CORE

TRAINING
 BECOME THE EXPERT

CORE TRAINING
Your core is the musculature of your torso, and these
muscles are responsible for stabilizing and transferring
force from one aspect of movement to the next, for
example, changing direction – core stability is often
referred to as trunk stability.

This being said, the rectus abdominis (abs) and obliques

are the most renowned aspects of your core because they
are associated with your superficial physique.

Other muscles integral to trunk stability but not so

commonly associated as the core are the erector spinae,
quadratus lumborum, latissimus dorsi, and gluteals.

When you engage the core musculature, it’s referred to as

“bracing your core”.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

BRACE
Brace is the ability to create tension and resist forces and is integral for all forms of strength
development. Regardless of whether we are squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, or stationary
in a static posture, we need to maintain control of our entire body, especially when under
heavy loads – a heavy squat or deadlift requires strong isometric contractions of the trunk
muscles.

Exercises that involve isometric contractions of the trunk muscles that resist extension, flexion,
lateral flexion and rotation of the spine are known as anti-movements.

For example, a front plank is an anti-extension exercise because the abdominals are
contracting to prevent the spine from extending. A side plank is an anti-lateral flexion (side-
bending) exercise, and the Pallof press is an anti-rotation exercise.

This PDF looks at both anti-movements and movements that work the main core muscles, for
example, the side plank and side bends – many of these exercises are key to building
rotational strength.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

CORE MUSCLES
Although when we say “core”, the first thing we think is “abs”. Back muscles like the QLs
are, of course, extremely important for maintaining the position of and moving the spine.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

FRONT PLANK
Plank variations are isometric holds where your core
musculature works to resist gravity as it pushes you into
hyperextension (front plank) and lateral flexion/side
bending (side plank) of your spine.

The front plank involves being raised up on your

forearms (low plank) or on your hands (high plank) while
in a prone position (face down). However, we commonly
practice the RKC plank variant.

The RKC plank is named after the Russian Kettlebell

Challenge by Pavel Tsatsouline, a famous Russian
strength coach. It uses a few variations from the
standard front plank while concentrating on engaging
total body tension.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

SIT-UP VARIATIONS
There are dozens of sit-up variations, and it is well worth
cycling different variations into your training to help keep
things interesting.

• Full Sit-Ups.
• Butterfly Sit-Ups.
• Crunches – Floor & Exercise Ball.
• Heel Taps.
• Rotational Sit-Ups / Rocky Sit-Ups.
• Reverse Crunch.
• Ab Cycle.
• V-Sit Up – Double Leg and Alternate.
• Exercise Ball Hands to Feet Pass.
• Weighted Sit-Ups.
• GHD Sit-Ups.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

SIDE PLANK
The side plank is ideal for developing the core musculature
that supports your spine and resists lateral flexion (side
bending of the spine). It specifically works the obliques and
the quadratus lumborum.

People tend to find the side plank much harder than the front
plank and holding the position for longer durations can work
the quadratus lumborum intensely. The quadratus lumborum
is a muscle that is often tense in those that suffer from lower
back pain and often benefits from work like this.

The Copenhagen plank is a side plank variation where the top

leg is held by a partner or supported on a bench (or J-Cup –
pictured), allowing the individual to perform hip adductions.

Copenhagen planks are incredibly intense on the hips and

groin muscles and a great progression for anyone who has
previously suffered from groin strains.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

SIDE CRUNCH

The side crunch is an excellent exercise for the obliques

and quadratus lumborum and can be performed on an
exercise ball or GHD.

We can emphasize the work on the obliques by holding

ourselves at an oblique angle, facing slightly more to the
ceiling than directly side-on.

On the GHD, we can also perform static holds in the

side-on position, which works in a similar way to the side
plank without any stress on the supporting shoulder.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

SIDE BEND
Side bends involve bending to the side with a weight in one hand
– you don’t hold a weight in both hands as they will act to
counterbalance each other.

