Understanding the Functional Bodybuilding Ab and Core Exercises

Core exercises are very crucial in improving your balance and stability. They train your pelvis muscles, abdomen, hips, and lower back to function in harmony. The core includes the erector spinae, lower lats, and obliques fondly referred to as the traverse abdominis. When you talk about core training, you are basically engaged in CrossFit training that strengthens and develop these stabilizer muscles. The following are some of the workouts that can help build your core and your ab.

Dumbbell Side Plank Rotation

This exercise is a brilliant combination of scapular mobility and strength. If you want to build back lost range of motion in your shoulder blade during injury cycles when the shoulder region gets protective and tight, side plank rotations are the best. You can also add the top armload to give your upper shoulder rhomboid some extra work.

Contralateral Glute Bridge Hold

This is an excellent posterior chain and trunk drill which can help you build the main muscle connection between your shoulders and hips. Just in case you didn’t know, the connection between opposing shoulder and hip joints usually shows up in lots of human movement patterns. Two examples of such movement patterns including walking and running. Through this exercise, you can prepare your body for an upcoming running session.

L Hang Flutter Kicks

This is an absolute core crusher and an excellent way in which to work your overhead position. Truth be told, hanging is not an activity that gets enough time on any typical day. However, by increasing your hanging time, you can add to your stock of core CrossFit exercises which you can do when hanging from a bar or rings. The benefits of this practice include engaged flexor chain followed by a hollow body position which helps in reinforcing good alignment overhead while at the same time stimulating your anterior chain.

Two Arm Turkish Sit-Up

Turkish sit-up is one of the workouts that places a huge demand on the anterior core. It is an exercise that trains your shoulder and enhances your range of motion. It also helps in stabilizing your shoulder through the entire 90-degree range of motion. Two arms Turkish sit up has a fantastic carryover to overhead training.

Rope L-Sit Pull Up

This is an advanced upper pulling exercise which gives you an amazing grip challenge. You fully benefit from this, ensure you perform equal reps using each hand position. If you can combine the rope L-sit pull up with a lower body squat variation, you can get a superset that gives you lots of rest time in between sets.

The last exercise is the ring mountain climber which is a moderate core exercise that you can do with ease in any CrossFit gym. It is often viewed as a precursor to the ring body saw workout. One of the skills the ring mountain climber exercise helps you develop is the flexion of the hip on a somewhat stable spine and hollow position.