UKC

Hi, can anyone recommend some good core exercises? I already do leg lowers, sit ups, bicycle kicks planks etc but they don't seem to be doing much good. Also our boulder wall just got some of those big bouncy balls for core stuff- what do you do with them?
Cheers!

In reply to thomasmouse:

Climb steep problems

In reply to thomasmouse:

i think 'core' is a marketing ploy. in most cases its sold as what youve described - low level hip flexor and abdominal exercises, maybe some peripheral muscle group sttuff thrown in to sell bouncy balls.

at a more developed level the idea relates more to integrating the larger muscle masses of the torso and around the pelvis and shoulders with the musculature extending out into the arms and legs - a fairly massive and complex chunk of the body thats mosty hidden behind the only bits that many people ever train (and most of which is unsurprisingly very frontal).

stick with what youre doing but increase the range of motion and orientation to activate the sides and back, and up the complexity of the movements to include the limbs.
a lot of alll this is best trained in bits, then put together.
good examples are dumbell presses in the suspended position off a ghd, turkish get ups, rope pulls, lunge presses - all stuff that demands the torso connects the limbs when weighted/under stress.

bouncy balls? dunno. some sort of warm up maybe.

In reply to thomasmouse: When you say don't seem to be doing much good what do you mean? Is it about getting ripped and toned because I would suggest that Core exercises alone wont acheive that and you would need to introduce something else like running. I'll let someone who knows more than me have th elead on this but I do wonder what you mean, doesn't work?

In reply to thomasmouse: front levers or as close as you can manage.

In reply to thomasmouse:

Do everything much slower - that makes it harder.

I have been doing a routine of conditioning with many things you mention in a regular class for the past year or so.

Then i started pilates recently. It has many of the same moves but you have to do them slowly and use your breath to guide the movements. This makes them much much harder.

Try looking for some local classes, it might give you some ideas. Or youtube is your friend.

In reply to thomasmouse: I found pilates very good for actual core strengthening. try not to giggle when you are asked to raise your pelvic floor

In reply to thomasmouse:

This will do the trick

vimeo.com/35928299

In reply to thomasmouse:

"Core strength" is a bit of a fad, but what is really important is being able to transmit power from one end of your body to another.

I think a strong trunk is a better description with the tree like connotations,

There are loads of abs based routines but don't forget your lower back back and sides.
Things like standing up with a plate/medicine ball and turning your body are quite effective or some high rep deadlifts/squats.

In reply to thomasmouse: floor: crunches (make yourself into a v...), Pull up bar: leg raises, front levers, Windscreen wipers. Ring work can be good too - not sure how useful for climbing though - must be some benefit.

climbing wall/board: Get on a steep wall, with good hands and v poor feet. Start with feet quite high and see how far you can walk them down (on poor footholds). If you can stay on at full stretch indefinitely, get some worse foot holds. Found best place for this is a systems board, but can be done elsewhere.

Any steep bouldering with poor feet if possible

Last two mainly useful if its core for climbing rather than showing.

In reply to thomasmouse: Nice one, cheers people.