It seems like every fitness influencer and celebrity is lean with 6-pack Abs. This can influence you to think “I want Abs for the summer”. The relentless pursuit of six-pack Abs often overshadows the importance of a functional core. While aesthetics are desirable, overall performance is important for health, longevity, and injury prevention.
What is the Core?
The core of the body is made of many muscles including the Abs, spinal erectors, obliques, iliopsoas, diaphragm, and pelvic floor muscles. All of these muscles dictate how the spine moves or prevents unnecessary movement. The Abs are responsible for spinal flexion and can prevent excessive extension. To train the Abs, you must flex (bend forward) the spine or contract the muscles without moving (isometric contraction). To be strong and reduce your risk of injury, you must explore and strengthen all the different ranges of motion the spine is responsible for.
How Should You Train the Core?
The Abs play an integral part in the core. To be strong, you must train it every way possible such as, spinal flexion (crunches), extension (scorpions), rotation (wood chops), lateral flexion (side bends), and combinations of these movements. Isometric training must be employed as well such as planks and side planks.
Having 6-pack Abs is nothing without function. You are only as strong as your weakest link. Train to be stronger while squatting and deadlifting. If you work on a farm, train to be functional and sturdy while getting work done. If you are a hospital nurse, having a strong core will protect you when moving patients. Do you work at a desk 8 hours a day? A strong core will prevent low back pain.
How Can You Achieve 6-pack Abs and a Strong Core?
Exercise selection, diet, recovery, and consistency are going to be key elements to crushing this goal. Exercise selection will ensure function but what about diet and recovery. To have visible Abs, you must have a low enough body fat percentage. Following a proper nutrition plan can help you lose the necessary weight to see your hard earned Abs. Recovery will help the muscle grow. This will also allow you to be rested for each training session to perform at your best every time.
The task and amount of exercises to choose from can be very daunting. You can first start and pick three core exercises, sticking with those for a month. Each month you change them to avoid accommodation. For example, you can do plank, cable reverse squat, and cable wood chops for the first month. The next month, switch them out or progress them in some way.
The easiest way to see quick results without having to do additional research is by committing to a great coach you connect with. The help of a coach is like having a cheat code in a video game. They have all the answers you need. If they don’t, they know where to do the research so you don’t have to.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
One of the biggest mistakes people make is lack of intensity. People do not train the core hard enough. Your body is durable and to get results you have to make your training challenging. Another is, lack of exercise diversity. Too often, people stick with the same routine for months and fail to see results. If the routine is not working, change it. If the routine works for a few weeks then you notice you stop seeing further results, change it.
A common misconception even coaches believe is you brace during compound lifts, you do not need to train your core. Yes, if you know proper bracing when squatting, you are isometrically working your core, but the spine is designed to move. All movements need to be addressed to avoid injury not just in the gym, but in your day to day life.
Remember, a strong core is more than just six-pack Abs. It is the foundation for a functional, healthy body. By prioritizing core training, you are investing in long term well being and performance. Start today and be your own example of dedication and consistency.
