The versions I use most with myself and clients can be found in this article I wrote below. There is so much versatility in this exercise and is incredibly effective for any day of core training. Everything about it is surprisingly difficult, like the Pallof press. Nothing makes me want to cry more than when I do a variation of a loaded carry. It’s really tough to butcher this exercise and thankfully works for just about every single body type unless you’re T-Rex….the short hand thing would be a bit of problem.Īgain, this one can be used with a band or cable (I prefer cable machine when it’s available) and can be done in standing, 1/2 kneeling and tall kneeling variations to increase the difficulty of the exercise, challenge hip and pelvic stability (in the 1/2 kneeling versions) and overall core tension. Since we’re on the resistance band train, the Pallof press is another great anti-rotation exercise that packs a powerful punch in the most subtle way possible. I’m sure there are other ways but those are usually the big ones that I see. The only way to really screw this exercise up is to move through the exercise too quickly, overcompensate with the hips, or over/under load the exercise with the cable machine. My clients eventually progress from standing to 1/2 kneeling, kneeling, and split stance variations, which challenges the stability further once this version becomes too easy. I don’t always have a cable machine available (and that is in option with this exercise too), so a band is an excellent option. The video below demonstrates a standing variation with a resistance band and is featured in my new Strong Body Fitness program (stay tuned for that!). I dig this exercise for every level as it can be progressed or regressed to fit with any one’s goals. Those of us who live in the saggital plane should use this exercise purely for the 2-for-1 special: anti-extension and rotation. The woodchop is an underrated exercise with loads of benefits and it’s shame people don’t spend a bit more time with it.
No one trains abs thinking “Wow, I really want to make sure I’m strong enough to stand.”īut that’s exactly what we should be doing! You can still make your stomach look good but if it’s not functional for every day life then you’r wasting time. Work your core smarter and harder with these super effective alternatives to traditional crunches and sit-ups. Clearly, traditional core exercises don’t address those areas because well, it doesn’t sound sexy. Training this area for static and dynamic stability ensures you prevent injury, can transfer force through the core muscles, and of course, provide support for standing. In more simplistic circles, all these muscles are referred to as “abs”. In strength worlds we just call it the “core”. In Pilates we refer to this area as the “powerhouse”. Bet you think about half of those when you choose your abdominal exercises, don’t you? The “core” is your transverses abdominis, internal and external obliques, the rectus abdominis, erector spine, multifidius and pelvic floor muscles. Second, doing more effective exercises that attack all the muscles in the core is going to build that muscle up so they actually show up once you’ve cleaned up the diet front. Look, I’m not one to hate on anyone’s goal of sexifying their abs for aesthetics alone, but if you’re doing the same ab routine you did in college and seeing zero results, it’s time to rethink your approach.įirst, nutrition trumps all in seeing visible abs. Nearly every client or student I meet tells me they have weak abs (their words, not mine), and when I ask how they’re currently training their core, they sound off on a long list of crunch variations.
It’s time we get smarter about how we train our core musculature.
Enough with the crunches and planks, friends.
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