Ab-Natomy 2

So nine months ago I posted a piece titled Ab-Natomy Volume 1 detailing our current obsession with abdominal training, a bunch anatomy stuff (the part you skipped over) and many of the common myths associated with said training.  If you missed part one you can find it here.  As I mentioned in the first addition of Ab-Natomy, I had originally planned on writing a single post addressing abdominal training.  However, as I went along, it became apparent that the intended content would be better addressed through two separate writings.  I came to this conclusion for a couple of reasons; firstly, it would allow me to avoid jumping around too much from concept to concept, inevitably watering down talking points and secondly, well, I was ready for a break from the computer screen.

 

As promised, Ab-Natomy 2 will seek to enlighten the readership on abdominal training specifically aimed at athletic performance.  Warning, the ideas expressed will require a degree of open-mindedness and an ability to think critically.  It’s certainly not rocket science, but a departure from how we traditionally view muscles and their roles in movement must take place.  I will do my best to provide examples that should ease this process.  So without further ado, let us move fourth into the world of Ab-Natomy Volume 2.

 

The first question that needs to be addressed if we are to develop a better understanding of how to train the abdominal region for athletics,  is what’s wrong with the prevailing abdominal training philosophy?  You know the one that includes extreme amounts of floor based crunching (flexion) and twisting (rotation).  Well, it’s predicated on an overly simplistic model of abdominal muscle function.  One in which only concentric muscular contraction is taken into any real consideration and focuses on the creation of movement almost exclusively.

Sorry, let me break that down.  Simplistic model, too much movement focus, and only one type of muscle contraction emphasized. 

Next question, how can things be done better?  To start, forget everything you've ever been taught about how to train your abs (what your high school football coach taught you, what you've read in Muscle and Fiction magazine, what you see every day at the gym, etc).  This next portion is going to require you to work from something of a clean slate.  Now let’s begin to apply some logic and examine how the abdominal musculature actually functions in the world of athletics.

Here is one of my favorite examples of how things really work.  Riddle me this, if I asked you to perform a 100% effort sprint and you didn't have abs, what would happen?  If you’re still scratching your head, do me a favor.  Stand up, press the tips of your fingers firmly into your upper abs (gold star for anyone who can recall the actual name of the muscle you are currently pressing against), pick up one foot so that you are standing on a single leg and relax your abs so that your stomach becomes relatively soft.  Once here, lean backwards and take note of what happens.

 

Congratulations, you've just exposed yourself to a brief glimpse of how the abs generally function during everyday activity.   What you should have noticed was a contraction taking place within your rectus abdominus as soon as your trunk started to deviate away from its center of gravity.  This particular contraction likely either halted the backward motion of the trunk entirely (isometric contraction), or created a significant slowing of the trunks backward momentum (eccentric contraction).  Now think about my earlier question again.  What would have happened to your torso during that ab-less sprint?  I’m not sure if being able to touch the back of your head to your heels is healthy. How’s that mental image treating you?

This particular example provides us with the ground work to begin understanding how the abdominal region works in athletics.  Our core musculature helps to absorb, transfer, stabilize, resist force and movement as we sprint, jump, cut, tackle, swing, throw, etc.  Much of this work takes place via isometric (contraction in the absence of any change in muscular length) and eccentric (contraction in the presence of muscle lengthening) muscular contraction as the body seeks a platform of pelvic and spinal stability from which the limbs can work.  The traditional abdominal training model misses the boat almost entirely with regards to training stability and resistance to movement.  It is imperative that we train the abdominals to be proficient in the likes of anti-extension (resistance to extension) and anti-rotation (resistance to rotation) to ensure that the core can maximize its ability to enhance systemic athletic performance.  Here are a few examples of the abdominals taking on the role of anti-extensors and anti-rotators in the real world:

What is keeping these two from folding backwards like pretzels?  A great deal of Anti-extension from their abdominal region, that's what.

Can't tell me his abs aren't playing a significant role here.  Anti-extension / Anti-rotation

This little girl's bike has some serious anti-extension strength

Anti-extension / Anti-rotation

Why your abs are sore after jump training (Anti-extension at its finest)

Same as above but with a view from the sagital plane

With all this in mind, that strange phenomenon of incredibly sore abs following a sprint or jump training sessions should be starting to make sense.  Furthermore, does doing hundreds of crunches still seem logical as a means to train your abdominal region for athletic greatness?  Before everyone goes and gets their undergarments in a twist, I’m not advocating for a complete removal of flexion based abdominal work; just a significant reduction in its volume to make way for a more well-rounded approach.

