Most people who train regularly have some version of core work in their program. A few sets of crunches, maybe some planks, perhaps a cable crunch at the end of a session. And most of those people still have weak cores. That's not a coincidence. It's a symptom of training the core for the wrong thing.
The real job of your core
The core's primary job is not to create movement. It's to resist movement and stabilize your spine while the rest of your body works.
Think about what's happening during a heavy deadlift. Your legs and hips are doing the primary work. Your core's job is to hold your spine stable while that happens, transferring force efficiently without letting your lower back buckle under load. A strong core in this context means one that can maintain position, resist rotation, and prevent spinal flexion when it's under load. Crunches train none of this.
The problem with most core training
Most core training is built around spinal flexion: sit-ups, crunches, leg raises. These exercises do work the rectus abdominis, but they're not training the core in the way it actually functions during compound lifting and daily movement.
The deeper issue is that repeated spinal flexion under load is exactly what causes many lower back problems. If your lower back is already struggling, training the core with constant flexion movements is often counterproductive. This is part of why so many people who faithfully do core work still end up with back pain from the gym and unstable spines under load.
What effective core training actually looks like
Effective core training focuses on three things: anti-extension, anti-rotation, and carrying under load.
Anti-extension trains your ability to resist your spine from arching under load. Dead bugs, hollow body holds, and ab wheel rollouts train this directly.
Anti-rotation trains your ability to resist your torso from twisting when force is applied to one side. Pallof presses, single-arm carries, and unilateral loading in general train this.
Carrying under load, specifically farmer's carries and suitcase carries, forces your entire stabilization system to work while you're moving. They train grip, posture, lateral stability, and core bracing simultaneously.
These aren't glamorous exercises. They don't look impressive. But they build the kind of core strength that actually transfers to your lifts and protects your spine over the long term.
How this connects to everything else
Core stability isn't a separate category of training. It shows up in every major compound movement. Every time you deadlift, squat, press, or row, your core is working to keep your spine stable under load. When that stabilization fails, your body compensates somewhere else, and it's usually your lower back.
This is exactly why learning the hip hinge correctly matters so much. A proper hip hinge requires your core to brace effectively so your spine stays neutral while your hips do the work. If your core can't hold that position, the movement falls apart and the load ends up in the wrong place.
Building real core strength means training it the way it actually functions: as a stabilizer. Once you do that, everything else in your training tends to feel more controlled and solid.
Lisa McPherson
Certified Personal Trainer · Lisa Fit Method