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I recently had a chance to sit down with Jim Smith, CSCS of the Diesel
Crew and the author of
Combat Core. I was able to get the low down on his new product and
talk to him about what "real" core strength is all about.
[Brijesh Patel] Question: Jim, First off, thanks for the
interview. What do you think is the biggest mistake most trainers make
when trying to develop core strength?
[Jim Smith] Most trainers focus on what I have dubbed building
strength of movement patterns. What they fail to realize is that this
is only one piece of the total puzzle. Building strength in the gym with
movements like leg lifts, sit-ups, reverse sit-ups and so on...is a
compliment to a bigger, more comprehensive core strength program. There
are other criteria that make up the rest of the pyramid that I have
established in
Combat Core.
[BP] Question: What, in your opinion, is the biggest myth
concerning abdominal programs?
[JS] For trainers, I would point to my previous response. For the
general public and even athletes, I would say that they believe that "more
is better." They believe, if they do 1000 crunches each workout, they will
get ripped abs. Of course, the real answer is that being able to display a
sick set of abs is the direct result of low body fat levels. If you want
abs, you better get the fat off that is covering them.
[BP] Question: How does core strength affect back pain and
posture?
[JS] Your abdominals and back musculature work together to
stabilize and protect the spine, hips and pelvis. If any of these muscle
groups (and surrounding structures) are weak, posture is affected and
sometimes the muscles (groups) become inhibited which causes the secondary
movers to become overactive or on-tension. This will inevitably lead to
injury and poor performance. Building torso strength by incorporating
compound exercises that activate many muscle groups at the same time,
teaches the lifter or athlete to move their body as a single, coordinated
unit. Isolated exercises tend to lead to imbalances if used too much.
[BP] Question: How has your abdominal training strategies
changed over the years?
[JS] I used to think that by throwing in a couple sets of sit-ups
or leg raises at the end of the workout was enough torso strengthening
work. But over the years as I have gained experience and continued to
study performance, I have developed a new, more comprehensive training
model specific to athletes. The same attention and effort that you put in
to planning your primary training sessions, you must also spend on
designing your core training strategies.
About the Author
Jim Smith is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist who writes
for Men's Fitness and the Elite Q/A Staff. Jim has been involved in
strength training as a performance enhancement specialist for over 8 years
and has worked with athletes from various sports who compete at various
levels. He has published articles about his unique training style and
innovative methods for many prominent strength and fitness related sites.
He is also the authored of three renowned strength manuals. For more
innovative training solutions, visit
www.CombatCoreStrength.com.
For real core strength, check out:
www.CombatCoreStrength.com
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