In order to properly condition the abs for athletics there are a few things that we must address within our programing.  First, training emphasis should shift from a trunk motion focus to one of trunk stabilization.  Second, exercises designed to train abdominal force transfer must be included and coached appropriately.  Third flexion based training volume should be reduced and progressed from simple isolation style exercises to larger movements requiring integrated muscle involvement; and finally, some form of dynamic pelvic and spinal stability training should be utilized.

Let’s take a moment to briefly break down each of the points above:

Shifting Focus from Movement to Stability

Traditional abdominal training places heavy emphasis on things like crunches, Russian twists, sit-ups etc.  While these motions likely have a place in a training regimen, the reality is that they probably shouldn’t make up the lion’s share of your abdominal work where athletic functionality is concerned.  Planking variations, roll-outs, push-up variations, suspension trainer flutters, Palof presses, cable push-pulls, single arm presses and others can help to develop a strong and stable abdominal region.

Moral of the story, trade these,

for theses.

Planking Variations (Anti-extension)

Stability Ball Roll-outs (Anti-extension)

Push-up Variations (Anti-extension)

Palof Press (Anti-rotation)

Cable Push-Pull (Anti-rotation)

Suspension Trainer Flutters (Anti-extension)

Single Arm Press (Anti-rotation)

Abdominal Force Transfer

When you really look hard at athletic movements, as stated earlier, the abdominal region does much more bracing to allow for force generated from the legs to transfer to the arms.  Yet with something like a baseball swing we consistently see trainers advocating movements that isolate the abdominals in a rotary pattern, creating trunk motion independent of the hips and lower body.  Take a look at the video and photo below.  Pay close attention to the synergy between the hips and the abdominal region.  What do you see?  Notice how the buttons on his shirt track in unison with his belt buckle almost perfectly the entire time.  Force for the swing is generated from the back leg, up through the hips, transferred across the abdominal region to the arms and finally through the bat.    

Why are we locking the hips down in the gym?  

Let the hips go son!

Tennis and hockey clips offer similar examples.

Are we starting to notice the trend?

Here’s a quick and easy assessment that anyone can do.  Which one looks more athletic?

or

Not a difficult choice, is it?

Exercises such as medicine ball throws, landmine rotational presses and band / cable rotations are all good options for teaching the body to effectively transfer force across the abdominal region, so long as the hips are cued to move naturally, a stable spine is maintained and the rotational component is occurring through the hips and not being driven through the lumbar spine.

Flexion Based Continuum

Flexion based abdominal training has taken some serious heat over the past few years as reports questioning its safety in regards to spinal health have surfaced.  More recently the question of how much emphasis we should be putting on these findings have emerged, as a large portion of the research was done in vitro and may have missed possible active stability mechanisms provided to the spine by living, fully functioning non-passive tissues.  Given the current information available, it would seem prudent to take precaution by limiting the volume of flexion based movements while maintaining some level of strength within the flexion pattern.  Because crunches and exercises similar in nature do a solid job of teaching an individual how to isolate and contract the abdominal region, they are not a bad place to start.  With that said I would prefer that they be used sparingly and integrated into more complex movements such as the Turkish Get-Ups and various forms of medicine ball slams once the trainee has obtained appropriate motor control over the abdominal musculature.  

The idea is to move from these

To these 

Turkish Get-Up

Medicine Ball Slam

Dynamic Core Stability Training

Because the abdominals don’t work in an isolated state on the field, court or ice, it’s important that they receive some stimulus within a dynamic environment during training.  This is probably easier done than one might think.  Including some maximal effort sprinting and jumping in your program can go a long way to address this need.  Additionally, unsupported overhead work, weighted carries (farmer’s walks & waiter’s carries) are a great inclusion into any core training program and are easily progressed and made more challenging by shifting from bilateral to unilateral variations.

Waiter's Carry (Unilateral)

Farmer's Walk (Bilateral)

Farmer's Walk (Unilateral)

Any dynamic overhead work (overhead walking lunges shown here)

In Closing:

The extent to which each of the above noted items should be emphasized within a given training regimen will vary based on factors such as individual strengths and weakness, given sporting code, training phase, etc.  Whatever the case may be, if you’re missing any one of the components you’re likely selling yourself short where abdominal development is concerned.  

So there you have it, a quick and dirty crash course on training the abdominal region for athletic excellence.  The key point to remember is that the abdominals role goes significantly further than simply flexing the trunk forward, their purpose is much more sophisticated than that.  The abdominals could very well be the body's equivalent to The Most Interesting Man in the World.

The Most Interesting Muscles in the World.

Who would have guessed endless crunches and leg-lifts would not be the answer?  If this is still confusing, please proceed back to the top of this article and re-read.  Repeat as needed.  Until next time, happy training.