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Is "Core-Day" a thing?

  • 07-07-2014 10:20PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭Sound of Silence


    I've always struggled to fit that many core exercises into my plan at the gym. After all this neglect, I'm thinking about adding a fifth Gym day to my plan to remedy this.

    But it got me thinking, is Core-Day a thing, like Leg-Day? Do people go to the gym some days specifically to work the core, or is it something they work in amongst other exercises? I've never heard anybody say it was. But that could be because I'm still only a newbie when it comes to the Gym.


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    If you're doing compounds, your core is getting plenty of work so there's no need for a workout dedicated to core exercises.





    Unless you're hardcore...

    I'm sorry, I couldn't help it

    *shame*


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    Isn't core day called Pilates?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭Sound of Silence


    If you're doing compounds, your core is getting plenty of work so there's no need for a workout dedicated to core exercises.





    Unless you're hardcore...

    I'm sorry, I couldn't help it

    *shame*

    I haven't been doing compound exercises, mostly because I'm worried about my form. My right leg tends to move inwards when I'm doing deadlifts and squats, which isn't great for the old knees! I've been speaking to a personal trainer about how to correct it.

    So, most of what I've been doing doesn't really have that much of a positive effect on my core! Well, as far as I know. I don't want to feel like I'm neglecting a whole muscle group!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    I haven't been doing compound exercises, mostly because I'm worried about my form. My right leg tends to move inwards when I'm doing deadlifts and squats, which isn't great for the old knees! I've been speaking to a personal trainer about how to correct it.

    So, most of what I've been doing doesn't really have that much of a positive effect on my core! Well, as far as I know. I don't want to feel like I'm neglecting a whole muscle group!

    What are you doing and who put together the plan?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭Sound of Silence


    What are you doing?

    Shoulders/Back, Biceps/Triceps, Chest, and Legs. I try to compensate with the lack of compound exercises by using some of the machines, and I've certainly built strength, but I feel that I'm potentially limiting myself.

    I was told to limit myself to just over an hour in the gym, and I try to keep my rest periods to a minimum in order to build up some stamina. As such, fitting core exercises has become slightly difficult in the four days.

    Sorry for the lack of detail, as I haven't got my plan at hand to paste in here. I can note down more in an edit.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    I was really just wondering if a trainer gave you the program and why they can't show you proper for for compounds


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    But you can add in exercises like ab pulldowns, wheel roll outs, planks and weighted sit ups across all your workouts rather than do a core day.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭Sound of Silence


    I was really just wondering if a trainer gave you the program and why they can't show you proper for for compounds

    The program is mine.

    The trainer just showed me the correct form for squats and deadlifts; but after watching me, he said that my leg was consistently turning inward, and that I was likely to get an injury if this persisted. I've tried consciously manoeuvring my leg into the correct position, but the form still isn't great.

    In the mean time, he's asked me to do some exercises to correct the movement. Still, I'm going to give it another go very soon if I can, as I feel that I really need to start including compound exercises!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Could be a couple of reasons your knee comes in and in a lot of cases it comes down to not keeping knees pushed out (been guilty of that) or try to squat too heavy before for is in order. And often both. But assuming the trainer was good, the form fixing is in hand.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,049 ✭✭✭discus


    Hell yeah core day is a thing. Why would it not be?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    discus wrote: »
    Hell yeah core day is a thing. Why would it not be?

    No wonder you keep falling off the program wagon :pac:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,049 ✭✭✭discus


    Damn you dont expose me...! Its just the odd supplementary session for the ego. Besides, its not as if I'm doing any compounds anyway...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40,588 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    A core-day could be used to target the area if it was weak/lagging, but it might not be the right answer to your problem. In fact, I'm certain that a 5th core-day isn't what you need.

    You need to fix your entire program.
    What are your core exercises? For most people core work = time wasted after a workout.
    The issue with your leg turning in is far more concerning that core-work. Fix this.
    Avoiding compounds hides the issue, it's not a solution.

    For me, everything come back to the initial program. You are trying to work around the problem rather than tackle it directly. You have 4 days in the gym. Most of this time should be spent fixing your issues before you move ahead.

    Eg:
    Mobility
    Upper prep/rehab,
    session 3
    Lower prep/rehab,

    Session 3 would be decided by other issues, or areas to work on.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13 shneakynaggin


    Shoulders/Back, Biceps/Triceps, Chest, and Legs. I try to compensate with the lack of compound exercises by using some of the machines, and I've certainly built strength, but I feel that I'm potentially limiting myself.

    I was told to limit myself to just over an hour in the gym, and I try to keep my rest periods to a minimum in order to build up some stamina. As such, fitting core exercises has become slightly difficult in the four days.

    Sorry for the lack of detail, as I haven't got my plan at hand to paste in here. I can note down more in an edit.

    Why were ye told to limit yourself?

    And also depending on your goals, trying to build up stamina by having short rest periods might hinder your goals


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Doug Cartel


    Why were ye told to limit yourself?
    There are loads of good reasons, to keep sessions short, but mainly it's to stop people arseing about wasting their time.


