The buzz about working "core" muscles seems like it will
never go away. First of all, most people don't even know
what the word "core" means. As a matter of fact neither do
I! The word 'core' does not come from any scientific
anatomy text I have ever read. As far as I can tell it is a
term created by the fitness industry to promote all kinds
of ab training products.
I'm assuming core training is supposed to give you a hard
flat stomach or possibly even a 6 pack. I think this myth
about core training is also how much of the new athletic
style workouts are becoming popular as may exercises
athletes do seem to appeal to the people who think they are
doing a core exercise. So what is your core anyway?
As far as I can tell, people think their core is their abs,
the oblique muscles (the muscle that are on either side of
your middle set of abs) and your lower back muscles. This
collection of muscles makes up the mythical "core". Now, if
anyone besides a graduate trained biomechanist tells you
they know exactly how these muscles work, they are lying,
and probably haven't done enough research to know that they
are lying (so technically its not really their fault for
misleading you). The muscles of the core are very complex
and the truth is that scientists still aren't sure exactly
how they all work together. So now that we can see we don't
really know how all the core muscles work together, how can
you possibly think you are training them in any intelligent
way!
The truth so far is that any exercise works your core
muscles to some degree or another. As soon as you stand up
and get out of bed in the morning your core muscles have to
be activated to prevent you from just flopping over at the
waist. All forms of rigorous physical activity will work
your core muscles. For example, one of the toughest core
workouts you can do is a series of short all out sprints.
Don't believe me? Give this sprint interval routine a try
and see how sore your 'core' and 'abs' are the next day.
20 yard sprints x 4
40 yard sprints x 4
60 yard sprints x 4
80 yard sprints x 4
100 yard sprints x 4
After each sprint walk back to the start and repeat until
you have completed 4 sprints at that distance, then take
90-120 second rest and start the next distance. If you push
these hard, your whole body should be sore the next day
including of those 'core' muscles. I'll bet this is not the
image you had in your head of a 'core' workout.
You can train 'core' muscles every day if you want, which
isn't saying much because they are working all the time
anyway. With that said there are core exercises that are
better than others, and the exercises people typically
think of for core should not be performed every day, and
some of them like crunches should never be done at all. In
the second part of this article I will discuss the right
and wrong way to train this part of your body.
----------------------------------------------------
John Barban is a professional strength and conditioning
coach and nutrition expert. He has extensive experience
designing nutritional supplements and has developed his
trademark workout for women 6 Minute Circuits. John is an
expert contributor to
http://www.efit-today.com/public/department59.cfm and
recomends the diet program http://www.eatstopeat.com , and
believes it is the best new diet for easy and effective
weight loss.
No comments:
Post a Comment