During a heavy side bend, you must concentrate on the muscles

that you are trying to work (obliques and quadratus lumborum)
rather than just bending at the spine and placing all the stress on
the vertebrae.

You can emphasize the work on your obliques by standing up tall

and emphasizing the mind-muscle connection to your obliques.
Whereas to emphasize the quadratus lumborum and lower
erectors, you can bend forward slightly.

Side bends are a brilliant way to build resilience in the lower

back, as they will prepare the body for uneven forces around the
spine. This is especially important for exercises like the deadlift,
where both sides of the back should be working evenly to lift the
weight.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

PALLOF PRESS
The pallof exercise can be performed as a press or as an
isometric hold and was named after a physical therapist
named Pallof.

Standing side-on to the band attachment point and

pressing or holding the band out to your front while there is
tension on the band works the core musculature incredibly
hard and can take your breath away. This is because the
rectus abdominis, obliques, and quadratus lumborum are
working hard to resist rotation (anti-rotation) and lateral
flexion (anti-lateral flexion).

The pallof press or hold can be performed while standing

(athletic stance, split stance, etc), kneeling, or even lying,
and each will test your core and hip stability in different
ways.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

BAND ROTATION
Band rotations are one of the most versatile ways to add
rotational movements into your training.

Attaching a band to a solid structure such as a post allows

you to rotate in any direction or from any angle you like.
You can isolate the rotation to your thoracic (upper) spine
or pivot on your feet and incorporate hip rotation.

Just like the Pallof press, you can perform the action from a
standing (athletic or split stance), half kneeling, or kneeling
position.

You can also perform the action from a bent-over position

or even while in a high plank position.

Tip: Have a play with different positions and find what

angles really work you hard or feel good.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

AB ROLL-OUT
Ab roll-outs work your abs incredibly hard while requiring you to
maintain the posture of your lumbopelvic region, making them one of
the best core exercises in your arsenal.

The ab roll-out involves you bracing your abdominal muscles to

maintain the positioning of your lower spine (stop it from
hyperextending) while you extend your hips and knees as you roll the
ab wheel out to your front. This means that you are flexing and
extending your hips while your abs maintain the positioning of your
pelvis and lower spine, which is what your abs have to do while you
squat and deadlift.

Many of your adductors connect to your pubis on your pelvis, which

is the same area that your abdominals attach. Therefore, combining
the engagement of these muscles will increase your overall stability
during the exercise.

To increase adductor engagement during the ab roll-out, simply place

a medicine ball between your legs and squeeze your legs together as
you roll out – this makes the ab roll-out much easier.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

LANDMINE ROTATION
The landmine rotation is a brilliant exercise that can be
progressively loaded using weight plates.

The exercise can be performed with no movement at your

hips, with the rotation isolated to the thoracic spine, or with the
whole body working to move the barbell, including pivoting on
your feet and rotating your hips and spine.

When the whole-body action is used to rotate the landmine,

there is great emphasis on hip extension accompanied by
explosive rotation, and this is vital to countless sporting
actions, such as many strikes and throws in combat sports.

To perform a landmine rotation, you grab the top of the sleeve

with an alternated grip. From there, you face the barbell in a
split stance, so the sleeve is placed on your mid-thigh, and
you lift the barbell with your upper body and rotate to turn your
body 180 degrees.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

WOODCHOP
Woodchops can be performed with dumbbells,
resistance bands, or a cable machine and you can hold
the resistance in one or both hands) – you can also
whack a sledgehammer onto a truck tyre to create an
awesome rotational exercise.

Performing the exercise with dumbbells maximizes the

need to decelerate the movement towards the end of the
lift, while bands create accommodating resistance as
your progress through the movement (it gets harder as
band tension increases).

The woodchop is performed by rotating the resistance

from one side of the body to the other and can be
practiced from a variety of starting and finishing
positions.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

RUSSIAN TWIST
Russian twists are one of the most common rotational
exercises, usually performed with a medicine ball or 5-10kg
weight plate.

