FEATURE ARTICLE

HOW TO TRAIN THE CORE:

SPECIFIC TO SPORTS
MOVEMENTS
TRAVIS BROWN, MS, CSCS,*D

hen training an athletes core, the training should mimic real life
sport movements. The core should be trained in multiplanar and
multidirectional movements, using unilateral and bilateral stances
and various force lines. Training should incorporate the various planes of motion
(frontal, sagittal, and transverse) with the athlete in a combination of unilateral
and bilateral stances. The sports performance coach should also be able to provide
equipment and training methods that utilize the three major force lines: horizontal,
vertical, and diagonal. This article will provide several examples of exercises that
can be used to train those types of movements, planes, stances, and force lines.
When looking at human movement in all sports, movements usually involve pulling
(e.g., judo athlete), pushing (e.g., lineman in football), locomotion (e.g., baseball
player stealing a base), rotation (e.g., tennis forehand), level change (e.g., MMA
fighter tossing his opponent), or complexity, which is any combination of those
movements (e.g., linebacker in football shedding a block and making a tackle).

HOW TO TRAIN THE CORE:

SPECIFIC TO SPORTS MOVEMENTS

FEATURE ARTICLE
However, when looking at training those movements, are those
movements incorporated in training? Integrated movement is
the key. Sports performance coaches should provide athletes the
ability to train with integrated movements and have the option to
train using a combination of these movements. Training athletes
in only one plane of motion robs them of their ability to perform
at their highest level; as well as puts them at a greater risk for
injury, due to the underdevelopment of less utilized muscles in
the body. Training the core musculature in the various planes,
stances, and force lines to match the demands of a given sport
may help improve overall performance when utilized in addition to
traditional training methods.
Many of the traditional training methods that are seen today do
not utilize multiplanar movements. The most popular training
methods (i.e., power lifting, Olympic lifting, CrossFit training,
bodybuilding, etc.) tend to work primarily in the sagittal plane.
Very few, if any, movements work in the transverse or frontal
planes. A majority of the exercises in these training methods fail
to incorporate multiplanar movement, which is a combination of
frontal, sagittal, and transverse planes of motion. It does not mean
that it is wrong to utilize these popular training methods to train
athletes, though. The question coaches should ask themselves
is whether there are better ways to incorporate sport-specific
movements that athletes will perform on the field of play.
Sport-specific movements are performed from a combination of
unilateral and bilateral stances. For simplicity, a unilateral stance
can be defined as a stance in which only one foot is in contact
with the ground, and a bilateral stance is one that both feet are
in contact with the ground. From the basketball player trying to
make a layup (unilateral jump) to a football lineman resisting and
pushing back against the drive of a defensive tackle (bilateral
push), these movements are commonplace across all sports.
When training athletes with traditional methods, a majority of
the movements will work in a bilateral stance, with little or no
unilateral stance. It would benefit the athlete to work in both
stances to help improve their core and performance on the field.
It would also benefit the athlete to perform an exercise where
they move the weight to the ball of the foot versus a square
stance, which occurs more in traditional training. Research has
shown that unilateral snatch lifts are just as effective as bilateral
snatch lifts (1). Olympic lifting (bilateral stances) can provide
muscular activation on a large scale, but that form of training
may not develop general athletic power optimally. Once again,
this does not mean that it is wrong to use this form of training to
train athletes, but it raises the question, are there better ways
to incorporate sport-specific movements in training so that the
athletes will see improved core development and performance on
the field?

The core can be broken down into several categories (2):

The Superficial Front Line core muscles and fascia are

primarily in the frontal line of the body. They can be
challenged by pushing, squatting, and locomotion. Most
of these exercises are generally performed in the prone
position. An example is the Bilateral Prone Push-Up
(Figures 20 and 21).

The Spiral Line core muscles and fascia perform transverse

plane movements. They can be worked using rotational
types of exercises. A great example is the Bilateral
Rotational Push-Up (Figures 22 and 23).

