“Core”
December 6th, 2009
Impressive???
I agree with most of all Rippetoe’s thoughts on “Core Training.” Rippetoe is an amazing strength coach. Granted this article (check out the link below) was written specifically about “Core Training” it has other applications and it is a topic I’ve been talking about with a few people at the gym for a while now. For a good portion of the general public and some of the clientele at our box we are dealing with relative novices and the adaptations come relatively easy, no matter the training method. (That being for us, a program where strength is a primary importance but not the sole aspect. Refer to NOV 30th’s post) However on the other side of the spectrum, lets assume we have a freakishly strong athlete that can easily manage the heavy barbell training. Impressive none the less as seen from the video above. How can you not assume/argue that the greatest adaptations they could gain will not be through metabolic conditioning? Its really great to be able to tear a man in half but if you can’t catch the man whats the point? (Strength competitions aside, we teach functional strength here) There is a balance between the two which must be accepted. CrossFit is a mix of many different training principals but the most consuming is “Specialize in not Specializing.” Be good at many different tasks not just one modality.
What are you training for? What is/are your goal(s)? What do you want out of all this work and sweat you are putting in at the gym?
Some of the highlights from the article (You will need to read to get all of it in context but these I thought could stand alone)
All excerpts are from “Core” Stability “Training” by Mark Rippetoe
“The problem with the concept of training specifically for “core” stabilization is that it doesn’t make
any sense. Leaving aside the arguments for using it to prevent back pain in sedentary populations
(everybody that doesn’t have a “stable core” has back pain?), it proceeds from several ridiculous
assumptions, and it is completely inapplicable to an athlete who is training properly on a basic barbell
program.”
“But a trainer that doesn’t use barbells wouldn’t know this, would they? They have been taught to prescribe isolation movements on Nautilus-type selectorized machines that require no balance, and therefore no coordinated use of the axial and appendicular skeleton. A trainer that brings such a limited perspective into the weight room might well be of the opinion that the only way to train the “core” is to perform silly isolateral movements while balanced on a Swiss ball. If the only type of exercise you are trained to perform leaves out the coordinated use of the hips, the spine, and all the stuff above and below it working at the same time, I guess you might believe that Multi-Directional Lunges and Seated Marching on the Physioball are the best ways to wake up your sleeping “core”. These types of extremely submaximally-loaded odd movements are roughly equivalent to the stresses encountered when taking the groceries out of the back seat, or walking through a crowded bar without spilling your beer. They are quite literally equivalent to the same physical stresses encountered while cleaning the house thoroughly, and they cannot provide the stress necessary to cause an already-trained athlete to adapt further.”
“Do you not see that an athlete with a 200 lb. press, a 300 lb. clean, a 400 lb. squat, and a 500 lb. deadlift has a stronger “core” than your runner who can just manage to do a Standing Reverse Wood-chop with a 2 kg medicine ball? Where did you manage to find a 2 kg medicine ball anyway?”
“I am puzzled that anyone who has actually gone through the process of getting strong themselves
actually thinks that this approach to training really causes an improvement in athletic performance.
Unless a person is an unadapted rank novice (for whom anything acts as an adaptive stimulus) or a
genetic freak (for whom ineffective silly shit like 5 lb. Alternate Dumbbell Presses while standing on
a Bosu® thingee will not adversely affect an already elite performance, as said athlete will confirm
when asked by somebody other than his coach), “core stability” training is an absolute waste of time
that could be much better spent getting stronger – and therefore more stable – in much more effective
ways. Any person who has first-hand experience with both heavy barbell training and fooling around
at the physical therapist’s office knows this to be true.”
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