Core Training

Quick to the point, the modern exercise industry over complicates matters on a continuous basis. While there are a number of reasons for this, it has chiefly occurred due to commercial reasons. Complicated exercises and even better, gleaming machines are an easy sale to the public who are far detached from physical education classes of the past. The basics of exercise have been forgotten and what “we”, those who must change the course of publics obesity epidemic, are left with not only task of improving levels of conditioning but first teaching the public what it avoids the most, hard work.

Unfortunately, the majority of the exercise field is busy trying to garner the public’s attention and their hard-earned wages with movements that offer little benefit and far beyond their ability. The list is endless but in an era where the public drives to the gym to walk on a treadmill, unilaterally hip flexors are too tight, the core is weak and range of motion is sorely lacking. Add to the mix, insufficient leg drive and it is clear that what the exercise field has been preaching has not worked and needs to be “re-booted”.

If there is to be a new and improved exercise world it will, with my blurry vision, look at lot like the distant past. Morning, “rise and shine” callisthenics, physical education in schools that emphasize active games that involve problem solving and participation in healthy activities throughout your life will become a hallmark of the “new” modern exercise world. Yet throughout it all, “simplicity” will rule supreme so the realm of the complex will go far away.

Case in point is abdominal training and as all can vouch, the exercise community is full of ridiculous notions that turned training into a comedy of errors.

While I significantly prefer the starting base of core postural holds, the basic sit-up is near extinct as well as the ability, due to a lack of strength in the rectus abominus region, to perform a single one. Individuals will go great lengths with varying pieces of equipment, “hard core” weight training but when it comes time to “drop for fifty sit-ups” they are usually forty-nine, or so, short.

Repeating what I have done in many classes, most are so that they are incapable of performing a single sit-up to which they receive my sarcastic comment,"congratulations you just failed physical education”.

Whether you are an exercise enthusiast, a dedicated lifter, athlete or coach, sit-ups, when performed correctly, have their place in a training program. Please take special heed to technique as any deterioration of form will cause undue stress on the spine and the reason why many do not perform the movement. That in itself is the paradox of many exercise recommendations because while the public lacks that ability to bend and move properly, they are often recommended not to bend (or Squat) and thus in a circuitous manner are unable to do so.

The answer is not to eliminate the movement but in-fact, do them properly. Do not avoid problems, solve them and seriously, toughen up. Additionally, given that the exercise is used with physical testing of the military and law enforcement community, it is important to include them in an exercise regime and teach them correctly, the first time out of the chute.

To perform sit-ups correctly: While on your back, with your knees bent at a forty-five degree angle, press your feet, from heels to toes, flat on the ground. Clasp your hands behind your head and tighten the abdominal region by “sitting up”, not bouncing or rocking.

Start at one tomorrow and each day build upon them as what you do today, will be easier tomorrow and soon enough you will be joining me for “50 / 50’s”.

And yes, that photo is of me, yesterday morning a little past 04:00, when my day started. Time to get up early, there is work to be done.

prepared by John Davies
photos credit: John Davies performing a set of "50 / 50's".
© Copyright protected Renegade Style Productions, 2010

John Davies is available on his personal page on Facebook , Renegade Training™’s as well as or Twitter.

John’s present supplement stack starts daily with the “athlete’s advantage”, Modern, Super Cissus, PowerFull and Prime, along with additional use of Recreate, Yok3d, Anabolic Pump and Pink Magic depending upon his training cycle.

Disclaimer
The information provided in “Instant Training Improvement Tips”, as well as this web-site blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should it be interpreted as medical advice for any condition. Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. By reading this disclaimer, you hereby agree and understand that the information provided in this column is not medical advice and relying upon it shall be done at your sole risk.

Whether your goal is esthetics, health or athletic pursuits, the development of firm mid-section is a common denominator. While many in the athletic-training and weightlifting sectors will state they unequivocally do not train for esthetic purposes, this must be tempered with the understanding of the appeal of the classic physique that is yes, based upon an athletes.

The ancestral heritage of the classic male form is Ancient Rome's Galata Morente and the work of fifth/fourth century B.C. sculptor Polykleitos of Greece. Though easily forgotten, both are representative of warriors and served as the template for physical culture at the turn twentieth century and early bodybuilders. This connection between athletics, functionality and esthetics, if not sensuality, cannot be ignored because in the modern age when the focus of workouts is to enhance “physical attraction” or to “look better” the best course of action to take is employ methods by athletes. Along with general health and functionality, this is why I believe that athletic-based training models suit the mainstream best.

With this in-mind, one of the most frequent ideas in the mainstream health and fitness market is to have leaner, svelte mid-section. Whether the choice of adjective is “chiseled”, “sexier ab’s” or “rock hard”, the idea is the same and conversely, the best route is through athletic based training.

The peculiarity of this idea is that while endless reams of poor exercise machines and ideas is marketed to the mainstream, a sound athletic-based system understands the focus is to maintain posture whilst under duress. Phrase it any manner you wish but the most basic idea of functionality of training requires you to be able to maintain correct posture, while under duress and execute movements in the most efficient movements in the most efficient manner properly. Maintaining posture needs to be a bold, underlined point in all training because once this degrades, you are effectively engraining poor patterns of movement.

With respects to training the trunk region, in addition to understanding a proper balanced diet and nutritional program, proper care needs to be in place with exercise choices. As noted previously, the mainstream is the unfortunate victim in endless marketing schemes that promotes foolish and overprices machines. Training the mid-section is relatively straightforward as in the majority of settings bodyweight exercises will suffice for not only the novice, those trying to shed unwanted weight as well as the elite athlete. While there certainly is a time and place for more aggressive weighted movements, such as Overhead Squats, Split Snatches as well as Medicine Ball training that every person can do, bodyweight training is the perfect basis for all regimes.

The first four bodyweight movements to be performed are basic "holds", where you focus on maintaining correct position throughout the exercise. Multiple sets are performed as time or "time under tension", starting simple fifteen seconds holds, or lessor if needed, before progressing to more advanced work. They can be performed daily, whether at the gym or in the privacy of your own home. While these movements appear simple, they recruit core muscular at a very high rate and while it is repetitious, are the foundation of developing a strong abdominal wall. When combined with a proper diet and nutritional plan, individuals will be a great deal closer to their goals.

• Plank
• Side Plank
• Horse Pose
• Superman (both single arm/leg and double)

The next in our series will look at more progressive work to suit the needs of all individuals.

prepared by John Davies
photos credit: Renegade Style Productions 2008 © copyright protected

Disclaimer
The information provided in “Instant Training Improvement Tips”, as well as this web-site blog is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should it be interpreted as medical advice for any condition. Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. By reading this disclaimer, you hereby agree and understand that the information provided in this column is not medical advice and relying upon it shall be done at your sole risk.