The Truth About Core Training

by Yuri in Truth About Abs

I’ve had many discussions and debates with people from all walks of life about this topic…

What is core training? How do you train your abs? Blah, blah, blah…

The questions are always the same. And so too are the answers.

Case in point…

The other week, upon beginning our off-season training program (with U of T soccer), one of the guys asked me the “eternal questions”…

“Do you have any workouts or exercises to train my abs?”

Oh boy. Here we go.

Just so you have an idea about the program the guys are following right now – they are doing deadlifts, push-presses, sumo squats, pull-ups, knee drive holds, and chest presses (not in that order).

Now, these are big full body movements that inherently require a huge amount of core stability and deep abdominal strength.

And this is where most people fail to realize just how much they are “recruiting” their core during these types of athletic workouts.

But still, most people have a fixation with doing sit-ups, leg lifts, and other ridiculous exercises that they believe will help them build six pack abs.

Just so we’re clear, if you want to see your abs, you’re not going to do so by doing endless of hours of abdominal exercises.

Instead, you need to be doing full body exercises that burn a heck of a lot of calories and eat a clean diet in order to get your body fat to a pretty low level (men < 10% and women <18%).

But that’s the disconnect that exists in peoples’ minds.

A Very Interesting Conversation…

In fact, the other night, at the athletic center at U of T, I was chatting with a friend of mine who is a world-renowned strength coach. He also holds a PhD in biomechanics/exercise physiology and has worked with some of the best core/spine biomechanic experts in the world – including Stuart McGill.

He was saying that he has literally “dropped out” of academia because he’s sick and tired of trying to convince people about how to train properly. Specifically, he has been presenting and writing papers on the fact that specificity in sports training is paramount.

For instance, many people and athletes use unstable surfaces like BOSU balls to “enhance” muscle action and balance during their training. But my friend (whose name will remain anonymous as requested) has tried to prove over and over again that if an athlete plays on a stable surface and requires a lot of strength to execute their movements, then that’s how they should train.

Why waste time kneeling on a stability ball doing lateral raises? Sure you might impress some people and perhaps get an audition with the Cirque du Soleil, but there’s just so little transfer to the athlete’ actual sporting demands.

Coming Back to Core Training

When it comes to core training, it’s important to establish what your goals are? Do you want a six pack or do you perform to your fullest in a given sport?

In the case of our men’s soccer team, the goal isn’t to sculpt six pack abs. But if that happens as a by-product of their intense training schedule then that’s gravy.

Instead, our focus is to get the guys strong and powerful by using sport specific full movements that inherently require a lot of core strength to execute properly.

After all, try performing a deadlift or squat with a weak, unstable core – it’s a tough thing to do.

However, learning how to properly brace and prepare the core for such lifts and dynamic movements prepares the core (and overall body) for more realistic challenges that will come about on the field and in everyday endeavours.

Thoughts? Comments? I’d love to hear what you think…

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Tags: abdominal exercises, Abdominal Strength, Blah Blah, Body Exercises, Body Movements, bosu ball, Case In Point, Core Stability, core training, deadlifts, Doing Sit Ups, Eternal Questions, Exercise Physiology, Leg Lifts, One Of The Guys, Peoples Minds, push-press, six pack abs, squats, Strength Coach, Stuart Mcgill, u of t men's soccer, Walks Of Life, Workouts, Writing Papers