The Superficial Back Line core muscles and fascia are

primarily muscles that work in the sagittal plane. They can
be challenged using a supine position. An example would
be the Single-Arm Alternating Overhead Press (Figures 14
and 15).

The Lateral Line core muscles and fascia are the muscles
that are frontal plane dominant. They can be stressed
by using side lying and staggered stance exercises. One
specific example would be the Bow and Arrow (Figures 24
and 25).

The key component to incorporating these various muscle and

fascia lines into a training regimen is to remember that muscles
are interconnected with multiple connective tissue sheaths, which
act as elastic bands. This amplifies the force that is produced
through muscle contractions. A great example of this is to put
your hand on your chest. Now, try to raise your middle finger and
thump your chest as hard as possible. That did not produce much
power, right? Now, take that same finger and pull it back with
your other hand and release. It should snap to your chest with
power. This is great example of converting potential energy into
kinetic energy. Another way to portray this is to imagine stretching
a rubber band out, hold it, and then release it. Now, stretch the
rubber band out quickly and release it. You will notice that when
you stretch the rubber band out and quickly release it, that it
covers more distance.
Many exercises, pieces of equipment, and movements are available
to the sports performance coach to help cover a majority of planes
of motions, stances, force lines, and human movements in training.
The following are several exercises that can be integrated into any
program to help develop the core and overall sports performance.
The following list serves as a guide for exercises that require
movements through the various planes, stances, and force lines
utilizing suspension training straps and anchored, ground-based
apparatuses with an assortment of attachments.

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HOW TO TRAIN THE CORE:

SPECIFIC TO SPORTS MOVEMENTS

FEATURE ARTICLE
The first exercise is the Squat to Press (Figures 1 and 2) using
clean and jerk attachments on an anchored, ground-based
apparatus. This exercise encompasses a diagonal load, pushing,
level change, sagittal plane movement, and a bilateral stance.
The next exercise is the Lineman Squat (Figures 3 and 4). This
exercise uses a similar attachment as the squat to press but
the load should remain at shoulder level. This exercise utilizes a
diagonal load, pushing, level change, a sagittal plane movement,
and a bilateral stance.
The Suitcase Carry (Figures 5 and 6) uses the anchored, groundbased apparatus with a barbell. This exercise encompasses a
diagonal vector line, pulling, a frontal plane movement, and a
bilateral staggered stance position.
The Single-Arm Wheelbarrow (Figures 7 and 8) uses the anchored,
ground-based apparatus with a barbell but the athlete faces the
base. This exercise involves a diagonal load, pulling, rotation,
transverse and frontal plane movements, and a bilateral staggered
stance position.
The Bear Fight (Figures 9 and 10) uses the anchored, groundbased apparatus with a barbell equipped with an ergonomic
handle grip. This exercise involves a diagonal vector line, pulling,
rotation, with transverse and frontal plane movements, using a
bilateral staggered stance position.
The Upper Cut (Figures 11 and 12) uses the anchored, groundbased apparatus with a barbell equipped with an ergonomic
handle grip. This exercise involves a diagonal vector line,
pulling, pushing, and rotation, with transverse and frontal plane
movements, using a bilateral staggered stance position.
The Single-Arm Lateral Pull (Figure 13) uses the anchored, groundbased apparatus with a barbell equipped with an ergonomic
handle grip. This exercise involves a diagonal vector line, pulling,
rotation, with transverse and sagittal plane movements, using a
bilateral staggered stance position.
The Single-Arm Alternating Overhead Press (Figures 14 and
15) uses the anchored, ground-based apparatus with a barbell
equipped with an ergonomic handle grip. This exercise involves a
diagonal vector line, pushing, rotation, with transverse and sagittal
plane movements, using a bilateral staggered stance position.
The Lateral Lunge (Figures 16 and 17) uses the anchored, groundbased apparatus with a barbell rested across the chest (weight
plates can be included for added resistance). This exercise involves
a diagonal load, pushing, level change, sagittal and frontal plane
movements, and a bilateral staggered stance.

