Though magazine covers and fad articles may tell a different story, the real function of your midline (core) is to transfer force.

Consider which would hurt more: getting hit in the back of the head with a baseball, or getting hit in the back of the head with a water balloon? Both are roughly equal size and weight, but the fact that the baseball is quite rigid while the water balloon is highly pliable and deformable makes for two very different types of impact. The baseball will inflict more damage because it will transfer more force at the point of impact.

While I hope you’re not tossing your body around like a baseball, the same idea applies to bracing the midline. A braced midline transfers force like a baseball. An unbraced midline saps away force like a floppy water balloon. The performance implications of this should be clear (not to mention the importance of protecting your spine!).

What this means is that a strong and functional midline is developed through bracing (holding a position) under load. Turns out, we do this just about every time we move a barbell, kettlebell, sandbag, etc. You can even develop these bracing capacities with just the load of your own bodyweight (hollow rocks, anyone?).

Remember that every day that involves force transfer (read: every day) is a “core” day with the right intention. Perhaps “force transfer” doesn’t have the same headline appeal as “ripped abs” to many folks, but we’re not in the game of dressing up a Ford Taurus in fake Ferrari clothing.

- PS

8/1/19

• EMOM 8

• Max unbroken strict chin-ups

Then...

• Every 4 minutes for 20 minutes:

• 200m sprint

• *record fastest