I hope you all are doing well, and you have overcome the troubles we have had recently here in our area from the storms, if you are nearby. My wife and I were fortunate to only lose power for an hour or so, and we were very fortunate to be able to house some friends who had lost power for a few days. Our hearts go out to any who have lost more. Let me know if there is any aid we can give.
Let's talk about the mystical core! The previous philosophy on the core in years past is that it was made up of:
1) The abs
2) the things on the side of your abs (aka obliques, aka love handles)
I credit this to the fact that when people think of "pretty muscles", they think of the 6-pack abs (because those people with minimal body fat can show their abs well, ergo abs=fitness). Luckily for the human race, we are starting to see (be it ever so minor) a subtle shift into function over aesthetics. For that reason, we must look at the core for what it is, a conglomerate of synergistically functioning parts. Because they work together, you can gain the greatest results in the shortest period (in regards to function), generate the greatest force, move the biggest loads, etc. if you train these muscles together.
Really think about what your rectus abdominis (6-pack muscles) are designed to do. They are meant to flex your spine....that's it! So by training them independently, you are going to get phenomenal at doing two things. 1) Sitting up HARD. 2) Stooping over. If you are looking to just develop these muscles, that's fine, but it's not functional. When you go to lift a heavy load overhead (like those fence sections I was lifting at the Boy's and Girls Club (see post titled Physical Activity vs. Exercise), those underactive lower back muscles are going to fail, and you just picked up a one-way ticket to Paintown. So train those muscles together, so they can work together.
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| Core muscles. I would add the quads, which are vital hip flexors. |
So why is it really so important to have a strong core? (I told you, I'm a Why Guy) Your core is created to do one thing, and one thing it does well: protects your spine. The human body goes through great lengths to protect your CNS (Central Nervous System). From a thick skull, to blackouts, a strong core, and more. So bracing your core is really designed to prevent your spine for over-flexing (bending forward) or over-extending (bending backward). What does it feel like when you lift something over your head and your lower back arches? This is over-extension, and from my experience, it sucks!
Now a lot of things are going on when your spine over-extends/flexes, especially in your shoulder region or hip region, too much to talk about in one post. But there is actually a proper way by which avoid it, and brace your spine. While many people think it is a simple "sucking in the belly button", there is a step-by-step process for doing so (thank you to Dr. Kelly Starrett, and his book Becoming a Supple Leopard, for this information):
1) Squeeze your glutes hard. This aligns your pelvis correctly.
2) Pull the front of your ribcage down. This aligns your ribcage over your pelvis (like stacking two soup cans, instead of letting them sit at different angles. If you stepped on stacked soup cans, no big deal. Two off-angled cans? You bet they will collapse).
3) Now you can "pull your bellybutton into your spine", or tighten your abdominals (all of them, including deep abdominals, and obliques). This locks both the pelvis and the ribcage into place, and tightens the muscles around the spine.
4) Finally, pull the shoulders back, then down. This activates the scapulae, and makes the shoulders stable. You can now relax the glutes, keeping the abdominal muscles engaged.
This is the process you should use before each major lift. the heavier the weight, the harder the "squeeze". But don't forget, a braced spine is necessary for all movements in life: walking, running, sitting, squatting, pushups, etc. You don't NOT have a spine after you are done lifting (you can't just throw it in your locker when you are done with the workout). Learn how to use your core well in all aspects of life!
Try the bracing sequence the next time you are about to sit, and see how it makes your core/back/shoulders feel. My guess is tired (they aren't used to being activated so well), but MUCH more stable. And that's what it's all about people. Moving (and not moving) well. This is how we stay young for 100 years. This is how we
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| Want to see abs? Eat well! Abs only show after we remove the subcutaneous fat above them. |
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