Physical Subculture

Why?  Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy?

Why do folks still believe that lying on the ground flexing their spine is time well spent? I’ve posted the updated version of my most popular article (which, if googled, can be found pirated on several websites). It is now called ABS: The Inconvenient Truths.  Here’s a sample:

Truth #3: Strengthening the ‘abs’ doesn’t necessarily strengthen the spine (and isolating them is a joke).
To justify the hundreds of crunches and twisty things folks do on the floor, instead of just admitting they’re trying to look pretty, the excuse is often related to strengthening the back. In fact ask the average gym rat how to strengthen the back and they will show you a crunch or sit up, and tell you to strengthen the ‘core.’ Although the intentions are good, the truth is there are far more important muscles then the rectus abdominus when it comes to spine health, and the over emphasis on ‘abs’ may actually exaggerate a problem. First of all, the rectus abdominus doesn’t even connect to the spine. Although it is a stabilizer and flexor of the spine, there are a slew of other muscles that actually attach to the spine that will play a great role in its health. If the spine isn’t involved in extension exercises, or exercises that require a large amount of stabilization and support (big lifts like squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts, etc), then all the crunches in the world won’t help it.

Try this nifty little example. Stand up. Now lock your fingers behind your head and exaggerate good posture. Now let that relax into bad posture, let the shoulders slump, the tush tuck under and the spine round. Hold that bad posture for a second while you think about this. If your hands are still behind your head, you’re mimicking a crunch or how most folks perform a sit up. Now imagine doing that over and over again, and ask yourself how that is helping your spine. If your back is against the ground, a good deal of those spinal muscles are probably pacified, relaxed. Meanwhile that crunch or sit up position is simply forcing you to create bad posture on purpose, repeatedly, while the other spinal muscles kick back and have a smoke break.

Look how happy Maurice is when his posture is good. Bad posture makes him sad.

You won’t like him when he is sad.

Today’s Workout

Once again, it is Friday! It’s pick-a-goofy-exercise-and-go-heavy day

I’m gonna play with Bent Presses and 2-hands Anyhow again, since I need constant practice at these babies.  I recently met a great and passionate strength addict named Kevin, who toys with some heavy tools, which can be witnessed on his video page. If you’ve never played with a 45 pound club, you may not appreciate what he can do, so maybe some heavy club work might be a fun option for today’s workout.

Or, following Kevin’s example, some KB bottom’s up pressed might be fun today.  So after your heavy single playtime, grab some KB’s and start pressing, upside down.

How ’bout a nice round of Tabata Burpees to finish things off. 8 rounds, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest.

Eat well kids, next week is a dangerous period of satanic levels of consumption. We’ve got strength goals, not waistline goals, so be good or i’ll spank you come January!