The BEST Core Exercise for YOU (And WHY it matters)
CORE STRENGTH TESTS:
https://salutis.kartra.com/page/DgM583
SYSTEMATIC CORE TRAINING FOR KETTLEBELLS
https://salutis.kartra.com/page/systematic-core-training
Core training is still a hot topic these days.
And rightfully so, because there is still A LOT of confusion surrounding it.
For example:
One of the reasons I went to my kettlebell instructor certification (the RKC) back in 2005 was because even though I could:
Hold a Plank for 2 minutes
Hold a Side-Bridge for 2 minutes
Do Single Leg Hip Bridges on a stability ball for 2 sets of 20
Do Single Leg Touchdowns, standing on a half foam-roller for 2 sets of 20 using 25lb dumbbell (think Single Leg Deadlift, but your arm ends up over your head - kinda like a slow speed Snatch)
Do Single Leg Chops & Lifts (on a “balance pad” - unstable surface)
And any number of other “circus tricks” for my “core stability”and core strength...
But I -
[a] Still tore the labrum in my right hip…
And more importantly to me at the time -
[b] I still couldn’t do 2-Hand Swings without my lower back hurting
So how does that happen?
Simple.
You use the wrong core stabilization strategies.
And / or the wrong core exercises.
I recently watched a “BEST Core Exercise…?” video.
In it, the presenter made the case that the “best” core exercise was the Loaded Carry.
Of course, me being - well, me - I immediately disagreed.
The answer is, it might be, and it might not be, depending on the person and his/her current level of core health.
I’m not ragging on the Loaded Carry - it's a solid exercise.
But experience has shown me that you have to have a certain level of stability and strength in your core already in order to use them effectively.
Otherwise, you can tweak your facet joints in your spine (instability) and / or strain your QL (quadratus lumborum) - a muscle that runs on an angle that connects your spine to your pelvis.
As someone who’s done both, I can tell you with 100% certainty that -
[a] Neither are fun
[b] Both will cost you some time off your training - even set you back a few weeks or worse - months
And -
[c] Probably cost you some, if not a lot of money - if you go see a chiropractor or massage therapist for relief (repeatedly)
So how do you know what the “right” core exercise - or even the “BEST” core exercise is for you?
You TEST (Evaluate) yourself.
I recommend you use these two simple tests.
The first tests / screens your reflexive core stability and also detects asymmetries between sides.
It’s super important to find out whether your core automatically contracts before movement and to determine if you have side-to-side weaknesses.
The second is super important for determining how strong your anterior core (the front of your body) is and whether you can keep from hurting yourself while doing KB Ballistics like the Swing, Clean, and Snatch.
What I’ve found over the last 15 years is that people who’ve had the following:
Lower back injuries
Hip injuries
Knee injuries
Abdominal surgeries (including women having C-sections)
To name but a few…
… Have lost the ability to subconsciously stabilize their spine before they load it with a kettlebell or any other piece of equipment.
Their “anticipatory” stabilization function is “offline.”
And as a result, they have to spend a little bit of time “re-educating” their core to bring that anticipatory function back “online” -
Kinda like Neo in The Matrix when Tank “uploads” Kung Fu into him.
It’s not as fast for us as it was for Neo, but one specific exercise does (which I call “Your Core Foundation”) make a huge and immediate difference for most of us.
(I say "us," because I’ve had to do this myself. As a result, I hit PRs - Personal Records - in my 50s which I couldn’t do in my 20s.)
So, take these tests, find out if you have any weaknesses or deficits, and if you do, address them.
You can research your own core exercises or you can grab the “done for you” version where I’ve laid everything out for you called Systematic Core Training For Kettlebells.
At the end of the day, using the right core exercise can help you or hurt you - especially when hoisting your KBs over your head.
Hope this helps.
Stay Strong,
Geoff Neupert.