Side planks

W

World B

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I've been doing a core workout for sometime now and have had great results in strength and definition. I've described the workout before so I won't bore anyone with the details. My question has to do with Side Planks. I used to do these years ago and felt my new routine would hit those areas. To my surprise doing straight or bent arm Side Planks I felt really weak. I also tried lifting the top leg and found this to be very difficult.
I like finding weakness and exercising to strengthen those areas. Aside from doing more Side Planks any ideas on where the weakness is--hip flexors etc and what other exercises I need to do? Mastering this exercise will open up a whole new routine with many variations.
 
weighted side bends


and add difficutlyu to your pose-

go into side warrior by poiting your upper hand straight toward the ceiling, and look right down your fingers into space. exhale and hold..

then try closing eyes

are you stacking your ankles? make it so you use just the outside bottom of one foot. It will hurt at first.

fingertip balancing, or start with just on your knuckles on your base hand

All of these lil things make it so you will stay in that pose much longer too

It is a focus and a breath

FF
 
Thanks everyone for the info. I'm still not sure what muscle group is weak in my workout but side bends sounds appropriate. I'm guessing lower lats and obliques maybe my quads.
I've had trouble with my form on overhead squats so I checked them out and I'll try again. Your post brings up a good point that I was not aware of until recently. Your upper quads are part of your core, so that's why squats are a great core exercise. I kinda thought core was abs/hips/low back but it actually extends further up and down the torso. Can anyone clarify this for me a little more?
I tried some situps without someone or thing holding your feet. They're tough as well. Sometimes when I think I'm getting really fit I find out how much more I really need to do. Does anyone else feel that way?
 
World B said:
Sometimes when I think I'm getting really fit I find out how much more I really need to do. Does anyone else feel that way?
Click to expand...

Every day I feel this way.

I know enough to know I don't know enough... you know!?

BUT... I come here to read & learn from the many who DO know what they are talking about.
 
I don't think there is an "official" definition of core. It is generally used to refer to all the non-major muscle groups (major muscle groupls being LATS, TRAPS, DELTS, BICEPS, TRICEPS, Forearms, PECS, Spinal Erectors, GLUTES, QUADS, LEG BICEPS and CALVES). I think it originally began being used when somebody realized if you only did isolation exercises (typically on machines, since it is almost impossible to "isolate" a muscle group with free weights), there were a lot of muscles that are required for everyday tasks, like walking, running, jumping, climbing, lifting and carrying stuff, balancing, etc., that were not being exercised. If you are doing compound free weight exercises like bent rows, standing presses, squats, deadlifts, etc. you do exercise all those "other" muscle groups to some extent by accident, and maybe even as much as needed unless you have some sort of injury or weakness. As the OP noted there are a lot of other muscles in the front of the leg besides the 4 major heads of the quad, that are important to athletic performance and every day tasks, as well as a lot of others in the torso which are typically connotated by the term "core".
 
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