The Russian twist can be performed with your heels off the
floor, which increases the stability element of the movement. It
can also be performed with your heels down, which is
commonly practiced if the lifter wants to concentrate on the
rotational movement better or is using much heavier loads.

The key to the Russian twists is to lean back to engage your

abdominals and rotate with your thoracic spine. A great cue is
“rotate with your chest.”

Russian twists can be a great exercise to finish with after a

heavy squat or deadlift session that can leave the lower back
feeling a little tense.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

TORTURE TWIST
The torture twist exercise was invented by sprint coach Barry
Ross and is a brutal rotational exercise that completely takes
your breath away.

To perform the exercise, you need to have your feet held

down, and this can be done with a barbell on the opposite side
of a rack (pictured), or it is an easy setup on the GHD.

While sitting on a bench or GHD, you lean back so your torso

is in line with your legs or slightly above at a point your
strength allows. You then press the weight to your front and
rotate from side to side – the torture twist can be done with or
without weight.

Note: Always make sure the rear section of the GHD is bolted
securely – most can be undone to change the height, etc.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

SUPINE LEG RAISE

Many leg raise type exercises can be performed while in a
supine position (lay flat on your back).

• Supine Leg Raises.

• Flutter Kicks.
• Scissor Kicks.
• Pendulum – Straight and Bent Leg.

Note: placing your hands under your glutes raises your pelvis,
which helps to keep your lower back flat and makes the
exercise much easier.

Supine leg raises can also be performed with a partner. The

partner stands with their feet at either side of your head to do
this. From there, you grab their ankles for support and raise
your legs up. The partner then proceeds to push your legs
down in different directions, and you work to keep your legs off
the floor and return to the top position.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

HANGING CORE WORK

Hanging core work is an advanced way to work the core,
hitting the rectus abdominis, obliques and hip flexors
intensely while also working on grip and lat strength (if
holding the bar).

You can also use hanging knee raise straps to remove

the need to hold onto a bar.

Hanging Core Work Variations:

• Hanging Knee Raises: Double & Alternate (a small

resistance band can be used on the alternates).
• Rotational Hanging Knee Raises.
• Hanging Straight Leg Raises.
• Toes/Shins to Bar.
• Windscreen Wipers.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

DRAGON FLAG
Dragon flags are famous for being Bruce Lee’s favourite ab exercise.

The dragon flag involves lying on a flat bench and holding the bench
at either side of your head. From there, you raise your legs to bring
your body up into one straight line while your upper back and head
are supporting you on the bench. You then slowly lower your legs
while keeping your hips straight – bending the hips reduces the
intensity of the exercise massively.

Note: The dragon flag can also be performed on the floor while
holding a sturdy structure behind you.

The aim is to maintain the position all the way down until your body
comes back in contact with the bench.

To increase the intensity of the dragon flag, you can add ankle
weights or even perform flutter kicks while at the mid-range of the
exercise, i.e., the point that puts your core muscles under the most
strain.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

EXERCISE BALL TUCK & PIKE

The exercise ball tuck involves supporting yourself with your
hands in a plank position and drawing your knees in towards
your chest while your feet are supported on an exercise ball.
This exercise works your abs and hip flexors.

The pike variation involves a similar action. However, your

knees remain straight and therefore, your hips are brought up,
and you bring your feet towards your head.

Both exercises can also be performed on a suspension

trainer.

Note: If you find supporting your weight on your hands during

exercises like these hard on your wrists (people may
experience a pinching feeling on the dorsal side of the wrist),
use a set of push-up bars.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

DEAD BUG
The dead bug is a great abdominal exercise as it involves you
extending one leg and one arm while maintaining the
positioning of your pelvis (the abs are working hard to
maintain pelvic positioning).

This can be done with the same arm and leg (ipsilateral) but is
usually performed with the arm and leg on the opposite side
(contralateral).

The dead bug is a great exercise for those who want to build
abdominal strength without stressing the lower spine, and this
is because the spine stays neutral throughout. It can also be
progressed in several ways that can turn it into quite an
intense exercise and great for maintaining lower back health.

