Topic: Pure full core workouts (do they exist?)

[Ryozaki]

Is there such thing as an exercise that works out the entire core at once? I'd love to know it

What are the benefits of your core if any body can explain?

Better Balance?
Kicks?
Height?
Impact absorber?
Better body and limb strength?
Better body control and limb control?
makes your body feel lighter?


AM I RIGHT? CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG?

I want to hear what the experienced have to say...


Any workouts that work the whole thing? w/out weights?


I wan

[Andy Animus Tran]

Posture and stability.  That's the function of the core.

Generally, your core workouts should be done at the end of your routines just because  it isn't that important.  Concentric ab exercises aren't really that useful compared to squatting heavy, deadlifting, overhead pressing, etc.  Those actually work the abs the most AND for the purposes of the core (stability).  That said, isometric core exercises like front planks and supermen are pretty useful, too.

This is what I do at the end of my lower body days sometimes:

Each exercise non-stop for 30 seconds.

Crunches
Reverse crunches
Russian twists
Front plank
Sprinter sit-ups
Hip thrusts
Jackknives
Left side plank
Side plank hip thrusts
Right side plank
Side plank hip thrusts
Front plank

That said, this circuit is really just to tire out the abs and do "vanity work."  The heavy squatting/DLs that occur beforehand are what really train the core.

[Patrick Yang]

The heavy squatting/DLs that occur beforehand are what really train the core.

This.

[Muse_of_Fire]

QM, with impeccable form, on a wobbly rail, for as long as you can. Alternatively, walking in a plank position while holding a wheel between your feet. Or loading heavy sacks of cement mix onto a truck for a day. Or saut de bras and climb-up drills. Or walking on a narrow rail with a weight across your shoulders.

The "core" is not a single body part but pretty much all the muscles of the torso working in concert to stabilize the torso while the limbs engage in movement. People think the core is just the abs and it's not. It's everything from pretty much your hip sockets/lower buttocks on up, across the back, the abs, the chest, and the shoulder girdle. "Core strength" is really more a function of stability and muscle stamina rather than "strength" per se, and it originates in the pelvis.

Any exercise that forces you to hold your torso stable while the limbs move will train your core; more so if the moving limbs are also bearing weight.

If you want a complete exercise system that will give you a solid core, try ballet.

[Travis Tetting]

Two words, broad jumps.  Do them until you die, forward and backward.  I guarantee they will kill your core, every time.  If they don't get you sore, do more.  If they become too easy, make your jumps deeper by bending your knees more.  Animus has a point that the static workouts are for vanity and whenever possible do active exercises; that's what will give you the most strength.  Personally, I get bored with weight lifting, which is why I do broad jumps.  They do wonders and I never am more tired from doing anything else.

I have recently gotten a weight vest to intensify the broad jumps.  Trust me, do forward and back 16 times down the length of a basketball court and tell me how you feel the next day.

[Patrick Yang]

I have recently gotten a weight vest to intensify the broad jumps.  Trust me, do forward and back 16 times down the length of a basketball court and tell me how you feel the next day.

That sounds like it would slay one's knees.

[Chris Salvato]

I have recently gotten a weight vest to intensify the broad jumps.  Trust me, do forward and back 16 times down the length of a basketball court and tell me how you feel the next day.

That sounds like it would slay one's knees.

Yeah, doing gross amounts of broad jumps like that is just begging for an overuse injury.  Little known fact is that overuse injuries tend to take the longest to heal.

[Travis Tetting]

That sounds like it would slay one's knees.

Obviously I have conditioned to do reps like these.  I would not suggest doing this many if you are new to broad jumps.  However, you can vary the broad jumps and localize the workout by what you use.  For example, the deeper you bend your knees, the more stress is put on them.  If you bend them very little, you can concentrate on calf and ankle strength.  No matter how you use your legs though, it will always kill the core in the end.

[Jake Vigil]

Yeah, doing gross amounts of broad jumps like that is just begging for an overuse injury.  Little known fact is that overuse injuries tend to take the longest to heal.

*Cries*

[TR]

That sounds like it would slay one's knees.

Obviously I have conditioned to do reps like these.  I would not suggest doing this many if you are new to broad jumps.  However, you can vary the broad jumps and localize the workout by what you use.  For example, the deeper you bend your knees, the more stress is put on them.  If you bend them very little, you can concentrate on calf and ankle strength.  No matter how you use your legs though, it will always kill the core in the end.

