Core 2.0

Would like to get the core strength up a notch, so that certain exercises/moves are easier.

Mainly interested in getting a stronger and more stable L-sit and front lever.

Can't practice L-sit for long as it gets to my wrists and hands.

My L-sit (using pushup handles) is 20-30 seconds. (Arm/trunk length issue).

Much shorter hold times if I try to do less than 90 degrees.

Front lever - single leg with decent form for about 10 seconds.

Which of these do you think might have the most carry over (with current maxes)?

Plank - 90 secs feet on ground, arms straight

HLL - 6 in a set before tiring (using pullup bar not stall)

Cranks - a few with single leg or straddle front lever before tiring

v-situps - perhaps 8

Headstand leg negatives/raises (forget the name) - can't do under any control.

I haven't done any progressions on Plank or HLL but could.

Don't practice FL often but it seems to get easier as I do more pullups and rows.

Should practice it more than I do !

How's your hollow?

Rik de Kort said:

How's your hollow?

Have done 30 before but don't practice it regularly nowadays.

Before I would do 3 sets of 20.

Rings were not turned out, but I gather RTO are more an upper body than core strength element.

Of everything you listed, the HLL are going to be the best.

Of everything you didn't list, I'd have to go with hollow holds and hollow rocks. Single leg and double leg seated straight leg hip flexion is also a good idea.

Also, working on your pike stretch is probably a good idea! It is certainly one of the things that makes L-sit more difficult for me. You kind of have to fight the hamstring rubber band, and unless you can't deadlift more than your legs weigh the hamstrings are going to be stronger than your core

Glad to hear that Josh. I like HLL. Also recently got Pavel's book on HLL that's free from the dragondoor website.

Hollow hold and rocks (same as swings?) I should do more often. I neglect because

I do my statics inside and dynamics in the garage or at the gym.

And if I am doing dips, feel that it might be too hard on my hands.

Narrow wrists and piano player (or surgeon) fingers

The hamstrings are pretty tightly strung. Can't get a full pike for sure. Knees come up up

as I get closer. Sometimes do the weighted pike stretch.

Othertimes just unweighted varieties. It's a good point, certainly progressing much beyond 90'

will be difficult the way they are!

Not swings, just hollow hold on the ground and then rocking forward and backwards from shoulders to hips while staying hollow for hollow rocks. It's pretty tough to maintain shape.

One thing I have been doing is repeatedly lifting into a hollow hold and then laying back down. This feels good and helps a bit, but can't replace the isometrics. Just a good way to build up strength and get a really good feel for how the hollow should feel.

Joshua Naterman said:

Not swings, just hollow hold on the ground and then rocking forward and backwards from shoulders to hips while staying hollow for hollow rocks. It's pretty tough to maintain shape.

One thing I have been doing is repeatedly lifting into a hollow hold and then laying back down. This feels good and helps a bit, but can't replace the isometrics. Just a good way to build up strength and get a really good feel for how the hollow should feel.

Cool thanks! So many exercises, so little time :wink:

FutureisNow said:

Joshua Naterman said:

Not swings, just hollow hold on the ground and then rocking forward and backwards from shoulders to hips while staying hollow for hollow rocks. It's pretty tough to maintain shape.

One thing I have been doing is repeatedly lifting into a hollow hold and then laying back down. This feels good and helps a bit, but can't replace the isometrics. Just a good way to build up strength and get a really good feel for how the hollow should feel.

Cool thanks! So many exercises, so little time :wink:

That's my dilemma as well

You could try body levers or the ab roll out equipment in one of those sessions. If you can do them they both seem to help tremendously as long as you can keep a hollow position.

Joshua Naterman said:

FutureisNow said:

Joshua Naterman said:

Not swings, just hollow hold on the ground and then rocking forward and backwards from shoulders to hips while staying hollow for hollow rocks. It's pretty tough to maintain shape.

One thing I have been doing is repeatedly lifting into a hollow hold and then laying back down. This feels good and helps a bit, but can't replace the isometrics. Just a good way to build up strength and get a really good feel for how the hollow should feel.

Cool thanks! So many exercises, so little time :wink:

That's my dilemma as well

That's why carryover was invented.

ausswe said:

You could try body levers or the ab roll out equipment in one of those sessions. If you can do them they both seem to help tremendously as long as you can keep a hollow position.

Forgot to metion I do use an ab wheel couple times a week. Mostly from my knees and some standing negatives. Can do a complete partial standing rep but only 1 or 2. The return seems to use mostly legs, or perhaps I'm not engaging my core enough. A bit hard on the shoulders it seems.

Body levers are more of an straight body movement no? In any event I don't have a good place to do those.

My next wife will hopefully be a pole dancer so we can share

Even bough its a straight body exercise it still has improved my core considerably especially seeing as a lot of the things I want to do require that straight body strength as for the an roll outs I start from standing but I only return to a Plank position afte going all the way down as anything beyond that feels useless for me. I combined the an wheel with one of those exercise balls under my feet for a better challenge seemed to work well in a rush to catch a plane to Hungary sorry for the short response

FutureisNow said:

ausswe said:

You could try body levers or the ab roll out equipment in one of those sessions. If you can do them they both seem to help tremendously as long as you can keep a hollow position.

Forgot to metion I do use an ab wheel couple times a week. Mostly from my knees and some standing negatives. Can do a complete partial standing rep but only 1 or 2. The return seems to use mostly legs, or perhaps I'm not engaging my core enough. A bit hard on the shoulders it seems.

Body levers are more of an straight body movement no? In any event I don't have a good place to do those.

My next wife will hopefully be a pole dancer so we can share

That's how they are once the hands are under the shoulders, your feet are the fixed point and you can't get the shoulders any closer to them than plank without using the hip flexors.