Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

A friend just sent me this funny but thought-provoking ad featuring fellow-Tiger Glenn Dorsey. It’s nice because it kinda speaks to the all-show and no-go mentality that many people take when they approach “core” training. The funny things is, many of the people disillusioned by the lure of a 6 pack probably won’t even get that the joke is really on them.
 
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Mike,

Could you please elaborate on this subject? I constantly see athletes doing crunches and ab work pilate style to gain the elusive 6 pack. From what I have read, it sounds like Squatting may be one of the best core workouts and that pilate style ab workouts are a waste of time for an athlete.

Thanks!

Jed

Jed,

Are the folks you’re observing really athletes, or just folks at the gym?

I do a fair amount of core work because I feel it will ultimately allow me to go faster (due to greater core stability), with fewer injuries: i.e. a strong lower back = fewer lower back pulls, and a strong set of abs will help with a strong lower back.  A strong set doesn’t mean a ripped, ultra-cut six-pack however.

I am a HS coach, so in reality I am not seeing many ‘real athletes’. I realize that a strong core doesnt equate to a 6 pack.
The question I tried to ask is the 30 minute pilate style ab workout really necessary. My ‘gut’ tells me no but this is coming from a guy without a 6 pack

Having a 6-pack is diet related. Hence why most ab exercise gimmicks come with a diet book.

I incorporate a lot of core work in my warm-ups and circuits, but only have a few ab circuits.

Core examples:

Medball throw and catch
Balance activities
Stabilization activities (prone, supine, etc)
Overhead squats

I use a lot of pilates / yoga type ‘core’ strengthening activities. I think there’s a time and a place for all types of core training. We do heavy ballistic core training, static / isometric work, quasi-isometric / stabilizing work, and multi-planar / rotational work. They all serve a purpose. The point I was trying to make was that 6 pack abs does not necessarily equal core development that is adequate for optimal sports performance.

This is great…There was a decathlete I went to school with who was ripped out of his mind and couldn’t figure out why he only scored 5064 points and ran so much slower than the rest of us when he “looked so much better than we did”

HA

Sanya Richards was just on Jay Leno. He asked her how many situps she does and she said she did 1,000-2,000 reps (of abs) every day.

I remember hearing Hershel Walker speak in high school and how he would 100 abs every commercial break while watching the telly. He said he would only keep watching as long as he could sit-ups.

He says he still performs 2500 sit-ups and 1500 push ups every morning. If he’s doing those in 100 rep sets at every commercial break that means he can probably watch 3 to 3.5 hours of tv a day (7 commercial breaks per hour). I think by many accounts Hershel is one of the most freakish athletes ever.