A small loop band or dumbbells can be used to increase the

intensity of the exercise.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

BIRDDOG
More often than not, when an individual complains of lower back pain
or has a history of it, the Birddog is an exercise I would introduce.
This is because the Birddog works the extensors of the spine while
placing minimal stress on the vertebrae. It also encourages trunk
stability as we extend the arm and leg on opposite sides of the body
(contralateral) while keeping the pelvis level – a common fault during
the Birddog is tilting over to the side where the knee is down.
Therefore, you need to work hard to keep the hips level.

You can also perform the exercise by extending your arm and leg on
the same side of your body (ipsilateral). However, few people will be
able to do this while keeping their pelvis level.

For some individuals who are in the early stages of rehab and may
find hyperextension of the lower back aggravating, I would cue them
to keep their spine neutral at the top of the movement. However, for
those with no issues, allowing for hyperextension of the spine as the
leg extends to the rear (hip hyperextension) will maximize the
engagement of the back muscles – you can also add a band.
 BECOME THE EXPERT

HOLLOW HOLD
The hollow (dish) hold is an intense exercise that involves
lying on your back with your legs straight and your arms
overhead.

From this position, you lift your arms, head, shoulder

blades, and legs off the floor and hold the position to
engage your abdominals and hip flexors.

You can also perform a variation of this exercise where you

raise the entire upper body off the floor (lower back is off
the floor – sat on your glutes). During this variation, your
arms can be held to the front, and you can maximize the
intensity by keeping your legs straight and bringing your
torso and legs together, which requires both strength and
mobility (having bent knees reduces the intensity of the
exercise).
MY BOOKS: WWW.JASONCURTIS.ORG
 BECOME THE EXPERT

THE PRO PACKAGE

If you like the PDFs we post, you will love our Pro Package.

The Pro Package is an ever-growing portfolio of all the

additional content we create and more – for just £9.99 per
month for 12-months (new content every month), you get
lifelong access!

Areas we look at:

Programming & Periodization / Warming Up / Strength Training

/ Ballistic Training / Olympic Weightlifting / Plyometrics / Speed
& Agility / Metabolic Conditioning / Injuries / Coaching.

Check the Pro Package out below:

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/pro-
package
 BECOME THE EXPERT

PROGRAMMING & PERIODIZATION

If you want to learn how to program like an Elite-Level
Strength and Conditioning Coach, our
Programming & Periodization Online Course and
Manual is for you!

Get 50% off the Online Course:

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
programming-periodization-big8-no1-members

Buy the eBook (PDF Download):

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
programming-book

Buy the Book on Amazon:

https://mybook.to/programming
 BECOME THE EXPERT

WARMING UP
If you want to learn how to warm- up like a world-
class athlete, this is the Online Course and Manual
for you!

Get 50% off the Online Course:

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
warming-up

Buy the eBook (PDF Download):

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
warmup-book

Buy the Book on Amazon:

https://mybook.to/warmingup
 BECOME THE EXPERT

STRENGTH TRAINING
If you want to master over 100 free weight exercises,
this is the Online Course and Manual for you!

Get 50% off the Online Course:

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
strength-training-50-off

Buy the eBook (PDF Download):

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
strength-book

Buy the Book on Amazon:

https://mybook.to/strengthtraining
 BECOME THE EXPERT

OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
If you want to learn how to perform and coach the
Olympic Lifts, this is the Online Course and Manual
for you!

Get 50% off the Online Course:

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
olympic-lifting-50-off

Buy the eBook (PDF Download):

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
weightlifting-book

Buy the Book on Amazon:

https://mybook.to/weightlifting
 BECOME THE EXPERT

ADVANCED TRAINING TECHNIQUES

If you want to learn how to smash plateaus and take your training to
the next level, this short course is perfect for you!

This course includes over 50 advanced training techniques, many

with numerous variations.

