Front Squats and Abs

Today’s  WOD Front Squats and ABS SWOD A1. 4 x 4 Front Squat A2. Plate Pinch Hold x 60 sec [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300"] Plate Pinch[/caption] WOD 20-16-12-8-4 1 arm Kb Thrusters (44/26) Plate Punches (45/25) Plate v-Ups Russian Twists Here’s the simplest definition of the core. Think of it as a box, with the following sides comprising said box:

• The diaphragm on the top
• The pelvic floor on the bottom
• The abdominals (rectus abdominus, TVA) in the front
• The back muscles (spinal erectors, multifidi) in the back
• The lateral stabilizers (quadratus lumborum, internal and external obliques) on the sides.

Does this mean that’s all there is to it? Not exactly. We can easily make arguments that muscles like the gluteals and lats play an integral role in stability, but let’s stick with my basic description for now. This definition of the core gives you a firm understanding that there’s a lot more to the core than just your rectus abdominus, or six-pack muscles. Similarly, there’s more to generating stability than just lying on your back and performing draw-ins all day. Before we get into the exercises that I use and prescribe, let’s cover two core-training myths that just won’t seem to die. Myth #1 – You ONLY need squats, deadlifts, overhead presses and the like to build your core. This argument has raged on for years. Some coaches and trainers will tell you that all you need to do is include manly multi-joint movements like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses into your workouts and – voila – your core is up to snuff. Not so fast, tough guy. In a nicely balanced system, each component of the core is doing its requisite amount of work. Think about it like this:

• The muscles of your lower back are working at 100%
• Your abs are working at 100%
• Your left lateral stabilizers are working at 100%
• Your right lateral stabilizers are working at 100%

 ]]>