Takeaway: Core strength is misunderstood. A heavy focus on the six-pack muscles has left other important muscles ignored. In so doing, we’ve opened ourselves up to pain and disfunction. Do these two movements to reignite the core.
Core strength is misunderstood.
Everyone wants a six-pack, but the mistake is thinking that these six-pack muscles are the only core muscles that have a purpose.
These beach muscles, also known as the rectus abdominis muscle, has the least important job of all! It only helps you bend over, as if to tie your shoe or sit up from lying.
The remainder of the core muscles aid in supporting your entire torso—the area of your body that houses all the major organs. That’s a pretty important job.
Here are two in particular to understand and strengthen for better posture and less back pain.
The Transverse Abdominis
The transverse abdominis is arguably the most important core muscle in the body, and also the most ignored.
The muscle is deep, beneath the six-pack muscles, and cannot be seen or directly felt. (This is likely why it gets ignored.)
This muscle acts as our body’s natural corset, providing support and stability to the torso by constricting when activated. This helps ensure all those important organs aren’t bumping around during movement.
The Obliques
Lining the sides of your torso, the obliques aid in stability but also help create the movement needed for side bends and most rotational movements.
The obliques are a superficial muscle, unlike the transverse abdominis, so they can be felt at the surface of your torso on your sides.
While there are many more core muscles, these are the two we’ll focus on. By strengthening these muscles you will have the core strength needed to maintain good posture and reduce pain you might experience in your lower back.
The two exercises below are unique, in that they will target both the transverse abdominis and obliques simultaneously to give you bang for your buck.
Be sure to include these in your next workouts to build up your core the right way!
1. Side Plank
Performing the exercise:
Lie on one side of your body on the ground.
Place your forearm directly underneath your shoulder.
Extended both feet out so your body forms a straight line.
You can either stack your feet on top of each other (shown), or stagger them heel-toe.
Lift your hips off the ground, keeping your chest open, and placing the weight of your body on your forearm and feet.
Hold for 20sec, slowly working your way up to a full minute as your strength improves.
Repeat on the other side of the body.
Work up to performing three sets on each side, starting at twenty-second holds and building up to a full minute.
2. Pallof Holds
Performing the exercise:
Set a cable arm at chest height from a standing position.
Start with your entire body behind the line of pull from the cable arm. With your arms extended, the cable should follow a straight line from the origin.
Grab handle with both hands and bring to your chest. From the center of the chest, extend your arms directly in front of you.
Hold this position for 20sec, working your way up to 45-60sec as your strength improves.
Arms should remain extended and in line with your chest throughout the entire movement.
Switch sides and repeat.
Work up to performing three sets on each side, starting at twenty-second holds and building up to a full minute.
The Hidden Secret
These two exercises share something unique.
Most people think you can only strengthen muscle by producing movement against resistance.
But as it turns out, you can also build strength by resisting movement against an external force.
In the side plank, you are resisting the force of gravity by not letting your body fall to the ground.
In the Pallof holds, you are resisting the weight of the cable machine that wants to rotate your body.
Incorporating these types of “force resisting” strength exercises is the secret to improving posture and pain. We don’t slouch because of a heavy weight placed on us, we slouch when the muscle can no longer fight the force of gravity and our bodyweight.
Include these exercises in your workouts and watch the positive changes you feel in your day to day life.
P.S. Still have some unanswered questions? Shoot me a reply to this email and I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about core strength!
P.P.S. I’m hosting a free webinar on Monday, April 29th at 7pm EST! Register here.
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