The slides are fully narrated by Coach Curtis with accompanying

video demonstrations.

Check the course out below:

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/advanced-
training-techniques

Buy the eBook (PDF Download):

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/advanced-
book

Buy the Book on Amazon: https://mybook.to/advanced

 BECOME THE EXPERT

MUSCLES, MOBILITY & MOVEMENT

With 140+ Mobility and 85+ Strengthening Exercises for
over 50 Specific Muscles within the human body, this
manual takes a comprehensive look at how movement
occurs and the best ways to optimize it.

The manual takes an in-depth look at each individual

muscle and details the best methods of increasing their
flexibility, strength and muscular endurance.

Buy the eBook (PDF Download):

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/mmm
-book

Buy the Book on Amazon:

https://mybook.to/mmm
 BECOME THE EXPERT

ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

If you want to learn the basics of Anatomy &
Physiology, this is the Online Course and Manual for
you!

Get 80% off the Online Course:

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
anatomy-physiology

Buy the eBook (PDF Download):

https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/
anatomy-book

Buy the Book on Amazon:

https://mybook.to/anatomyphysiology
 BECOME THE EXPERT

A&P MADE SIMPLE

Take your A&P to the next level with our compact
handbook!

This book takes an in-depth but easy-to-understand

look at the 11 Organ Systems of the Human Body.

Get 20% Off the PDF download with Coupon

Code: OFF20
https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/
p/simpleap

Buy the Book on Amazon:

https://mybook.to/simpleap
 BECOME THE EXPERT

PAPERBACK PROGRAMS
Grab a Paperback or PDF copy of my Paperback Programs: Links below

Buy the eBook (PDF Download):
https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/Tribrid-
training
Buy the Paperback on Amazon:
https://mybook.to/tribrid
Buy the eBook (PDF Download):
https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/Tribrid-
training
Buy the Paperback on Amazon:
https://mybook.to/kbtribrid
Buy the eBook (PDF Download):
https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/youth
Buy the Paperback on Amazon:
https://mybook.to/youth
 BECOME THE EXPERT

PAPERBACK PROGRAMS
Grab a Paperback or PDF copy of my Paperback Programs: Links below

Buy the eBook (PDF Download): Buy the eBook (PDF Download): Buy the eBook (PDF Download):
https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/boxing https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/soccer https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/cricket
Buy the Paperback on Amazon: Buy the Paperback on Amazon: Buy the Paperback on Amazon:
https://mybook.to/boxing https://mybook.to/soccersc https://mybook.to/cricketsc
 BECOME THE EXPERT

BECOME A COACH
If you are interested in becoming a coach, our
qualifications are available worldwide and are
internationally approved (Active IQ + CIMSPA Endorsed).

You can jump straight onto the Level 4 Certificate in

Strength and Conditioning if you are already a qualified
personal trainer or sports coach or have a degree in a
related field.

If you don’t have any of the above, we can put you through
the Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing and Level 3
Diploma in Personal Training.

Request an Intro Pack below:

https://strengthandconditioningcourse.com/level-4/
 BECOME THE EXPERT

LIFELONG ACCESS TO OUR ONLINE COURSES

The BIG 8 Pillars of S&C + Multiple Intro Courses – A&P, etc.
https://courses.strengthandconditioningcourse.com/p/home
• Programming & Periodization • Olympic Weightlifting
• Warming Up • Plyometrics
• Strength Training • Speed & Agility
• Ballistic Training • Metabolic Conditioning
 BECOME THE EXPERT

MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
If you like my content, check out my YouTube Channel:
Coach Jason Curtis

On the YouTube channel, I post a selection of video tutorials

from my BIG 8 Model.

https://youtube.com/c/coachjasoncurtisacademy
 BECOME THE EXPERT

WWW.LINKTR.EE/SCCACADEMY
Go to our LinkTree to grab over 600-pages of FREE content + much more!
HOPE YOU ENJOYED
OUR CONTENT

BECOME THE EXPERT