Rule 4 – Target the Core With "Anti" Exercises
In the previous century, ab work evolved from old school sit-ups, side bends, and leg lifts to a myriad of crunch variations. All of these exercises are primarily flexion and lateral flexion based movements, so the strain they place on the lumbar spine can be considerable.
Sadly, though, the activation of the target muscles will be minimal. While the exercises listed above can still have a (small) place in your training, "anti" exercises are both far more effective and much safer.
The work of Dr. Stuart McGill has been central to helping us understand that the primary role of the core muscles is stability – preventing movement of the spine rather than producing it.
As such, core training should focus primarily on anti-flexion (preventing your spine from rounding forward), anti-extension (the opposite), anti-lateral flexion (stopping your spine from bending sideways), and anti-rotation (not allowing your spine to twist around).
Planks (particularly single-arm planks), ab wheel rollouts, side planks, stir-the-pot, dead bugs, bird-dog extensions, various loaded carries and Pallof presses (shown below) will all challenge the core musculature to resist flexion, extension, lateral flexion and/or rotation.
To increase your strength on most lifts, you need a strong and stable pillar to support your spine and to allow for greater force transfer through the kinetic chain. The ability to maximize stiffness is critical. That's exactly what "anti" exercises will give you.
