Core Strength?

[MasterRay6]

how's it goin bros?

So I wanted to post this question here on NF so I can get to know you guys and you can get to know me since I'm new here. This has always bothered me before so I want to finally clear it all up.

Does core strength improve as your lifts improve? I'm talking bout the 4 major lifts here(dead lifts, OHP, bench press, squats)

For example you barely lifted 50 lbs on your dead lift and in a month you dead lifted 100lbs with ease. Does that mean your core also got stronger besides the major muscle groups that gets worked during a dead lift? P.S. I'm aware of proper contraction of the core etc etc..

Thanks bros. BRO FIST!

[notanartmajor]

Yes it does. Deadlift probably provides the most direct work for your trunk muscles, but all four of the big lifts will work them to a degree. As you get more advanced you will probably want to devote some additional work directly to that area with good mornings or some such. Probably no need to worry about it just yet though.

[This is Seth]

Think of it this way, once you start putting > 300lbs on your shoulders for squats, you're reaallllly going to want to make sure that your core can hold you up in a straight line.

Otherwise, you're just going to fall over in one direction or the other.

[Morrigainz]

Yes. I am starting to get to the point (after 8 months or so) that notanartmajor mentioned - I'm starting to do some stuff to specifically target my core. But yeah in general...the big lifts are all compound that require many different muscle groups - core included

[Hermione Gainser]

Think of it this way, once you start putting > 300lbs on your shoulders for squats, you're reaallllly going to want to make sure that your core can hold you up in a straight line.

Otherwise, you're just going to fall over in one direction or the other.

Seth always provides the best visuals.

But yes, what they all said.

[MasterRay6]

Thanks for all the answers guys. I finally got the answer for this question. It does make sense that as you get stronger and put more weight on the barbell, your core also gets stronger. Just wanted to clear things up and you guys helped a lot

[Guest Snake McClain]

Now I'm curious what "core specific" exercises are we all doing to isolate those areas? Obviously a billion crunches wont do the work.

[Morrigainz]

Good point. I've been doing hanging leg raises and what BigM calls "flutter kicks."

[notanartmajor]

There's Good Mornings, Romanian or Stiff-Legged Deadlifts, Leg Raises, Reverse Hypers, Glute-Ham Raises, Good Old-Fashioned Sit Ups, and probably lots more.

[Guest Snake McClain]

There's Good Mornings, Romanian or Stiff-Legged Deadlifts, Leg Raises, Reverse Hypers, Glute-Ham Raises, Good Old-Fashioned Sit Ups, and probably lots more.[/quote

we doing the sit ups weighted?

[blindasutsutsu]

Good point. I've been doing hanging leg raises and what BigM calls "flutter kicks."

I personally like flutter or scissor kicks and Weighted Russian Ab twists with a medicine ball

[MasterRay6]

I personally like flutter or scissor kicks and Weighted Russian Ab twists with a medicine ball

grrrr Russian ab twists are one of the toughest for me.. but I feel like a beast right after finishing them

[Morrigainz]

*goes to look up weighted Russian ab twists and reverse hypers, even though the damn flutter kicks are hard enough*

[Waldo]

This thread needs more dragon flag.

[aj_rock]

Y u no plank?

[blindasutsutsu]

grrrr Russian ab twists are one of the toughest for me.. but I feel like a beast right after finishing them

They can be rough but they are great because they engage all different parts of your core, and heck yeah you should feel like a beast when you're done!!

@Mir if you decide to start trying them the balancing portion is one of the hardest parts for most people its a weird motion at first but you get used to it. I would recommend you first time doing them just to cup your hands together and not use any added weight until you get used to the motion.

[thatgirljj]

Y u no plank?

Yeah exactly. Go hold a plank for a minute. Make sure that booty ain't dipping down and your abs & back are tight. No problem? Then try a minute of plank mountain climbers. Form still good? Try a minute of walking from plank on your hands to plank on your elbows & back up to arms (get a nice easy rhythm, right, left down, right, left up then left, right down, left, right up). If you can do that at the end of your workout, then congratulations. You officially have a strong core. Now get out of here and go play some video games.

-jj

[maegs]

Gonna third doing planks, even though I've been doing SS for a couple months holding a plank for 90 seconds is still hard