When most people think about the core they imagine the abs – the kind that you can do your laundry on. There is more to the core than just that six-pack, however. The core is made up of everything between the clavicle and the glutes – we call it the Pillar. It links the upper and lower body and forms the foundation of all movement – which is why training the Pillar is so important.

The crunch, and its many variations, is still what many people associate with core training. Planking is a much more effective core exercise that strength-ens your entire body in the process. It’s one of the most efficient ways to build strength, endurance and breath control while activating the entire core.

It may look easy, but performing a proper plank requires strong glutes and lats, mobility, joint strength and stability, and efficient breathing. A proper plank requires you to engage the lats, core and glutes while maintaining a neutral spine without twisting. It’s actually very difficult to do a plank well.

The plank, along with the squat, are exercises that when done properly with bracing and breath control contribute to maximum training results. Master these fundamental skills and you’ll see major improvement in your overall strength – and get better results from your training. These two exercises are key to the foundation levels of the 43°22 training system featured at The Base.

At The Base by RVH we provide a customized training experience for every level, based on the principles of our groundbreaking 43°22 training system. 43°22 bridges the gap between rehab, fitness and performance by building on fundamental athletic skills to deliver better results.

We guarantee that if you commit to a 43°22 program you will reach your goal. All you need to do is show up. Visit rivervalleyhealth.com for more info.