If you asked a hundred people what core strength is you might get a hundred different answers, I’d bet that everyone of them would declare its importance. Let’s break it down.
Draw a straight line down the center of the body through the spine connecting to the pelvis. We call this the midline. We subscribe to the notion that core strength is the body’s ability to maintain this midline, which is essentially your posture. Think about the common, semi-effective core exercise known as the plank. Why is holding a plank a challenging core exercise? It’s because you’re fighting gravity to maintain posture. What does it look like to fail a plank? It looks like losing your posture and falling to the ground. More core strength means more ability to hold the midline position longer (i.e. planking power).
A person with greater core strength, then, would be able to maintain their posture against various stimuli. Can you maintain a flat back throughout a full range of motion squat with two hundred pounds on a barbell overhead? That is core strength. If your posture is broken and your back rounds on a 300lbs deadlift in October, but you can maintain posture with 300lbs in November you’ve just improved your core strength, by definition.
While many people insist on doing crunches (essentially light abdominal contractions) to develop core strength, keep in mind that a person with a 500lbs back squat, by definition, has remarkable core strength. Rather than thinking about core strength as a cosmetic art project chiseling away at a weak core to find core strength, think about challenging posture instead.
Logan Gelbrich
@functionalcoach
10/20/16 WOD
3-3-3-3-3
Power Clean
Then, complete the following for time:
30-20-10 DB Walking Lunges (50/30)
10-10-10 Push Presses (155/105)