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5 Common Core Exercise Mistakes and Fixes

5 Common Core Exercise Mistakes and Fixes

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We’ve come along way over the last decade when it comes to training the core.  Not too long ago, training the core consisted of mainly exercises like sit ups, with no specific attention to how the core functions.

One of the key areas of core training that I focus on to enhance movement quality and performance is stabilizing the core while the arms and legs move.  Essentially proximal stability, with underlying distal mobility of the extremities.

However, don’t forget that the body is amazing at compensating to get the job done.

Any lack of mobility or motor control will often result in compensatory movements.  Many people want to fly through their core program, but often times don’t focus on the quality of the movement.

Here are 5 common core exercise mistakes that I see, along with some suggestions on how to fix them.  I posted these as a series on Instagram, if you want to see more posts like this, be sure to follow me there.

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3 Popular Exercises I Am No Longer Using

3 Popular Exercises I Am No Longer Using

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Just because an exercise is popular, doesn’t mean it’s a good option for everyone. I wanted to share 3 more exercises that I am not going to use anymore. These are pretty popular exercises, so I expect many to disagree with me. I actually have no problem with you using these exercises, I just wanted to share some reasons why I have started to critically assess the value of them, and have considered not performing them anymore.

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The Kettlebell March Drill for Functional Core Stability

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Carries do a great job of developing functional core stability by adding an offset weight to the center of rotation of the body. Often times, clients with poor core strength or control will compensate during the carry. In today’s video post, Kiefer Lammi shows how we have started to modify the carry in these individuals by adding a march.

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how pelvic tilt influences hamstring and spine mobility

How Pelvic Tilt Influences Hamstring and Spine Mobility

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How many people come to you and complain that they have tight hamstrings? It seems like an epidemic sometimes, right? I know it’s pretty common for me, at least.

Many people just tug away at their hamstrings and aggressively stretch, which may not only be barking up the wrong tree, but also disadvantageous.

I have really gotten away from blindly stretching the hamstrings without a proper assessment as I feel that pelvic position is often the reason why people think they are tight. This is pretty easy to miss

In this video, I want to explain and you visualize the how pelvic tilt influences hamstring mobility and spine position. Often times the hamstrings feel “tight” or “short” when in reality their pelvic position is just giving us this illusion. I talk about this a lot with clients at Champion and often find myself making these drawings on our whiteboard.

Keep this in mind next time you think someone has tight hamstrings or has too much thoracic kyphosis. Often times the key is in the hips!

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customized squat pattern

Hip Variations and Why My Squat Isn’t Your Squat

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Today’s article is an AMAZING guest post from my friend Dean Somerset. I’ve been talking a lot lately about how hip anatomy should change your mechanics and why exercises like squats should be individualized based on each person, but Dean blows this topic out of the water with this article.

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should everyone deadlift

Should Everyone Deadlift?

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The deadlift is an amazing exercise, but often underutilized, especially in the rehabilitation setting. This is a shame because the deadlift can be very helpful for many people. In this article I discuss why I feel the deadlift should be an important part of anyone’s program, especially those in rehabilitation.

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360 degree core training

Working Core Training in 360 Degrees

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There’s more to core training than sit ups and planks. To truly maximize function, you need to train the core in 360 degrees to stabilize and transmit forces.

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Layering The Basics For Optimal Movement

Layering The Basics For Optimal Movement

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This week’s post comes from my friend and colleague at Champion, Dave Tilley. Dave is no doubt one of the most impressive up-and-coming PTs out there right now and we are thrilled to have him part of our team at Champion. In this day and age, I’m seeing more and more students and young professionals skip the basics. In this post, Dave talks about how he focuses on some of the basics to achieve optimal performance.

It’s good to take a step back and make sure we have addressed the low hanging fruit before we scale the entire tree. Only once the basics are covered can we start tackling more complex concepts to help optimize their movement or performance.

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