    Sound of Silence, I also think that if you have an issue with your knee coming in on a squat you need to address that first. If you're getting rotation like that on the squat, you're going to be getting it on all sorts of other movements and it's a good way to wreck your knee.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13 shneakynaggin


    Thats fair enough but if he limits himself at the cost of not getting what needs to be done, done...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,013 ✭✭✭generic2012


    Yeah! Just like bicep day!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭Sound of Silence


    Mellor wrote: »
    A core-day could be used to target the area if it was weak/lagging, but it might not be the right answer to your problem. In fact, I'm certain that a 5th core-day isn't what you need.

    You need to fix your entire program.
    What are your core exercises? For most people core work = time wasted after a workout.
    The issue with your leg turning in is far more concerning that core-work. Fix this.
    Avoiding compounds hides the issue, it's not a solution.

    For me, everything come back to the initial program. You are trying to work around the problem rather than tackle it directly. You have 4 days in the gym. Most of this time should be spent fixing your issues before you move ahead.

    Eg:
    Mobility
    Upper prep/rehab,
    session 3
    Lower prep/rehab,

    Session 3 would be decided by other issues, or areas to work on.

    Whatever core workout I do is done between sets on leg-day. This amounts to planks and hanging leg raises.

    I will admit that I probably hold myself back from the compound exercises to an extent. It's mostly out of a fear of injury, as I've seen people suffer in the past through poor form. But still, Leg day is this Friday; I plan on trying squats and deadlifts again with no weights and see if it feels comfortable. If it does, then I'll fade out the exercises I was doing to compensate.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭Sound of Silence


    There are loads of good reasons, to keep sessions short, but mainly it's to stop people arseing about wasting their time.


    Sound of Silence, I also think that if you have an issue with your knee coming in on a squat you need to address that first. If you're getting rotation like that on the squat, you're going to be getting it on all sorts of other movements and it's a good way to wreck your knee.

    There was a lot of what's in bold! I was simply doing too many exercises in the one day and wearing myself out, rather than really focusing on a few exercises to the best of my ability and at a much higher weight.
    Thats fair enough but if he limits himself at the cost of not getting what needs to be done, done...

    I see where you're coming from!

    I think I had the idea in the past that I simply needed to do as many exercises as possible to see some progress. This philosophy, for all it was worth, had the opposite effect, as I essentially wore myself out throughout the day, all at the cost of being able to complete sets.

    Since forcing myself to do a few exercises correctly and to the best of my ability, and all in a shorter period of time, I've since seen a lot more improvement!

    To put it into perspective, in the past I would randomly start doing bicep curls on leg day for no real reason! I was that guy - just totally aimless.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,722 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    everyday should be a core day
    I like to do any core exercises before doing any compound lifts

    most people seem to leave it to the end of the workout, when they are tired - poor form and motivation


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    nice_guy80 wrote: »
    everyday should be a core day
    I like to do any core exercises before doing any compound lifts

    most people seem to leave it to the end of the workout, when they are tired - poor form and motivation

    So it's better to work your core hard before doing front squats, for example?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,880 ✭✭✭TimeToShine


    So it's better to work your core hard before doing front squats, for example?


    Or heavy military press?


  • Posts: 81,310 CMod ✭✭✭✭ Anna Little Volleyball


    Doing a few before bed in the evening is better for me
    No interfering with workout and not too wrecked to do them after it


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,356 ✭✭✭papu


    Or heavy military press?

    or deadlifts.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    All those movements suck for your "core"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,802 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Hanley wrote: »
    All those movements suck for your "core"

    Not disagreeing.

    i just wouldn't fancy doing any sort of heavy front squats after doing some ab pulldowns.

    Or put better, I'd rather not do them until after front squats, for example, in case they might cost me on the front squats.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,699 ✭✭✭COH


    I have no problem with core stability before compounds - rolling planks, curl ups etc. as activation/stability movements but I wouldn't go testing my max weighted plank, tabata sit-ups or 15mins of plate shifting before a 3rm squat attempt

    If your trunk stability is poor - figure out what aspect of it needs work and do more of it. It'll fit into everyone's training differently. If you need to do a whole day of it then do it, nobody else's opinion matters if the rationale is sound because you are a beautiful and unique snowflake


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,049 ✭✭✭discus


    Hanley wrote: »
    All those movements suck for your "core"

    But its been dogma for years


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    COH wrote: »
    I have no problem with core stability before compounds - rolling planks, curl ups etc. as activation/stability movements but I wouldn't go testing my max weighted plank, tabata sit-ups or 15mins of plate shifting before a 3rm squat attempt

    If your trunk stability is poor - figure out what aspect of it needs work and do more of it. It'll fit into everyone's training differently. If you need to do a whole day of it then do it, nobody else's opinion matters if the rationale is sound because you are a beautiful and unique snowflake

    True that.
    discus wrote: »
    But its been dogma for years

    ...and that.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,722 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    I should have specified core stability stuff and activation exercises

    my bad


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