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Rethinking Core Training for Optimal Human Performance

Rethinking Core Training for Optimal Human Performance

Picture of Gabe Derman  Gabe Derman

Insights from a conversation with Danny Foley from episode 15 of the Keiser Human Performance Podcast

The fitness world is obsessed with six-pack abs. But you know true core strength goes far beyond aesthetics. A strong core is the foundation for:
  • Powerful athletic performance
  • Resilient movement
  • A pain-free body

In this article, we explore insights from Danny Foley (Rude Rock Strength and Conditioning), a high-performance coach and injury management specialist. Coach Foley spent years training Navy SEALs and athletes. His experience working with individuals pushing their physical limits led him to develop a unique approach to core training. This approach prioritizes function over form.

Get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about core training. We'll explore Coach Foley’s principles for building a resilient foundation for optimal human performance.

Redefining the Core: It’s More Than Just Abs

Forget the crunches and sit-ups. Danny challenges the conventional notion of the core. He emphasizes its role as an integrated system that extends far beyond the abdominal muscles.
 
He defines the core as the entire region from the shoulders to the mid-thigh. It encompasses a 360-degree network of muscles working together to:
  • Stabilize
  • Connect
  • Transfer force throughout the body

Key Functions of the Core

Why is this 360-degree network so important? Let's break down the core's key functions:
  • Force transmission: Efficiently transferring force from the lower body to the upper body and vice versa. This is crucial for powerful movements like throwing, kicking, and jumping.
  • Injury mitigation: Protecting the spine and surrounding structures from excessive stress, reducing the risk of back pain and other injuries.
  • Enhancing movement efficiency: Improving coordination, stability, and control during dynamic activities. This leads to more fluid and powerful movement.
Danny's approach moves beyond isolated ab exercises. He focuses on coordinated, global movements that challenge the core as an integrated unit.
 

Core Strength: The Foundation for Athletic Performance

A strong core is the bedrock of athletic performance. It influences everything from power output to injury resilience. Here's how a strong core directly translates to better athletic performance:
  • Improved power output: A strong core provides a stable base for generating force during explosive movements, leading to increased speed, agility, and power.
  • Enhanced agility and balance: A stable core improves control and coordination, allowing for quick changes in direction and enhanced balance.
  • Increased endurance: A strong core supports proper posture and reduces fatigue during prolonged activity, improving endurance and stamina.
Beyond athletic performance, core strength is crucial for injury prevention. This is especially true for individuals with a history of back pain. A well-conditioned core:
  • Supports the spine
  • Reduces strain on surrounding muscles
  • Promotes proper movement mechanics, minimizing the risk of injury
The benefits of core training extend to various populations. These include elite athletes and everyday individuals seeking to improve their physical well-being.
 

Assessing Core Strength: Going Beyond Traditional Methods

Traditional methods of assessing core strength often rely on isolated exercises like crunches. These provide limited insight into the core’s ability to function as an integrated system.
 
Coach Foley takes a more comprehensive approach. He evaluates core strength through a combination of methods:
  • Manual testing for mobility and stability: Assessing range of motion and stability in the hips, spine, and shoulders to identify restrictions and imbalances.
  • Observing movement patterns during gait, sprinting, and plyometrics: Analyzing how the core functions during dynamic movements to identify energy leaks and instability.
  • Considering the athlete’s subjective feedback and pain points: Gathering information about the athlete’s experience of movement, including any pain or discomfort they experience.

Signs of Core Weakness

How can you identify core weakness in your clients or yourself? Look for these signs:
  • Poor posture: Excessive slouching or an inability to maintain a neutral spine.
  • Lower back pain: Weakness in the core muscles can lead to instability and pain in the lumbar region.
  • Difficulty with balance and coordination: A weak core can compromise stability and control during dynamic movements.
  • Energy leaks during movement: Visible signs of instability, such as excessive arm movement or torso rotation, during activities like running or throwing.

Debunking the Myth: Deadlifts and Squats Are Not Core Training

While compound lifts like deadlifts and squats engage the core, they primarily demonstrate proficiency in those specific lifts. They do not demonstrate overall core strength. These exercises require core stability to maintain proper form. However, they don’t necessarily target the core muscles in a way that enhances their ability to handle variability and transfer force efficiently.
 

Distinguishing Between Compound Lifts and Core Training

  • Compound lifts: Primarily focus on strength and power development in the primary movers (legs, back, etc.).
  • Core training: Targets the muscles responsible for stability, control, and force transfer, enhancing the effectiveness of compound lifts and overall athleticism.

Coach Foley’s Core Training Principles: Building a Resilient Foundation

Coach Foley’s core training philosophy centers on building a resilient foundation. This foundation supports dynamic movement, injury prevention, and optimal performance.
 

