Martial Conditioning: Core Work

For the martial artist, the core is used in nearly every movement from kicking to punching to grappling and will therefore be continuously activated throughout training, no sit ups required.  Therefore the "core" assumes a paradoxical status.  It is an incredibly important part of the body and therefore needs very little direct training.  On the other hand, it needs to be strong enough to execute martial movements effectively.

It is also hard to classify the core by movement, as nearly any compound exercise could be used as a "core" exercise from the pushup to the deadlift.  Therefore, there is a high likelihood anyone who trains any exercise at all will already have a certain degree of core strength.  The question is how to augment that strength most effectively to target the core, build it to a specific degree of strength, then move on to more comprehensive exercises without wasting time on hundreds of situps.

A few exercises fit this bill, some more efficiently than others.

This blog unequivocally rejects the situp, the crunch, and all other high repetition, low tension core exercises.  In the time it would take to complete 200 repetitions of those exercises, one could complete 200 kettlebell snatches, thereby receiving many more benefits for the core and every other part of the body.

Rather, a martial artist needs minimalist, high tension exercises that work every muscle of the core in a short period of time.  The two most accessible, easy to learn, and effective core exercises fitting this bill are the L-sit and the Dragon Flag.  The ab wheel rollout also deserves honorary mention, but requires a specialized piece of equipment that may not be readily available.

L-sit:  Intro: The L-sit consists of balancing all one's weight on the hands and straightening the legs 90 degrees perpendicular to the body.

Muscles Worked: The anterior chain.  Primary: Abs, obliques, deep core muscles, serratus anterior, hip flexors.  Secondary: Triceps, chest, shoulders, upper back, quadriceps, forearms.

Why Train the L-sit? The L-sit, despite being one of the most basic gymnastics positions, is more effective than almost any other core exercise at building strength in the anterior chain while increasing overall relative strength and posterior chain flexibility.  This position can generate great results with very little training time.  Holding this position on the floor for just 1 minute is a world class feat that will guarantee 6 pack abs.  Even sets of L-sit for 15 seconds at a time are superior to situps and crunches for midsection strength.  Additionally, this movement develops relative strength in the shoulders, arms, back, and legs.

Rehabilitation: The L-sit can be used for rehabilitation of the lower back by decompressing the spinal discs, activating the core to stabilize the spine, and simultaneously stretching and inhibiting the hamstrings and glutes to take pressure off the lower back.

Strength: The L-sit can supplement a primary strength program by pre-fatiguing the core musculature before compound movements, thus increasing core fatigue during the course of typical exercise and building more core strength as a result.

Likely Results of the L-sit: Proficient users of the L-sit are shown below with photos from Google.



All three photos show individuals of exceptional midsection, back, shoulder, and tricep development.  Merely incorporating 1 day of L-sit practice per week is sufficient to gain similar results with great strength carryover to other core movements.  Strive for sets of 15 seconds to 1 minute.  This position alone is sufficient for martial core strength.

Dragon Flag: Intro: The dragon flag is a high tension, dynamic midsection exercise which consists of anchoring the upper body by use of the hands, suspending and straightening the body in the air, and slowly raising and lowering the entire body without bending the hips or knees.

Muscles Worked: The anterior chain. Dynamic: rectus abdominus, obliques, deep abdominal muscles, deep spinal stabilizers, diaphragm. Stationary: Upper body, legs, hip flexors, grip.

Why Train Dragon Flags? The L-sit is sufficient to build core strength for any martial application, however it is an isometric position which builds muscle inefficiently.  The dragon flag is a dynamic movement which isolates the core while integrating the rest of the body to move the midsection through a complete range of motion.  This results in faster muscle growth and greater spinal stabilization.  This movement is only necessary for muscle growth and advanced spinal stabilization however, as the L-sit alone will enable a trainee to perform dragon flags but the reverse may not be true.  Therefore, this blog recommends training the dragon flag for vanity purposes or as an accessory movement to the L-sit.

The dragon flag also shares identical core benefits to advanced anterior chain gymnastics positions such as the front lever without requiring extensive unnecessary training in a skill unrelated to martial combat.

The form of this exercise is crucial to maximize results and minimize risk of spinal injury.  The entire body must remain entirely straight.  Sets must end before form degrades.  To build beginning strength in this movement, start with negative lowering while striving to maintain perfect form then progress to full repetitions.

Likely Results of Dragon Flags: Below are examples taken from Google.


The above examples demonstrate acceptable form.  Note the overall muscle tone and leanness evident in both trainees.