When most people think of the core, they automatically think of the parts you can see such as your ‘six-pack’ abs. Yes, that’s part of your core but that’s not the entirety of it. Your core is every muscle that supports your lumbar, pelvic and hip regions.

Likewise, when we talk about core training, we’re not just talking about flexion and rotation movements such as crunches and Russian twists. We should also consider incorporating resisting motions into our workouts.

Which Muscles Make Up the Core?

The core is a combination of different muscles, the main core muscles include

• Rectus abdominis - also known as your ‘six pack’

• Internal and external obliques - the side core muscles

• Transverse abdominis - this is a corset-like muscle that wraps around the back of your body

• Glutes - help to stabilise the hips and pelvis

What Are Flexion Exercises?

Flexion is the action of forward bending and specifically works your rectus abdominis which is responsible for pulling your rib cage down to your pelvis and flexing your spine. Some people believe that flexion exercises are bad for your spine, but this has been debunked. In fact it’s an important part of your programming, especially if you’re trying to improve your six pack muscles.

Abdominal Crunches

To perform this abdominal crunch, use an Ab Pad Mat because it allows you to focus on getting full range of motion. Place the highest end underneath your tailbone, lie down and wrap your spine around the abdominal mat. The aim is to close the space between your ribcage and pelvis. Place your hands behind your ears and then close the space by lifting your head and shoulders up and exhaling as you lift.

Regression

Make it easier by reducing the lever arms: put your arms by the side of your body.

Progression

Placing your hands overhead makes the lever hands longer making the exercise harder. Then you can hold a weight plate either in front of your body or overhead to make the exercise even more challenging.

What Are Anti-Extension Exercises?

Anti-extension is resisting spinal extension by keeping it in a neutral position throughout the movement. When you extend your spine, you’re ‘arching’ it which usually causes a dip in your lower spine. With anti-extension exercises, you’re resisting this arch by bracing your core and keeping your spine neutral. If you want a lot of bang for your buck with core training, then anti-extension exercises are a really good option. The ab rollout is a great example of an anti-rotation exercise.

Ab Rollouts

For this exercise use an Ab Roller and Knee Pad. Start with your spine slightly flexed, then push your hips forwards and extend them as low as you can towards the floor. Full range of motion is nose to floor. As you come all the way out your spine should be resisting extension and your core braced.

Regression

To make it easier, set up in front of a wall and use it as a barrier. The wall becomes a limiting factor and reduces the range. You can move further away from the wall each week.

Progression

You can wear a weighted vest to make this exercise more challenging.

What Are Rotational Exercises?

Rotation exercises are movements where you’re twisting your core muscles side to side, mainly working your external obliques. The internal obliques work with your transverse abdominis and are important for the resisting exercises. External obliques are the ones you can see and target through rotation movements and lateral flexion.

Rotation exercises are important for increasing the range of motion in your trunk and thoracic spine. Being able to move well here is important for daily activity and also for sports such as rugby, football and weightlifting where twisting movements are regularly achieved. The Russian twist is a fantastic rotation movement that can be performed with or without a weight.

Russian Twists

Use a Medicine Ball, sit down and plant your heels on the floor. Hold the ball a few inches from your chest and lean back to place tension on the core. Twist your body towards one side keeping your core engaged, return to the middle and then twist to the other side.

Regression

If you want to make it easier, get rid of the ball and just use your arms.

Progression

To make the exercise harder, extend the ball out further from the body. You can also use landmine variations, cables and resistance bands for twists.

What Are Glute Exercises?

The glutes are the most forgotten about core muscles because most people don’t think of them as your core. Arguably your glutes are one of the most important groups of core muscles. Some of the best exercises to activate your glutes are bridge and hip thrust exercises.

Resistance Band Hip Bridges

Lie down on a mat with your knees in a 90-degree position and a Resistance Band round the middle of your calves. Rest your arms by your sides. Squeeze your glutes, push through your heels and lift your hips up. The glutes are resisting the band pulling you in so you're working all of the glute muscles just with a small band.

Progression

If you want to make this movement more challenging, do heavy barbell or dumbbell hip bridges.

What Are Anti-Rotational Exercises?

Anti-rotation movements are the opposite of rotation, keeping your core stable while an external force encourages your body to rotate. Core stability is incredibly important for other strength training movements such as squats and deadlifts where you need a strong and stable core to support the heavy lift. When it comes to anti-rotation, you’re more limited for choice. However, some include

• Bird dogs

• Single arm planks

• Single arm ring rows

 One of the best anti-rotation variations is also mega easy to set up; a resistance band Pallof press.

Pallof Press

bend in your knees and hold the band with both hands in front of your chest, you should be perpendicular to the band. Push the band out directly in front of you. You should resist the rotation you feel from the band pulling you.

Progression

In this position you can also press out and lift the band overhead to make the movement more difficult or move into a half kneeling position. You can use a heavier resistance band or cables if you have them available. 

What is Anti-Lateral Flexion

Last, but not least, is anti-lateral flexion. To understand anti-lateral flexion, we need to know what lateral flexion is. Lateral flexion is the movement of bending to one side, where your shoulders lean one way and your hips the opposite. So, anti-lateral flexion is the practice of resisting a force that is trying to move your body laterally.  These exercises usually consist of performing a single-sided movement and using your core strength to resist leaning to one side.

Suitcase Deadlift

For this movement you can use a Kettlebell, sandbag or if you’re more daring you can load a barbell. Place the kettlebell outside of one foot and set your body in a position as if you were about to deadlift. Instead grab the kettlebell with one hand. You will be pulled in one direction, but the job of your core is to resist this and make sure you stay central. Grab the kettlebell, stand up and lower back down to the floor. Once you’ve finished, swap over and repeat on the other side.

One of the most famous sayings is, ‘abs are made in the kitchen’ but that’s not necessarily true. Abs are carved in the kitchen but built in the gym using resistance by loading your core muscles in the most efficient way possible.

Keep your core training going with our bench ab workout.

Written by guest author Eryn Barber.

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Tags: Exercise Type > Strength