Key Principles

Here are Danny's key principles for core training:
  • Prioritizing unilateral movements and reducing compressive forces: Emphasizing exercises that challenge one side of the body at a time, reducing stress on the spine and promoting balanced strength. This is particularly important for individuals recovering from injuries.
  • Emphasizing locomotive exercises: Incorporating exercises like crawling, rolling, and carrying variations to develop coordination, stability, and spatial awareness.
  • Utilizing tools for versatility and multi-planar movement: Integrating tools like ViPRs, landmines, Keiser functional cable machines, and bodyweight exercises to create a diverse training stimulus and challenge the core in multiple planes of motion.
  • Progressing from static to dynamic exercises: Starting with static holds and progressing to dynamic movements, gradually increasing the complexity and challenge to the core.
  • Prioritizing velocity over resistance for experienced athletes: Shifting the focus from lifting heavy weights to moving quickly and efficiently, enhancing the core’s ability to handle dynamic forces.

Training for Variability and Chaos

To build a truly resilient core, you need to train for variability and chaos:
  • Incorporating reactive exercises: Training the core to respond quickly and efficiently to unexpected forces, mimicking the demands of sport and real-life situations.
  • Varying training parameters: Manipulating sets, reps, tempo, and rest periods to create a diverse training stimulus and enhance adaptability.

Practical Applications: Building a Core Training Program

Coach Foley’s core training principles can be applied to create a variety of effective training programs.
 

Example Progression for Chop Exercises

  1. Static High-Low Chop: Begin with a fixed handle and a stable base, focusing on controlled movement through the torso.
  2. Dynamic High-Low Chop: Introduce a recoil in the starting position and a step with the front leg, adding a dynamic element to the exercise.
  3. Parallel Chop: Lower the cable to chest level, challenging the core in a different plane of motion.
  4. Low-High Chop: Reverse the direction of the chop, working against gravity to further challenge the core.
  5. Single-Arm Chop with Transfer: Use a single cable handle and transfer the handle from one hand to the other, increasing the demand for coordination and stability.
  6. Curtsy Lunge to Lateral Lunge with Chop: Combine a curtsy lunge with a lateral lunge and a chopping motion, integrating multiple movement patterns into a single exercise.

Sets, Reps, and Tempo Recommendations

  • Sets: 2-4 sets per exercise
  • Reps: 6-10 reps per set
  • Tempo: Vary tempo to create different training stimuli, incorporating slow eccentrics, isometric holds, and reactive movements.

Incorporating Variations

  • Surface: Vary the training surface, using a stable platform, turf, or a slant board to challenge the core in different ways.
  • Hand position: Experiment with different hand positions on the implement to alter the leverage and muscle activation.
  • Implement: Use a variety of implements, such as barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, and cables, to create a diverse training stimulus.

Sample Core Training Workout

  • Warm-up: Four-way crawl, rolling patterns (forward, lateral), marching variations (forward, backward).
  • Ground-based exercises: Crab bridging, hamstring bridging, L-sits, adductor bridging.
  • Cable exercises: High-low chop progressions, push-pull variations, curtsy lunge to lateral lunge with chop.
  • Plyometrics: Medicine ball throws, kettlebell swings, box jumps.

 

Educating Clients: Highlighting the Value of Core Training

Help clients understand the importance of core training. Connect it to their specific goals, whether it’s improved performance, injury prevention, or overall well-being.
 

Communicating the Benefits of Core Training

  • Improved athletic performance: Emphasize how a strong core enhances power, agility, balance, and endurance.
  • Reduced risk of injury: Highlight the role of core strength in protecting the spine and supporting proper movement mechanics.
  • Enhanced overall well-being: Explain how core training improves posture, reduces back pain, and contributes to a sense of physical strength and stability.

Danny Foley’s Training Philosophy: A Holistic Approach

Coach Foley’s training philosophy extends beyond core training. It encompasses a holistic view of the individual’s needs and goals. He emphasizes adaptability, experimentation, and continual learning in his coaching practice. He recognizes that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to training.
 

The Importance of Individualization

  • Assessing each athlete’s unique needs and tailoring training programs accordingly.
  • Considering factors such as training age, injury history, and sport-specific demands.
  • Continuously monitoring progress and making adjustments as needed.
Rethinking core training for optimal human performance requires a shift in focus. We must shift from aesthetics to function. Coach Danny Foley’s insights provide a roadmap for building a resilient core. This supports dynamic movement, injury prevention, and overall well-being.
 
 
Don't miss Coach Foley's in depth article on core training at SimpliFaster: "Amplifying Core Strength with Keiser".
 

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