re going to lift safely.
Why does my lower back hurt?
Think of the core as your high school basketball team with a steady rotation of players who each have an assignment and always stick to a set game plan. The players are the rectus abdominis, erector spinae, multifidus, internal/external obliques, transverse abdominis (TVA), and the hip flexors. This is a well-balanced, share the ball type of team where every player has a role. This isn’t the Lebron James show where it’s one star and a bunch of other guys standing around and watching him do all the work. These are the Harlem Globetrotters, each performing their own tricks and yet working together fluidly. If one player drops the ball, the whole team suffers. If the rectus abdominis and TVA aren’t alert and active at all times, the surrounding muscles pick up the slack, despite being well overmatched.
Here’s another example. If you were coaching an NBA All-Star game, and you had a rotation of Dwight Howard (rectus abdominis), Tim Duncan (TVA), and Yao Ming (he’s big enough to account for both the internal and external obliques) to try and guard Shaq (a heavy deadlift or squat). (Let’s just assume for the sake of this argument that this is 1998 Shaq, who is simply unstoppable on the court.) Now, let’s say Yao Ming breaks his foot (again), Duncan gets suspended for punching out an official, and Howard is busy convincing T-Mobile execs to put him in more “Fave Five” commercials with Charles Barkley. That leaves their good friend, Chris Paul (erector spinae), to guard the Big Aristotle.
As important as Paul is to that team, listed at just over six feet tall, he’s playing well out of position against the bigger, stronger, irresistible force that is Shaq Diesel. However, Paul is a team player, and you call on him to fill the shoes of Yao, Howard, and Duncan by guarding Shaq. Despite being overmatched, Paul manages to contain Shaq enough to lead his squad to victory. In the process, however, he sustains a bloody nose, cracked ribs, a black eye, and a severely bruised ego. He then proceeds to curse out Yao, Duncan, and Howard for leaving him to shoulder the load by himself and plots revenge against each one of them. That’s what you do to your lower back during a heavy lift without intra-abdominal pressure and complete core stability. A team game becomes a one man suicide mission. It’s that important.
A little more on the TVA
The transverse abdominal (TVA) is a very important stabilizer of the low back. It’s the deepest of the abdominal muscles and the only one that runs horizontal. It activates before the muscles of the hips and thorax, meaning that a good squat can be determined before you even start to descend. If the TVA is weak, it will allow bulging of the anterior abdominal wall, increasing lordosis in the low back. It will also create a lateral bulge (forward bending) or extension (back bending).
The best example of TVA activation (along with all your other abdominal muscles) is the cough reflex. The result of pushing that heavy Prowler, dragging that sled, flipping those tires, or simply standing next to an open window when there’s a draft may be your ticket to TVA activation. It’s the closest thing to a real world simulation that you’re probably unaware of.
So I just need to work my core more, right?
Yes and no. If you want a stronger core, you can’t rely solely on squats and deadlifts to save you. You do need some exercises that target the core in your routine. However, it’s more about using your core in conjunction with the rest of your body. The body is one piece and you should treat it as such. With that in mind, here are some techniques that you can implement into your routine without going on a complete rehabilitation program to make sure you’re taking advantage of your body’s full potential.
Strike that pose
Picture that guy or gal who you’ve had your eye on since you first joined the gym, the one you see lifting heavy weights with better technique than 90 percent of the people in the gym, sweating it up on the elliptical, and then doing full body stretches in the corner when they’re done. Now, imagine they’re following you throughout your whole routine, watching your every move. What do you do? You stick out your chest, suck in that waist, and pull back your shoulders as if your life depended on it. Perfect. Now hold that pose for every exercise that you do from curls to pull-ups to squats to deadlifts. Tell me your lifts don’t instantly improve from that point on.
Now that you have the visualization, it’s time to explain a bit more in-depth. Unlike a beach pose in which you simply suck in your gut and pull your shoulders back, you want to try accomplishing two things before each lift—torso expansion and TVA activation. The point of torso expansion is to increase the rigidity of the entire torso to aid in supporting the vertebral column. This is extremely important because it reduces the compressive forces on the spinal discs, which are often susceptible to exercises using a large spinal load (i.e. heavy back squats and good mornings).
When it comes to TVA activation, problems can occur when trying to achieve muscle activation in this area by not using the diaphragm to breath. If the abdomen is held firm, you are less likely to reduce to ‘belly breathing,’ thus allowing the diaphragm to do its job freely.
