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The Definitive 10-Step Guide to

Building a Do-Anything Core
Exercises guaranteed to up your game, no matter your sport

Erin Beresini
(/1747686/erin-
beresini)

Jun 22, 2015

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W orking on core strength isn’t a matter of vanity—an e�ort to turn

a dad-bod midsection into a six-pack. (Though it can help.)
It’s more of a commitment to kick ass in everything you do.

“Core exercises build a foundation of strength for more sport-speci�c

movements,” says Scott Johnston, a climber, former World Cup nordic skier,
and co-author of Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber As
Athlete (http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/training-for-the-
new-alpinism?p=BK695-0). All full-body movements rely on core
strength. That means athletes in every sport, not just climbing, will reap the
bene�ts of a strong trunk, from greater endurance to a reduced risk of injury.
Below, Johnston shares the ultimate killer core routine.

First, the principles of the routine:

1. Do it as a circuit with 30 seconds between exercises. Shoot for four to

eight repetitions of any exercise or hold any position for just a few
seconds, unless otherwise noted. If that’s too easy, add resistance or drop
the exercise.

2. You’re �nished with an exercise when you can no longer hold a position
or do another strict rep or you begin to shake.

3. Start with one time through the circuit to learn the exercises. Two circuits
will be plenty as you progress because you’ll be adding resistance to the
exercises.

4. Don’t let poor form take over. Poor form defeats the purpose of the
workout because you’ll compensate for the weaker core muscles by using
the stronger ones.
5. Don’t hold your breath during the exercises.

6. As you gain strength, drop the exercises that become easy. They are no
longer your limiters, and you’ll be able to spend more time working on
the harder exercises.

1. Strict Sit-Ups
Targets: Psoas (deep hip-�exor muscle). Used in cross-country skiing,
running, and any form of hip �exion past about 60 degrees. Also engages the
rectus abdominis (six-pack muscles). Strengthening these muscles can help
alleviate the lower-back pain that often accompanies sitting.

How to: Assume a normal sit-up position—knees bent to about 70 to 90

degrees, back �at on the �oor, toes hooked under something so you can pull
against them. Cross your hands on your chest so your �ngers are resting on
your collarbones. Slowly and in control, sit up by �exing only at your
hips. Do not crunch by curling your spine. Keep your spine in a neutral
(straight) position while coming up to the point where your elbows touch the
top of your thighs. Return to the start position for one repetition.

(Courtesy of Patagonia)

2. Bad Dog 
Targets: Hip �exibility and transverse abdominis—the deepest ab muscles
that live underneath the six-pack muscles; these are recruited in just about
every limb movement. This move is also great for calming a cranky lower
back.

How to: Get on all fours with knees directly below your hips and hands
directly below your shoulders. Pick up one leg; while holding the knee bent
at 90 degrees, draw a big ellipse in the air with your knee. The action sort of
mimics the action of a dog peeing on a �re hydrant. While you’re doing that,
point the arm opposite the moving leg directly in front of you, like
Superman. You may not feel this exercise is tiring, but that’s
probably because you have poor hip mobility. Try for 10 slow and strict
rotations of each hip.

(Courtesy of Patagonia)
3. Windshield Wipers
Targets: External (https://en.wikipedia.org
/wiki/Abdominal_external_oblique_muscle) and internal
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdominal_internal_oblique_muscle)
abdominal obliques used in all rotational movements, like swinging a bat or
golf club.

How to: The name for this move describes the action of your legs as they
wipe across an imaginary windshield. Lie on your back with your arms
outstretched to your sides and palms placed against the �oor. Now, �ex your
hips so that your feet are together and pointed at the ceiling. Slowly rotate
your hips to lower your feet to one side, keeping the feet locked together and
knees straight. You’ll want to resist the rotation of your shoulders by pushing
down hard with your hand on the side you are rotating toward. Lightly
touch the �oor with the side of the lower foot before raising both feet back
to the 12 o’clock position and onto the other side. That’s one rep. Do this
slowly and controlled. If you can’t keep you knees straight or legs together,
bend your knees, keeping them pointed at the ceiling when you’re in the 12
o’clock position.

(Courtesy of Patagonia)

4. Three Point 
Targets: The full core structure, front and back, necessary to stabilize the
hips and shoulders. This move teaches the brain to �re several core muscles
while holding tension from hands to the feet—an especially useful skill for
climbers or anyone doing quadrupedal sports.

