Core Muscles – Not Just For The Mirror

October 28, 2009 on 9:22 am | In Strength Training | 5 Comments

Is a strong core important for athletics and real world strength development?

I’m not talking about mirror muscles a six pack because you are paper thin…. (Can anyone name that actor by the way?)

I’m talking the kind of core that will be able to transfer some incredible hip explosion through the body to drive a lineman off the ball. 

I’m talking about the kind of core that can transfer leg drive up a pitcher’s body to a 100 mph fastball.

Listen I get wanting to look good in the mirror, I do.  But if you want to perform at your athletic best, then that can’t be your #1 training program goal.

Just search “6 pack” on google images and see how many people are taking a picture of themselves in the bathroom mirror lifting their shirt up….

Now there is nothing wrong with wanting to get strong and look good but so many people are taking it to an extreme lately.

Way back in the day when I went to a commercial before high school.  There was two averagely strong skinny guys there.

When they went through there seemingly daily core routine, they would get real close to the mirror, pick up their shirt and hold it with their chin and flex their abs and watch them as they curl…

Well let’s see what the University of Utah Strength Coach says about core (around the 4:30ish mark) before I get too fired up on the topic!

Utah Strength And Conditioning (Watch it through)

The strength coach makes an excellent point around the 4:30 mark.  Summarized he states that you might be able to bench 400 lbs and squat 600, but it doesn’t mean anything unless you have a strong core to transfer it over to athletics. 

A friend sent me this video of the University of Utah training their football team to see what I thought. 

As you can tell, I like to look at what colleges and universities are doing since there is often a great deal of information in the videos. 

Additionally colleges and universities have to organize large training groups as it seems many private facilities are moving towards.

Utah might not be able to research training like a previous post about the Texas Longhorns, but they certainly have an organized program

However, I guess it’s personal preference and your own personal goals - do you train your core for show or for go?

- Joe Hashey, CSCS -

PS.  Want some sweet core training ideas?  Check out the Bull Strength Program.