Bridge or Crunches?

[Elmer]

I have time in the morning for either 50 crunches or a bridge.

I can do 50 crunches but that leaves me only able to do a 15 second bridge. Or I can just do a minute plus bridge.

I feel like after doing a bridge for a minute, I feel it more so than doing some crunches.

I am a fitness noob, so anyone have any info either way.

[boogielicious]

I have time in the morning for either 50 crunches or a bridge.

I can do 50 crunches but that leaves me only able to do a 15 second bridge. Or I can just do a minute plus bridge.

I feel like after doing a bridge for a minute, I feel it more so than doing some crunches.

I am a fitness noob, so anyone have any info either way.

By bridge, do you mean a plank?  The plank is a better overall exercise.  You should also do other core exercises if you can.

[Elmer]

By bridge, do you mean a plank?  The plank is a better overall exercise.  You should also do other core exercises if you can.

Yes, plank. My kids have always called them bridges.

I am trying to find the time to work in what ever I can when I can. I have noticed that doing a a plank in the morning, followed by one in the evening has left my gut feeling stronger.

I have started to incorporate some dumbbells in both evening and morning. Once my calf strain lightens up I will start some squats.

I also walk alot, 57 miles last month.

I feel stronger than last year and I am hitting the ball further and with more power.

But it plank is just not enough.

What other core exercises would you suggest?

[Golfingdad]

Yeah it's a plank. Bridge is a yoga pose that is basically the reverse of the plank. Feet and arms are on the ground and you are face up. Anyways ... Why not set your alarm for 60 seconds earlier and do both? ;)

[Elmer]

Yeah it's a plank. Bridge is a yoga pose that is basically the reverse of the plank. Feet and arms are on the ground and you are face up.

Anyways ... Why not set your alarm for 60 seconds earlier and do both? ;)

not a bad Idea, and I have attempted it a few times.

However I am a "Mr Mom" and I find that any action that is not feeding my kids and getting them to school and myself to work usually get interupted. Once school is out, I will have more time.

[joekelly]

Well, i do the yoga 'boat' pose for abdominals, etc.  At least 2 variations can be found. Sitting on the mat, always shoeless, place hands together behind head, lean back and extend legs up about 60* angle.  Keep legs stiff and together, elbows out and away from head. Your eyes will be looking about at your toes. You will look like a V shape.  Breath slowly and evenly; count to 7, or more.  If thighs cramp, bend legs once and go back to stiff legs. As strength develops, increase time.  Iyengar says 'one minute means strong abs'.

Want real work?  Wear heavy shoes.

[mvmac]

I have time in the morning for either 50 crunches or a bridge.

I can do 50 crunches but that leaves me only able to do a 15 second bridge. Or I can just do a minute plus bridge.

I feel like after doing a bridge for a minute, I feel it more so than doing some crunches.

I am a fitness noob, so anyone have any info either way.

I'd use the time to squat instead, better for core/lower back strength, hip mobility, ankle mobility, you get a lot of bang for your buck with squats.

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/05/25/darin-steen-demonstrates-the-perfect-squat.aspx

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/10-ab-training-mistakes-you-need-to-stop-making.html

I'd recommend Goblet squats or just regular air squats with your head about a foot away from a wall. These were one of the first exercises I learned how to do when I started working out on a regular basis a couple years ago.

http://bretcontreras.com/a-set-of-goblet-squats-per-day-keeps-the-doctor-away/

[Golfingdad]

not a bad Idea, and I have attempted it a few times.

However I am a "Mr Mom" and I find that any action that is not feeding my kids and getting them to school and myself to work usually get interupted. Once school is out, I will have more time.

Oh, I hear that!

[saevel25]

I'd use the time to squat instead, better for core/lower back strength, hip mobility, ankle mobility, you get a lot of bang for your buck with squats.

I found a lot of free weight exercises can work the core a lot as well. Anything were you need to just keep your body stable through a smooth movement as possible.

I hardly do crunches anymore.