If you need practice, here is a simple exercise that you can do at home to help you with this concept:
· Lie down on a flat surface with your knees bent and make sure you’re completely relaxed.
· Place your hand on your abdomen just above your waist.
· Inhale deeply through your nose while gently pushing out your abdomen, thus pushing out your hand. With your abdomen extended outward, your diaphragm can now drop down making more room for air in your lungs.
· Exhale slowly using pursed lips while gently pushing inward and upward with your hand to help empty your lungs completely.
Keep the reps low
When you’re not used to bracing your core when you lift, the first few times you try it can be exhausting. So trying to do that while doing three sets of 10 squats will be damn near impossible for most of you if you’re not used to maintaining intra-abdominal pressure. The simple solution is to keep the reps low, preferably between one and five to ensure that you’re holding the tension in your abs for as long as possible without letting go. Even if the load is below 80 percent, make up for the lower reps by increasing the number of sets or decreasing the rest intervals. The point is to use the low reps as practice for staying tight so that you can make a smoother transition to higher reps or a greater intensity.
Use isometrics
Planks are a great exercise that most people don’t do enough of. They’re not as sexy as crunches or bicycles, but they’re exponentially more beneficial for anyone who cares about core strength and lower back health. They can get old fast. However, there are alternatives that can load the abs and instantly improve all your big lifts. By using isometrics for those exercises that require the greatest intra-abdominal pressure, you can add a greater training stimulus to the abs and get used to handling big loads without worrying about the rest of the exercise.
Advocates of deadlifts and squats who say you work the core enough with those exercises may not be aware of the fact that the dominant muscles will always compensate for the weaker muscles. Therefore, simply doing squats and deadlifts will do little to improve core strength if that is your main goal. But isometrics allow you to activate weaker muscles like the TVA so they can catch up to the more dominant surrounding muscles.
Here are a few examples of exercises that can make use of isometric stabilization to help get that core up to snuff:
· Front loaded Bulgarian split squats: Simply hold a plate, dumbbell, or kettlebell in front of you and hold the split squat halfway down. Do 60 seconds on each leg, taking a 60-second break between each leg. Brace your abs and tell me how you feel after five5 minutes.
· Front squats: I wish I could take credit for this one, but I know it has been done before. I will take credit for making it relevant to you bodybuilders and weekend warriors of the world who struggle to find a “new” ab exercise to incorporate.
Simply set up as if you were about to do a front squat, but instead of crossing your arms or hooking your fingers underneath the bar, hold your arms straight out in front of you. Concentrate on a perfect posture (striking the pose) because it is essential in order to keep the bar from rolling down your arms. Try holding 135 lbs in that position for three sets of maximum duration. If your abs are sore afterward, you’ve gotten the point.
Increase work capacity
I’m the first one to find every justification for avoiding cardio, but in this case, I’ll make an exception. Taking that deep breath and keeping those abs tight during a heavy squat can make you want to pass out if your work capacity sucks. You need to condition yourself to handle those heavy loads for a long amount of time. Muscles respond to tension and stopping a set short because you’re too winded to continue should be a wakeup call to get yourself on a treadmill, decrease your rest intervals, or throw in some metcon so you have one less thing holding you back.
Unilateral work
Your core likes balance and stability. When it isn’t balanced or stable, it has to work harder to get your body back on track. So it’s no surprise that unbalanced training (no, I’m not talking about doing squats on the Bosu ball) in the form of unilateral work can be a great way to stabilize your core and get you in the habit of concentrating on keeping it tight. Instead of using two dumbbells for each of these exercises, use one and go heavy!
Feel how much harder it gets at your core rather than just the targeted muscle group. Try flat and incline chest presses, military presses, suitcase deadlifts, lunges, and bent over rows.
Overhead lifts
Anyone who regularly does overhead squats knows how important keeping a tight core is, but for those of you who don’t have the time or patience to learn the overhead squat, overhead lunges will suffice for the purposes of this article. If you can manage to keep the weight straight over your head, you’ll know what I mean by striking the pose.
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References
1) Delavier Frédéric (2005) Strength Training Anatomy. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
2) Harris Janet C. Essentials of Strength Training & Conditioning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
3) Rippetoe Mark (2005) Starting Strength: A Simple and Practical Guide for Coaching Beginners. Boston: Aasgaard Company.