Best 3 Core Exercises? (Core Stability Science Explained)

What is core stability? What is its relation to back pain? How should the core be trained?

We asked our audience these questions and more in arguably the largest survey of its kind.

The answers might surprise you.

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0:00 Intro
0:34 What Is The Core?
2:56 What Is The Role of The Core?
3:53 What Is Core Stability?
7:42 How Should Core Stability Be Measured?
9:55 What Is The Relationship Between Core Stability and Back Pain?
14:23 How Should The Core Be Trained?
18:59 Practical Application of Training The Core

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Disclaimer: The information presented is not intended as medical advice or to be a substitute for medical counseling but is intended for entertainment purposes only. If you are experiencing pain, please seek the appropriate healthcare professional.

[ERehab]

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the survey!

[kylecontreras]

"It depends!" is always the correct answer, great carry over from PT school to clinical settings. Love the video, it really goes into incredible detail that anyone can understand.

[gmelliot]

I think it makes sense to break down core exercises even further into three categories:

Static exercises: Involve isometric contraction of core muscles without movement of extremities. Example for abdominals would be plank. These exercises are great for building muscular endurance.

Stability exercises: Involve isometric contraction of core with movement of shoulders and/or hips. Example for abdominals include ab wheel rollout, front levers, push-ups, hip thrusts, etc. These exercises are best for developing core stability.

Dynamic exercises: Involves concentric and eccentric contraction of core muscles. Examples for abdominals include crunch/sit-up variations. These are best for muscle size, strength, power.

[bernardomsouza]

this guy makes the most instructive, organized, and clear videos

[rrp]

Random comment but as an Indian whose surname is Panjabi, I can't help but tear up when you pronounced "Panjabi" correctly. You are the first person with a foreign accent who has been able to nail the pronunciation absolutely 100% correctly 😅

[BradSimsCPT]

As a 12 year personal trainer it is refreshing to see videos like this get addressed. I find many of my clients have an abstract or over-simplified concept of what muscles are even included in the core. I worked as an aide in a Physical Therapy clinic for 5 years, early in my career, and was lucky enough to have a boss who loved to teach and was really good at explaining concepts.

I submit that Lats, serratus anterior, internal obliques, external obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, quadratus lumborum, glute max, glute medius, glute minimus, and even hamstrings can all be applied to core training. I was taught to think of the core as a cylinder: The top is the diaphragm, the bottom is the pelvic floor, front is made up of rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis, If we define stability (a term interchangeable with "strength") as the ability to resist movement, and mobility as the ability to create movement, we easily see thru a range of core exercises and the muscle action spectrum (concentric, isometric, eccentric) that there are many variables we can use to train the core.

The only exercises I have problems with are full ROM sit-ups, any crunch that adds lumbar rotation, and Russian twists (I have yet to see any athlete (even elite) that can maintain neutral spine in the lumbar while twisting to alternating sides and holding a weight ... they inevitably go into lumbar flexion as they tire and this is one of the worst "wear and tear" movements for the low back.

That said I also find great benefit from and encourage my clients to perform dead bugs, mcgill crunch, hollow-body hold, hollow-body rock, bird dogs and bear crawls.

[DavidDeeble]

“Core” definitely lacks definition - especially in my case.

[philipfontaine]

Good vid, very comprehensive and well presented. Core by definition is something that is central to it's existence or function. In my own personal experience, after a long period of sedentary life due to injuries, I am now on a health quest. My training is now targeted to consist of focusing on bone, connective tissue and muscles initially involved, in a routine designed to strengthen those core features first. These areas for me include the lower spine, hips, shoulders and knees. I realize that softer tissue develops faster, so core strength to me is the "Base" of each area of the body one wishes to train. In my humble opinion, of course.

[digitalobserved]

Production quality through the roof! I watch a lot of content on this platform, but I think yours is te best hands down

[artsmatter]

As always, thorough and well informed information. Thanks! You're doing a great job.

[MaddenScience]

Thanks for another thoughtful and thorough video. Your depth and nuance are refreshing. Once again, the human body is very complex!

