Futuristic Core Training

Is your training stuck in the dark ages?

Muscle function has long been determined by studying cadavers. As anatomy experts study the human body they would examine individual muscles to determine what the muscles job is and how best to make it stronger. By studying an individual muscle of a cadaver lying on the table it was initially thought that the abdominals function was to bring the rib cage towards the feet (trunk flexion) the same motion that occurs with sit-ups and crunches.

As science evolves so does the ability to study the human body and its abilities. We now know that in fact the abdominals may be involved in crunches, and sit-ups, but that's not their real function.

Their real purpose is to protect your spinal cord. Without your abdominals you would be unable to prevent gravity from slumping you over into a pile on the floor. The abdominals actually work to prevent your trunk from moving toward your feet.

So while endless crunches and sit-ups may create a burn in your belly, you may be doing more harm than good. Science also has been teaching us that eventually our joints wear out. As we get older things break down. We see it professional athletes earlier than others, as they put their body through a beating for their job, their joints wear down faster than the average person, but the average persons joint do wear out eventually. The number of knee and hip replacements performed each year is on the rise, as is the amount of low back pain.

Think of the spine like a credit card. On first attempt you can get the edges of a credit card to touch each other and the card bounces back to its original shape with no apparent damage done. Do that over and over and eventually you can see the center of the card start to look a little rough, eventually the card cracks and has lost its rigid state. Over time your joints will respond to the wear and tear and start to wear out, and you might be accelerating the process by performing endless amounts of crunches.

Whats the alternative? Train the midsection the way it works, with exercises designed to promote stability. Give this workout a try:

Plank- 60 seconds
Rest 60 seconds
Spiderman Plank- x 10 ea leg
Stability Ball Jackknife x 10
Side Plank x 30 seconds each side

Rest 2 minutes
Repeat 2-3 circuits

Let me know how you feel the next day.