Twelve Stumbling Blocks In Core Training

Individual core exercises within more comprehensive core workouts are similar to words in a sentence.

We communicate with our body through an exercise. The result of an exercise is how our body responds to the way we communicate with it.

Just like in verbal and written communication, the structure, the precision, the sequence of the words we use as well as the context determines the response – the results.

A single exercise is similar to a single word. It could be very powerful and at the same time miss-communicate and throw off the outcomes.

Imagine someone says, “fire.”

Do they mean FIRE as in run for your life? Or do they mean fire to cook a meal at a picnic?

The context determines if we run or if we gather wood.

Similarly, in core workouts, the structure and order of workout sentences which are exercises, their clarity, and their precision determines how our body responds and how quickly if ever we get results.

Reviewing our communication with others is an excellent way to get insights into what works and what doesn’t work during workouts.

How important being heard is to you? Do you feel that you are being heard when your friend is distracted as you are pouring your heart out?

How frustrating is it when others don’t get you regardless of how hard you try?

What about the times when you said something and others completely misunderstood and blamed you for something you didn’t even say?

Relationships depend on communication. Your relationship with your body isn’t any different.

Do your core exercise duration, intensity, combination, and sequence communicate to your abs to become stronger or are you asking them to just endure?

Your abs respond either way, but their response is different. You could be as frustrated with your abs for not listening as you could with a friend.

It is up to you to improve the communication. In the case of your body, you have much more control.

Unexpected or unacceptable outcomes from core strength exercises usually come from one of the following:

1. Lack of intent before, during and after workout sessions
2. Incorrect intent
3. Confusion and lack of clarity in intention
4. Wrong or inefficient exercise selection
5. Wrong or inefficient exercise form
6. Incorrect timing within an exercise, between sets and between workout sessions
7. Lack of exercise precision
8. Lack of routine structure
9. Lack of exercise coordination and sequence within a routine
10. Lack of synergy between exercises and workout sessions
11. Exercise omissions
12. Exercise duplications

You may, in fact, be using the best core training exercises, but they are not working together to create the best core workouts.

For example, you may be whispering to your abs to endure by doing low-intensity high repetition sets when you want to send the command to become stronger by doing high-intensity exercise with heavier loads.

Effective personal training programs are designed to organize core exercises within workout routines in a way that help you reach your goals easier and more efficiently.

Efficiency includes fast results without getting injured or spending unnecessary time or energy.