Every fitness expert these days will tout the necessity of performing an endless number of core exercise and repetitions to achieve the lean, chiseled look that everybody is looking for. The problem with the current paradigm of core training is that majority of the movements put the lumbar spine through of excessive degree of flexion. Dr. Stuart McGill, of the University of Waterloo in Ontario, is the foremost specialist on lower-back pain and disorders. He has worked with countless athletes to rehabilitate lower back issues and to increase and improve athletic ability. He has done a significant amount of research regarding spinal flexion and how detrimental it is to overdo these exercises. The exercises that fall under this category are any that can be classified as a crunch or sit-up. The problem being that overuse injuries resulting from regular lumbar spinal flexion can cause herniated disks as well as nerve impingement issues. Not to say that Dr. McGill doesn't have his clients/patients doing any kind of spinal flexion, but it is limited to a select few exercises that he has developed. That being said, we then have to question the common use of spinal flexion within typical calisthenic type exercises for the general population. I highly recommend reading Dr. McGill's book Low Back Disorders (click here to buy).
My experience with martial arts has largely been limited to
two arts: Shotokan Karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I have dabbled and experienced a number of
other arts as to have formed an opinion on what might constitute necessary or
useful core exercises. We have to first
emphasize that the core is not simply the abdominal muscles – that is a very
common misconception. The “core” of the
body actually extends from just below the pectorals in the front of the body
and the latissmus dorsi in the back down to the hip flexors and gluteals; some
physiologists have been known to include the upper portion of the hamstrings
and lower portion of the pectorals into the equation. Since this is a karate-based blog, I’ll focus
most of my attention on the core exercises which would be ideal for the
karate-ka.
We have to remember what the primary action is for the core
in typical karate training; and that is bracing and rotating. There is very little flexion involved in
karate outside of the occasional judo throw that might be included. I will ignore the flexion exercise for the
time being. When we talk about bracing,
we’re referring to our body’s ability to absorb and disperse impact and forces
that occur upon around extremities.
Consider one’s natural reaction to being punched in the stomach by one’s
loving Sensei. Your body will crunch
down and your stomach will push forward to create a stable surface for the
impact. There is no curving forward of
your body, simply your shoulders and shoulder blades pull down and luck into
your lower back, and your hips pull up into your abdominals.
There are several ways to practice this form of bracing, the
first and best would be to perform and squat pattern exercise, followed by any
deadlifting/hip-hinge movement. Barring
one’s access to barbells, the next best choice is to incorporate the
plank. The plank is most likely the most
boring abdominal exercise known to man, but when done correctly one learns how
to brace one’s core while maintaining the ability to breathe normally. When taking the plank position, remember that
is important for the body to stay in a rigid line, with your hips level with
your shoulders. Once this position is
achieved, feel your shoulder blades and gradually pull them down so they are
packed into your lower back. Also
tighten your glutes and hold everything tight.
Now lock into this position and hold for as long as you can. Rinse and repeat. This exercise will primarily target the transverse abdominis and the spinal erectors.
The next exercise that is advisable is the side plank, this
takes the regular plank and applies to unilaterally, which will primarily
target the obliques and the hip flexors rather than the transverse abdominis or the
spinal erectors. From a standard plank
position, rotate your body to one side so only one elbow is down, and stacked
directly below your shoulder. No
contract your body in similar fashion to the standard plank; you will notice
that the side closer to the ground will have to work harder. Don’t forget to both sides.
The third exercise would be anything that forces your spinal
erectors to work independently. My
personal preference is for hyperextensions, but not everybody has access to the
correct apparatus. Performing Supermans
are a viable substitute for this movement. Lie on one’s stomach, and contract the lower
back to pull one’s shoulders and legs off the ground. Hold for as long as you can, and again rinse
and repeat.
These three exercises alone will satisfy the bracing
concept. Rotating is another animal
entirely. There are hundreds of
exercises that one can use to train the rotatory capabilities of the core. The two I recommend are upper and lower
Russian twist. To perform the upper, sit
on the floor with one’s knees bent 90 degrees, feet flat. Lean back 45 degrees and lock your core
similarly to the plank and proceed to rotate side to side. You can add resistance by holding a medicine
ball or a weight plate on your chest, and increase the difficulty by extending
your arms and touching the floor on each side. It’s important that the core remains tight and
locked throughout the movement.
The lower Russian twist is much different, but equally
effective. Lie flat on your back, and
lift your legs straight up to point at the ceiling. From this position lower both legs to one
side and then the other. The legs do not
need to touch the floor, just go as low as you can while keeping your shoulders
and upper back flat on the floor. These
can be done with legs straight or bent.
There you have it, an effective and all-encompassing set of
core exercises to satisfy the needs of the average karate-ka.
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