What You Need To Know About Core Training

How to Train Your Core Functionally Like an Athlete

Most people think core training means abs. That mindset is exactly why people stay weak, leak power, and end up with nagging low back pain. If your “core workout” is just crunches and sit-ups, not only are you not training your core but you’re missing it entirely.

Let’s fix that.

What Is the Core? (It’s Not What You Think)

The core is not a muscle but rather a system. Somewhere along the line, “abs” and “core” became interchangeable and that misunderstanding has been holding people back ever since. Training your abs and calling it “core training” is like training only your pecs and calling it an upper body workout - it doesn’t make sense. And over time, it creates imbalances that lead to dysfunction - most commonly in the lower back.

Here’s a simple way to understand what the core actually is:

“Nipples to knees — 360 degrees.”

Your core includes:

Abs

Obliques

Lower back

Spinal erectors

Glutes

Hip flexors

Lats

Etc.

All working together as one system.

If you’re not training it that way, you’re leaving performance, durability, and aesthetics on the table. But stick around, because I will show you how to change that!

What Does the Core Actually Do?

If we are to train our core optimally, we must first understand its primary purpose. At the end of the day, your core has three primary functions:

1. Stabilization (The Foundation)

Your core’s first job is to stabilize your spine while your limbs move. This is what we call anti-movement, or resisting motion rather than creating it.

Your spine moves in four directions:

Flexion

Extension

Lateral flexion

Rotation

So your core must be able to resist all four of these directions. For example:

Plank (anti-extension)

Side plank (anti-lateral flexion)

Pallof press (anti-rotation)

Suitcase carry (anti-lateral flexion)

Reverse plank (anti-flexion)

Most of these are isometric holds. The core musculature is working isometrically to maintain spinal alignment. If you can’t control your spine here, you have no business loading heavy or moving explosively – because things only get more dynamic from here.

2. Force Transmission (Where Performance Lives)

Your core doesn’t just “brace” to protect the spine. It solidifies the torso so we can transfer force. Every powerful movement you make – i.e., Sprinting, Jumping, Throwing, Lifting - depends on your ability to transfer force from the ground, through your body, and into action. If your core is weak then you leak energy, you lose power, and you increase injury risk.

Think about someone getting folded over during a heavy back squat. That’s not a leg issue. That’s the core failing to withstand the forces traveling through the body. This conduit action of our core can be trained many ways, most commonly through compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and overhead pressing. As well as more dynamic movements like sprints, jumps, med ball throws, and rotational work (chops, lifts, crawls), and loaded carries. This is where your training starts to look and feel more athletic and produce gains in performance.

3. Movement Initiation (The Aesthetic Layer)

This layer is the layer most people think of (and unfortunately care about). These are movements where our core is producing movement as we isolate certain muscles. These are things like:

Sit-ups

Crunches

Leg raises

Russian twists

Etc.

These movements train the core to create motion and consist of a concentrated lengthening and shortening of the muscle - often for muscular development and aesthetics. And yes, they have a place. However, these should be the tip of the iceberg - not the foundation – and this is what most people think core training is and what most people do in hopes that it will reveal the ever evasive six pack. However, obtaining visual abs actually has very little to do with how you train them. This is the unfortunate truth most people must come face to face with.

The Unfortunate Truth

If you want visible abs, it’s not about doing more core work. It’s about body fat. You can train abs every day until you're blue in the face, but if your nutrition isn’t dialed in, you won’t see them. I’ve always said, “abs are revealed in the kitchen and detailed in the gym.” A wise man once said,

"You can’t detail a car with the cover still on it." - Dominic Toretto.

Shed the extra body fat, then worry about carving them out.

How to Structure Your Core Training

Here’s the hierarchy:

1.        Stability First

2.        Dynamic Strength & Power Second

3.        Aesthetics Last

If you skip the first step, everything else suffers. Not only from a visual standpoint, but from a performance and quality of life standpoint. You can’t train if you’re in pain and lower back pain affects a majority of the population. Trust the process – crawl before you walk, and walk before you run.

A Simple Weekly Structure:

Day 1 – Stability Focus

Planks

Carries

Anti-rotation work

Day 2 – Dynamic / Athletic

Sprints or jumps

Med ball throws

Day 3 – Aesthetic Finishers

Hanging leg raises

Cable rotations

Ab circuits

How Much of Each Should You Do?

A good rule of thumb:

80% = Stability + Force Transmission

20% = Aesthetic Work

If you’re an athlete:

Shift more toward dynamic work once your confident your foundation is strong.

The mistake most people make is they jump straight to things like endless crunches, intense ab circuits, and extremely advanced “Core finishers” because they saw a shredded guy/girl on Instagram doing them. And they do this without ever building real stability or strength.

That’s backwards.

If you can’t hold a rock solid plank 360 degrees around for a minimum of 30 seconds with control, your priority isn’t six-pack work, it needs to be foundational strength.

Putting It All Together

Your core isn’t just something you train at the end of a workout. It’s something that shows up in everything you do. Squatting. Running. Lifting. Living. When trained correctly, it, protects your spine, improves your performance, and enhances your physique.

Bottom Line

Train your core like a system, not a bicep. Build stability first, progressively layer in power, then polish it with aesthetics. That’s how you develop a core that doesn’t just look good, but performs when it matters. That is how you train the core functionally to perform like an athlete.

If you want a structured plan that builds:

Strength

Athleticism

Real-world performance

👉 Download my FREE 21-Day Athlete Rebuild Program

It’s not fluff.

It’s how I train my athletes and clients to move, perform, and look better.

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Time doesn't stop. Neither do we.

Let's get to work,

C-Roy