In fitness communities it is quite easy to get lost in the latest gimmicks and fads. When looking for the best core exercise you might find it impossible to see around suspension trainers, kettlebells and body weight moves which most gym users find too difficult to do.
Many people are fooled into believing that the greatest moves for strengthening your core muscles involve working out in a park and doing push ups while hanging from a tree, such is the industry's obsession with new fads and passing gimmicks.
However, the king of core exercises was recently discovered to be front squats performed with a loaded barbell.
The barbell squat is the proven king of the gym, despite being the exercise most gym users overlook in favor of constantly hitting their arms and chest. Take the relatively small number of people who actively barbell squat on a regularly basis and halve that figure to get an estimate of how many gym users use this lesser known variation, where the bar sits on the shoulders in front of the neck as opposed to behind. It's a great move for strengthening the erector spinae.
A great study published by the Journal of Strength And Conditioning Research was conducted in England in 2011. The researchers compared the effects of front squats against the superman exercise, an awesome body weight move which places incredible stress on the midsection.
In a shocking twist of events, front squats were found to yield a 5% increase in core strength over the superman.
It is worth noting that front squats in this study were all performed with only a barbell - no weights were actually used. Given that this resulted in a 5% increase and when you factor in that by adding further resistance you will engage the erector spinae muscles even further, it becomes clear how effective front squats are in this category.
By hitting the erector spinae muscles very hard, you will build a very strong and tight midsection without needing to do countless crunches.
If you were one of the many to believe that the greatest exercises for your midsection were based on a yoga mat or outside hanging from a suspension trainer, you are not alone. The fitness industry's obsession with finding a new way to do old tricks causes a great deal of confusion and people often over complicate simple things. Overall, though, the old proven principles of bodybuilding, HIIT and aggressive strength training still trump any new developments scientifically.
If you prefer lifting heavy iron in the gym then today's news will come as a welcome break from suspension trainers and shake weights. The latest research hails the front squat as the undisputed king, the best core exercise for developing overall strength and power.
Many people are fooled into believing that the greatest moves for strengthening your core muscles involve working out in a park and doing push ups while hanging from a tree, such is the industry's obsession with new fads and passing gimmicks.
However, the king of core exercises was recently discovered to be front squats performed with a loaded barbell.
The barbell squat is the proven king of the gym, despite being the exercise most gym users overlook in favor of constantly hitting their arms and chest. Take the relatively small number of people who actively barbell squat on a regularly basis and halve that figure to get an estimate of how many gym users use this lesser known variation, where the bar sits on the shoulders in front of the neck as opposed to behind. It's a great move for strengthening the erector spinae.
A great study published by the Journal of Strength And Conditioning Research was conducted in England in 2011. The researchers compared the effects of front squats against the superman exercise, an awesome body weight move which places incredible stress on the midsection.
In a shocking twist of events, front squats were found to yield a 5% increase in core strength over the superman.
It is worth noting that front squats in this study were all performed with only a barbell - no weights were actually used. Given that this resulted in a 5% increase and when you factor in that by adding further resistance you will engage the erector spinae muscles even further, it becomes clear how effective front squats are in this category.
By hitting the erector spinae muscles very hard, you will build a very strong and tight midsection without needing to do countless crunches.
If you were one of the many to believe that the greatest exercises for your midsection were based on a yoga mat or outside hanging from a suspension trainer, you are not alone. The fitness industry's obsession with finding a new way to do old tricks causes a great deal of confusion and people often over complicate simple things. Overall, though, the old proven principles of bodybuilding, HIIT and aggressive strength training still trump any new developments scientifically.
If you prefer lifting heavy iron in the gym then today's news will come as a welcome break from suspension trainers and shake weights. The latest research hails the front squat as the undisputed king, the best core exercise for developing overall strength and power.
About the Author:
Bio: Expert south shields personal trainer Russ Howe PTI wrote our article. Discover the best core exercise for strength and tons of weight loss tips via his fitness and nutrition website.