I either do an RKC Plank, or just a compound exercises. If you do compound movements I don't even have to do planks and I can go back to doing a plank and not have any drop off in the amount of time I can hold the exercise.

[bpeezer]

Compound lifts are great, but they aren't all encompassing for core strength.  For example, take a look at Chris Duffin.  He deadlifted 801 lbs at 198 bodyweight and squatted 1010 lbs at 220 bodyweight.  He still does dedicated core work, and has said that he could not lift this heavy without the supplemental core workouts.  In the video below he talks specifically about ab wheel rollouts for core strength.  I can tell from experience that after years of weightlifting, yoga, martial arts, and thousands of crunches/planks, that ab wheel rollouts are some of the best core exercises I've ever done.

[Carl John Reader]

I would leave out the crunches and the planks.

Neither are functional! When are ever doing a plank in real life.

Proper squatting with the correct technique is the key to good core strength. 

[mvmac]

I would leave out the crunches and the planks.

Neither are functional! When are ever doing a plank in real life.

Proper squatting with the correct technique is the key to good core strength. 

Yep.

 

[AbsoluteTruths]

Farmer's Walk are also good core exercises. They work lots of golf muscles. Back, shoulder, grip...  Walking is very good. 

Crunches are definitely not good. Planks are good because they train your core in one of it's primary functions. Stability.

[boogielicious]

Farmer's Walk are also good core exercises. They work lots of golf muscles. Back, shoulder, grip...  Walking is very good. 

Crunches are definitely not good. Planks are good because they train your core in one of it's primary functions. Stability.

Thanks. With planks, you can also raise one leg at a time and work the lower back muscles. I use the plank in between two other exercises. Also, you can go up and down into a pushup position and work the chest.

Edited October 24, 2015 by boogielicious

[pganapathy]

Plank, hands down.  Works out all the core muscles and helps with posture too

[Carl John Reader]

Hey MVMac

great video

I completely agree we are designed to be in a standing position so makes sense that the most functional core exercises should be in a standing position?

 

[natureboy]

Yep.

 

I think squats are great and that kind of power is critical to golf. A calisthenic version called 'jumpies' (squat leaps) are a very good low tech exercise.

But while beneficial for core stability, they fail to address the lateral compression of the 'throw' in golf: the strech-shorten cycle that occurs between the lead hip and trail shoulder. So some eccentric contractions of the abs are very likely useful. I've heard others on the site mention seated medicine ball throws which involve this kind of dynamic ab activation / work. A single-minded power lifter approach to core stability could be mis-guided for golf. That's why some 'old fashioned' targeted ab exercises like leg and torso raises can be of benefit if they address dynamic ab strength - esp if also rotational.

Here are some vids of javelin and baseball training that include some ab work that's a little more dynamic and rotational to give folks some other ideas.

http://www.wikihow.com/Train-Your-Core-for-Javelin

 

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/corestabex.htm

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83TeiM64YsA

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh0MJbqj6kA

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5CvuKKydvQ

 

<some funny outdated ones in the old film below but some that you will still see today>

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4fbyW51ZE8

 

http://coachingathleticsq.com/some-things-i-have-learned-33-years-javelin-throwing

 

Edited October 28, 2015 by natureboy

[saevel25]

I would leave out the crunches and the planks.

Neither are functional! When are ever doing a plank in real life.

Proper squatting with the correct technique is the key to good core strength. 

I would ditch crunches. I would recommend people do planks if they sit around a lot. Just because a plank does mimic a standing position in that you want good posture. So I think when people are constantly putting certain muscles in a shorten or elongated position for an extended period of time they need to do the opposite to compensate. 

I do a lot of quad, hamstring and hip flexor stretching because I have a desk job. I also like to do a lot of back exercises that involve the shoulder blades because I tend to slouch and not have good posture. 

There is also something to developing a good basic foundation before doing complex exercises. In the end the core is activated when doing a squat. The core is activated when doing a plank. Though it's in combination with a complex move. I don't think it's an overly bad idea to build up some sort of basic strength in a muscle group that provides a lot of support.