Core Training 101

When most people think about “training their core,” they picture endless crunches, sit-ups, or chasing a visible six-pack.

But your core is far more important—and far more complex—than that.

If your goal is to move better, get stronger, reduce pain, and yes, even look better, it starts with understanding what your core actually is and how to train it properly.

What the "Core" Actually Is

While many think this way when training their core, your core is not just your abs. It’s a system of muscles that work together to stabilize your spine and transfer force throughout your body. This includes:

• Rectus abdominis (the “six-pack”)

• Obliques (internal & external)

• Transverse abdominis (your deep “corset” muscle)

• Erector spinae (lower back)

• Diaphragm

• Pelvic floor (yes fellas, this is important for you too)

• Even your glutes and lats play a role

Think of your core less like a single muscle and more like a 360-degree support system for your spine.

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Why Core Training Matters

Spinal Stability:

Your core’s primary job is to protect and stabilize your spine.

Whether you’re lifting weights, picking up your kids, or sitting at a desk, your core helps maintain proper positioning and reduces unnecessary strain.

Force Production & Transfer:

A strong core allows you to transfer force efficiently.

• Squats and deadlifts? Core.

• Running, jumping, or throwing? Core.

• Even something simple like carrying groceries? Core.

If your core is weak, you “leak” energy—and your performance suffers.

Aesthetics:

This is one where some may have differing opinions. Some people claim you can build some abs by strictly incorporating compound lifts (we'll get to that in a few minutes). In others opinion (and this is where I generally stand), adding some direct core work will absolutely help you build visible abs.

But here’s the most important thing if you want visible abs:

You don’t reveal your abs through core training alone. You reveal them through nutrition and overall body fat reduction.

Core training builds the muscle, but proper nutrition reveals it.

Core Training Principles

If you've had any interactions with Verix in the past, you know that we like principles and frameworks. Here is how we look at training the core.

Start With Stability:

This is the starting point for a lot of people, and where many go wrong. Your core's first job is to protect the spine through resisting movement. I'm not saying that your spine is not meant to move, but if the goal is to lift weights and build muscle, you need to have that ability to brace first.

"Your spine is like a steering wheel. It's meant to move, but only when you want it to"

- A smart person......sorry I can't remember

We can categorize these into 3-ish buckets:

• Anti-Extension (resisting arching your lower back) Example: Planks, Dead Bugs

• Anti-Rotation (resisting twisting) Example: Pallof Press

• Anti-Lateral Flexion (resisting side bending) Example: Suitcase Carries

Where you are with these movements often is going to tell us as coaches what exercises your body is ready for. For example, if you can't hold an unloaded plank for 60sec, we probably shouldn't be doing Barbell Back Squats or Deadlifts until we've built the strength to stabilize.

Progress to Dynamic Movement:

Once you can control your spine, you can start to create movement:

• Flexion (crunching)

• Extension (controlled back movement)

• Rotation (twisting patterns)

This is where more traditional “ab exercises” come in, and they can be a fantastic addition to your program. But, they should not be your starting point.

How to Progress Your Core Training

This is what I see a lot in gym settings - the same old front plank for the exact same time each week. Like any other muscle group, your core needs progressive overload. Many of us understand this concept from training our chest, legs, biceps, etc. We add more of a stimulus week-after-week so our bodies adapt (if dosed properly). Core training is no different, but often confused. Here are three ways to progress week by week:

Time:

This one's pretty simple - Increase how long you can hold positions (e.g., plank from 20 → 45 seconds)

Resistance:

Add some load - we may go from bodyweight exercises but progress with the use of bands, cables, dumbbell, etc.

Support/Stance/Position:

There can be a lot of variance to this. We can decrease stability by going from a bilateral (2 foot) stance into a split stance. We could even increase stability by bracing up against something to add some more resistance.

Isolate → Integrate:

A smart core program follows a simple progression:

Step 1: Isolation (Low Fatigue)

Learn proper positioning and control in those static positions (eg. Planks, Dead Bugs, Bird Dogs). This is typically done by itself, so as to not be influenced by fatigue.

Step 2: Isolation under Fatigue

This is where we challenge the ability to maintain these static postures when tired. Typically what we do is incorporate these holds within a conditioning circuit (eg. 10 calories on the BikeErg into a 30sec plank)

Step 3: Integration into Lifting

This is where real transfer happens. When we're lifting, our core should be active. So every time you squat, hinge, press, throw, carry something all those muscles are working (assuming we learned the bracing in Steps 1&2) the way that they were designed.

Conclusion:

If you take anything away from this article, hopefully it is this:

Your core is more than just your "six pack" and allows your body to do some pretty incredible things. But like the other training we do, it has a series of progressions to get the most bang-for-buck and keep you training safely and often.

Build control first, progress it gradually, and integrate it into everything you do. That’s how you build a core that doesn’t just look good—but actually works.