What Movements Build The Best Core Strength...

IMG_3292.jpg

A question I’m often asked is that of core strength and the best way to build it…  

Most people know they should have it and it’s seen as a prized possession but when asked I am yet to find someone have an answer as to what it is other than pointing to their abs and saying something like “It’s being strong around here right?” 

While they’re somewhat correct I like to view it a little differently. 

Picture someone standing side on and draw a line down the centre of their body from the top of their head to the middle of their feet. Now you can call this their midline. To me core strength is your ability to maintain that line as straight as possible through a variety of exercises against weight and gravity. 

If you consider the standard plank you’re fighting gravity to maintain a straight midline and prevent yourself from falling to the floor or if you put a barbell on your back for a squat you’re now fighting an external weight to keep the midline straight throughout the squat.

So now we have this context we can ask the question what exercises will build better core strength? 

A crunch or sit up where you’re fighting gravity for essentially a light abdominal contraction or loading a barbell that is heavy for you on your back and squatting with it while trying to maintain a good posture?

While many programs/coaches will have you doing sit ups and crunches to develop a strong core in my opinion all this is doing is nothing more than giving you the external appearance of a strong core because you might get some abs from it if your diet is up to scratch.  

If you want real core strength start by challenging your posture with movements like the Squat and Deadlift and and build real core strength!    

Accelerate Strength