[connorreid]

Thank you! I spent a year and a half dragging out back pain because I took the bad advice to brace too much… my back pain subsided when I stop doing the McGill big three daily and relax a little

[Yupppi]

The only thing I know is that my sides and back and abdomen became more symmetrical and I didn't lean as much to one side or use as much one side over the other after I started doing things like deadbugs and bird dogs and suitcase carries and learned bracing. My breathing also improved (ability to fill and fully empty my lungs with ribcage smoothly expanding and not feeling like a concrete block). Or perhaps the last one was the other way around. It also played a part in helping improve my hip posture that was in constant anterior pelvic tilt (and some other form of tilt) in such a manner that I could feel how I was twisted and tense, how my hamstrings didn't fire up on both sides in a similar way and how my glutes were not activated similarly, had difficulty to straighten up and breathe relaxedly and in some parts the muscles were also weak. In fact before I learned all kinds of core and stability exercises, I would feel that even my situps were horribly one-sided and I for the life of me couldn't start developing those lacking muscles. Until. But I never had back pain due to it (if you don't count that tension in the low back and how pushing the hip forward caused a snap that released tension due to S-shaped spine, apparently due to odd posture and unbalanced musculature in the back, but are those muscles part of the core?) The biggest improvement for me was the feeling of being able to control my body over movements though. None of the other experienced improvements were as noticeable (with the core exercising, with other exercising they were more noticeable) as the added control.

What I really liked (for some of my specific issues) was things like holding a kettlebell upside down in 90 degree arm while doing a carry walk, my shoulder stability and scapulae control, as well as forearm strength improved a ton and grew my sides and back in the lacking side. It felt like it really demanded a lot of muscle control, activation and endurance throughout the chain without demanding you to learn to activate them, it just forced those. Unlike for example plank that just hurt my shoulders and hip/back without improving anything. In general I think the biggest lack was the intuitive activation and control of the muscle chains for me, like activating hamstrings, glute and back in a proper manner for tasks, as well as that scapulae control. All resulting in lacking force production and possibly even pain in some parts of the chain (like wrist/thumb).


It's also nice to see the big lifts mentioned in the core training. Over my lifetime I've done all kinds of core exercises, but nothing has grown my core muscles as much as say squats and deadlifts when I learned bracing.

I have an idea though: people sit so much and in odd positions as well, that perhaps their core muscles are tight/too relaxed depending on the area and the exercising "wakes up" the muscles or gives them a well earned break. Like how you sometimes treat shoulder tension with doing a bit of upper body exercising and then let them relax.

[sylgo]

Splendid work. Thank you for the time, effort and commitment.

[TryWithKev]

Highly informative!
Thank you for you work making this video.

[chillah]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:00 🧐 What is Core Stability and the Challenge of Definition?
- The definition of the core is highly variable and lacks consensus.
- There are three general trends in defining the core, with varying muscle groups.
- Defining the core requires clear communication and context.
03:00 🏋️‍♂️ The Role of the Core
- The core serves functions like stability, support, balance, and protection.
- It contributes to processes like breathing, digestion, and coughing.
- Core stability depends on context and can relate to various functions.
05:59 🧩 Understanding Core Stability
- Core stability is a concept with differing interpretations.
- It involves rigidity, alignment, control, and force transfer.
- Timing of muscle contractions is essential for core stability.
09:25 📏 Measuring Core Stability
- Core stability measurement is goal-specific and lacks a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Standardized assessment techniques are inconsistent and lacking.
- Core stability varies based on different tasks and activities.
10:06 💼 Core Stability and Back Pain
- The relationship between core stability and back pain is complex.
- Some believe core stability can reduce back pain, but causality is unclear.
- Research presents diverse views on the link between core stability and back pain.
14:30 💪 Training the Core
- Training the core depends on individual goals and needs.
- Progressive overload, recovery, and variety apply to core training.
- Exercises range from compound lifts to isolation, based on context.
19:10 🏋️‍♀️ Practical Application of Core Training
- Core exercises can serve different purposes in rehab or training programs.
- They can target specific goals, address weak points, or enhance overall fitness.
- Core training should follow principles like sets, reps, and progression.

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[bendodd]

I describe the core those muscles that stabilise and move the spine while retaining the bodies organs

[Kungrom-kyxd]

i were menicus repated 4 years ago and hernia dice hernia 10 yeats .i swimmimg free stye .u suugestion work out for menicus torn and hernia dice of lumbar 4^5 .i learn pitaties for bed knee before..thanks. Thailand 🎉🎉

[wbyjswk]

Massive amount of effort went into this video ❤

[philipkim]

As always, thank you for valuable educational video. Thank you so much!