If you are a beginner jumping right into doing broad jumps probably isn't the best idea to build strength in the legs, no matter how you vary it. It's still plyometrics exercise, which can cause short/long term damage. Best way to strengthen the knees to start is just the basic leg exercises. Though, this is about core exercises, not legs

The core exercises I enjoy are just the typical ones:
Crunches (lots of variations that I know no names for)
L-sits
Hanging L-sits
Hanging knees to chest
Hanging Leg Lifts
Front + Back Levers
etc.

"the deeper you bend your knees, the more stress is put on them."
Don't forget though, it's (in my opinion at least) better to bend (at the hips) and go deeper, than lifting up onto the toes and bending (at the knees) and jutting your knees out past your toes (common with precisions).

[Sat Santokh]

You guys are overlooking the benefits of core workouts.  Take a look at pilates, that will strengthen the shit out of your core, especially the stabilizers.  If you can get a good pilates instructor that will help you immensely.

[Travis Tetting]

You guys are overlooking the benefits of core workouts.  Take a look at pilates, that will strengthen the shit out of your core, especially the stabilizers.  If you can get a good pilates instructor that will help you immensely.

Agreed, pilates and yoga, though scoffed at by the inexperienced, is incredibly amazing stuff.  +1 for your point my friend.

[Chris Salvato]

You guys are overlooking the benefits of core workouts.  Take a look at pilates, that will strengthen the shit out of your core, especially the stabilizers.  If you can get a good pilates instructor that will help you immensely.

Agreed....

however there are very very very few good pilates instructors, unfortunately...

Same goes for the squat too I guess, though haha

[Dan Frank]

however there are very very very few good pilates instructors, unfortunately...

You just have to find someone that's not focused on teaching only soccer moms. 

[eNVe]

Excellent point about yoga.  Another known fact is that pull-ups use a lot of muscles in the back, the closer together your hands are the more back and less arm it is.  Doing a set of pull-ups to exhaustion every day will strengthen the muscles in your back to help balance out the abs, which most people work more.  You can also do what I call "leg lifts".  Hang from a pull-up bar and bring your feet/ ankles up to touch the bar.  If that is too hard, start by just lifting your knees or only lifting your  legs to 90 degrees.  I like this one as a compliment to pull-ups because it is easy to just do a set of each, and it uses the muscles of the back a little as well as the abdominals.

[Chris Salvato]

Excellent point about yoga.  Another known fact is that pull-ups use a lot of muscles in the back, the closer together your hands are the more back and less arm it is.  Doing a set of pull-ups to exhaustion every day will strengthen the muscles in your back to help balance out the abs, which most people work more.  You can also do what I call "leg lifts".  Hang from a pull-up bar and bring your feet/ ankles up to touch the bar.  If that is too hard, start by just lifting your knees or only lifting your  legs to 90 degrees.  I like this one as a compliment to pull-ups because it is easy to just do a set of each, and it uses the muscles of the back a little as well as the abdominals.

The upper back doesn't act very much as an antagonist (counter-acting muscle) for the abs...you are thinking of the lower back and pullups don't help the lower back very much...not as much as squats, deadlifts, etc.

Plus I am not really all about suggesting working compound movements like Pullups to exhaustion aka failure for training purposes...

[Ryozaki]

is the PLANK really an effectice core exercise?

[Dan Frank]

is the PLANK really an effectice core exercise?

Most definitely. But as it was mentioned before, you shouldn't have to do anything special for your core if you're already doing deadlifts and squats.

[Steven Low]

Core workouts are dumb. Do heavy lifting... that is more applicable to strength AND it will strength core.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19026017?dopt=Abstract

In the rehabilitation sector, improvements in lower back injuries have been reported by improving core stability. Few studies have observed any performance enhancement in sporting activities despite observing improvements in core stability and core strength following a core training programme.

[FastGuppy]

Core workouts are dumb. Do heavy lifting... that is more applicable to strength AND it will strength core.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19026017?dopt=Abstract

In the rehabilitation sector, improvements in lower back injuries have been reported by improving core stability. Few studies have observed any performance enhancement in sporting activities despite observing improvements in core stability and core strength following a core training programme.

Most core workouts are dumb but there are some that I do like. I like planches and core workout seem to be okay for beginners who don't have much strength in the first place. Also, how bought Olympic gymnast? They don't use weights. They use body weights but male gymnasts are the pound-for-pound strongest athletes in the world. If there's a sport close to parkour gymnastics are it.