10 Advanced Core Exercises

Advanced Core Training

I’ve been super motivated recently by two things. For one, I just got cleared for physical therapy (oh poor Jessica) which means I am planning on both how I will come back from my surgeries as well as what I will be doing MORE in the future as I want to try to minimize the risk for more issues.

The other is that we have the great honor of headlining the National Strength and Conditioning Association State Clinic (you can find out more here). That means I am researching science even crazier than normal because I love something Alwyn Cosgrove said. He had led one of his presentations with a host of research. He claimed the reason that he led one study after another was so that people weren’t going to debate him, they were going to have to argue science. I’m stealing that one;)

My presentation is questioning coaches if their workout programs are truly “functional”. Part of that is examining how we see the often maligned idea of core training and how we approach it. You may have noticed that I have been quoting the work of Stuart McGill a lot lately. Well, that is for good reason. The first is that McGill is recognized throughout the industry as having done the most research how spine function and performance. The second is his books are more academic and make finding references way easier. In other words, you aren’t hearing Josh’s theory, but science;)

Overall our industry has done a slightly better job of starting people on a better route of core training. Slowly you are finding coaches starting people with various planks, loaded carries, and other forms of better core drills. Yet, the question often comes out, “how do I progress things?” There are no shortage of options, but some are better than others. 

In order to really answer that question we have to ask ourselves the goal. Let’s get this out of the way really fast. If your goal is a six pack of ab muscles then that has a lot more to do with the fork exercise if you get my drift (if not, it is diet related more than training). 

More advanced core training is about challenging whole body stability. Dr. McGill speaks about this quite a bit giving examples such as giving an individual a dowel rod to hold out in front of them. Then they would have someone try to move the stick while the individual would try to prevent the motion. This disturbance of movement accomplishes a few goals…..

-Helps whole body balance

-Teaches one how to resist undesired forces

-Integrates the entire body as one unit instead of a bunch of separate pieces

-Allows one to learn how to react and turn muscles on and off very quickly

Sounds pretty good right? So, what type of drills am I talking about? Do I want you to beat up a buddy with these drills. Well, if they owe you money maybe;) 

More than likely you guessed it, DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training has A LOT of them! The power of to perform such training is what makes DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training such a powerful and truly functional system. Here are just a few of some of our favorites, make sure to check out the video below to see them in action. 

*MAX Lunge

*Rear Step Deadlift to Row

*Shoveling

*Lateral Drag

*Around the World

Runners Up

*Squat/Lunge to Arc Press

*Rotational Overhead Press

*Front Loaded Rear Step Good Mornings

*Rotational Press Outs

*Forward Step Cleans