line, pulling, rotation, frontal and transverse plane movements, and

a unilateral stance.
The Bilateral Prone Push-Up (Figures 20 and 21) uses a suspension
trainer. This exercise involves a diagonal vector line, pushing,
sagittal and transverse plane movements, and a bilateral stance.
The Bilateral Rotational Push-Up (Figures 22 and 23) uses a
suspension trainer. This exercise involves a diagonal vector line,
pushing, rotation, sagittal and transverse plane movements, and a
bilateral stance.
The Bow and Arrow (Figures 24 and 25) uses a suspension trainer.
This exercise involves a diagonal vector line, pulling, rotation,
frontal and transverse plane movements, using a bilateral stance.
Adding these exercises to a program can help ensure that the
athletes work various core muscle groups while performing
exercises through various planes. Additionally, these exercises are
beneficial because they require the athletes to work in various
muscle groups with multiplanar and multidirectional movements,
unilateral and bilateral stances, and various force lines, which are
all applicable to sport movements.

REFERENCES
1. Lauder, MA and Lake, JP. Biomechanical comparisons of
unilateral and bilateral power snatch lifts. Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research 22(5): 653-660, 2008.
2. Myers, T. Anatomy trains: Dynamic education for body-minded
professionals. Kinesis Myofascial Integration. Retrieved July 1, 2013
from http://www.anatomytrains.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Travis Brown has led a career as a strength and conditioning coach
for over 14 years in Atlanta, GA and at the University of Tennessee,
Knoxville. He currently works for Pinnacle Athletics, which is a
sports performance company that trains professional, college,
and high school athletes. He has trained, or played next to, over
120 National Football League (NFL) starters, including dozens of
Pro Bowlers and 1st round NFL draft picks. Throughout his career
he has trained a number of athletes ranging from youth to elite
professionals, which include several Major League Baseball (MLB)
and National Basketball Association (NBA) athletes and two
Olympic Medal winners. Brown is currently working towards his
PurMotion Master Trainer certification and is a Certified Strength
and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with Distinction through the
National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

The Single-Leg RDL Ipsilateral (Figures 18 and 19) uses the

anchored, ground-based apparatus with a barbell equipped with
an ergonomic handle grip. This exercise involves a diagonal vector
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HOW TO TRAIN THE CORE:

SPECIFIC TO SPORTS MOVEMENTS

Figure 1. Squat to Press

Figure 2. Squat to Press - Finish

Figure 3. Lineman Squat

Figure 4. Lineman Squat - Finish

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Figure 5. Suitcase Carry

Figure 6. Suitcase Carry - Finish

Figure 7. Single-Arm Wheelbarrow

Figure 8. Single-Arm Wheelbarrow Finish

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Figure 9. Bear Fight

Figure 11. Upper Cut

HOW TO TRAIN THE CORE:

SPECIFIC TO SPORTS MOVEMENTS

Figure 10. Bear Fight - Finish

Figure 12. Upper Cut - Finish

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Figure 13. Single-Arm Lateral Pull

Figure 14. Single-Arm Alternating

Overhead Press

Figure 15. Single-Arm Alternating

Overhead Press - Finish

Figure 16. Lateral Lunge

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Figure 17. Lateral Lunge - Finish

Figure 19. Single-Leg RDL Ipsilateral Finish

Figure 18. Single-Leg RDL Ipsilateral

Figure 20. Bilateral Prone Push-Up

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FEATURE ARTICLE

Figure 21. Bilateral Prone Push-Up Finish

Figure 22. Bilateral Rotational Push-Up

Figure 23. Bilateral Rotational Push-Up

- Finish

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Figure 24. Bow and Arrow

HOW TO TRAIN THE CORE:

SPECIFIC TO SPORTS MOVEMENTS

Figure 25. Bow and Arrow - Finish

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