How to: Assume a good push-up position (a straight line running the length
of your back and legs) with hands directly under your shoulders and feet
spread about two feet apart. Pick up one hand without rotating your
shoulders or hips. Point that hand straight out to the front, in line with your
spine, and hold until you feel your shoulders rotate, hips rotate, or back
sags. Anything that gets out of line from where you were when you started
in the push-up position indicates a failure in strength and the end of that
isometric contraction. Pick up each limb in turn and hold until failure. When
this is no longer a challenge, you can pick up the opposite hand and foot and
hold that. Add a weight vest for an additional challenge when you can hold
the posture for more than ten seconds.  
 (Courtesy of Patagonia)

5. Kayaker
Targets: Oblique and transverse abdominals needed for counter-rotation of
hips and shoulders, such as in paddling, golf, or most throwing movements.

How to: Sit on the �oor with legs outstretched. Bring your knees up to about
90 degrees and lift your feet a few inches o� the �oor so that you are
balanced on your sit bones. Clasp your hands together in front of you and
rotate your shoulders far enough to so you can reach your hands to touch the
�oor lightly just beside one hip. Rotate all the way to the other side and
touch the �oor again. Do this slowly and in control for ten touches
total. Hold a dumbbell and touch it to the �oor for added resistance.

(Courtesy of Patagonia)

6. Super Push-Ups  
Targets: Shoulder health and range of motion. Hits the erector spinae
(http://www.musclesused.com/erector-spinae-2/)—the muscles extending
up your back that help you bend forward and stand up—as the spine is
hyperextended through much of the movement. Helpful for general back
health to counter all the abdominal work; an imbalance between ab and
back strength can lead to pain in either area.

How to: Start in a modi�ed push-up position, with both hands and feet just
wider than shoulder width. While keeping your arms and legs straight, walk
your feet closer to your hands so your hips rise toward the ceiling, like
the downward dog pose in yoga. From this inverted-V position, bend your
elbows, lowering your head toward the �oor so your nose touches the
ground between your hands. Then touch your chin between your hands, and
then touch your chest in the same spot. You’ll drag all of these areas across
an imaginary line drawn between your hands. As your rib cage reaches this
line, push up with your arms so your hips are pressed near the �oor, your
shoulders are pulled back, and your spine is hyperextended. Reverse this
movement by slowly lowering your ribs, chest, chin, and nose to touch that
imaginary line between your hands until you are back to the inverted-V
starting position. Six reps are plenty for most people.
 (Courtesy of Patagonia)

7. Hanging Leg Raise 

Targets: Hip �exors, all abs. Both bent- and straight-arm versions require
serious hip-�exor strength through the �rst 100 degrees of movement. The
whole abdominal package has to �re very powerfully as the spine �exes. It
also requires a lot of shoulder strength to keep from swinging. This is a really
great exercise for climbers—and a fun party trick, to boot.

How to: Hang from a bar with elbows bent and locked at 90 degrees. While
keeping your legs straight, raise your feet higher than the bar, then slowly
lower them. Do not allow your body to swing while doing this. This
combines a climbing-speci�c shoulder position with core control. A variation
focusing more on the core and less on the shoulders: Hang straight-armed
from the bar, and slowly raise your straight legs to touch the bar with your
feet. Slowly lower, and resist any swinging from the bar. If you can’t do this
with straight legs, then start with bent knees in the locked position and pull
your knees to your chest. When you can complete ten reps, progress by
slowly lowering to the count of �ve. Once you can do this for four to �ve
reps, you’re ready to start using straight legs. Start with bare feet, but I’ve
known climbers who can do this wearing double boots.

(Courtesy of Patagonia)

8. Bridge 
Targets: Shoulders. Shoulder �exibility is the most common limiter with this
move. It’s also tough on the glute-hamstring-erector spinae complex of the
posterior muscle chain (the muscles going up the back of your body). The
challenge doubles when one foot is lifted and your hip is �exed because the
entire abdominal group has to �re to maintain balance and keep the hips
from dropping.

How to: In this exercise, you’ll make yourself into a bridge or co�ee table by
getting onto all fours—but with your belly facing the ceiling. Hands directly
below shoulders, feet �at on the �oor directly below your knees. All angles
should be nice and square. The �rst step is to push your navel toward the
ceiling as far and hard as you can by squeezing your butt tight; hold. For
many, this will be enough of a challenge. The next stage is to lift one foot o�
the �oor by straightening the knee. Your leg will be in line with your torso.
Hold this while pushing your navel upward. If you can do this without
dropping your hips, then you are ready for the last stage: Flex the hip of
the raised leg so your toes are pointed to the ceiling. Do this while keeping
your navel pressed high. Hold these end positions as long as possible with no
sagging in the core. Any sign of a sag means that repetition is over.

(Courtesy of Patagonia)

9. Gymnast L-Sit
Targets: Balance, hip �exibility, every muscle from the shoulders to the
knees. This hold can help lower your risk of injury during squats and
deadlifts by strengthening the muscles that protect the spine. 

How to: Sit on the �oor, legs out in front of you, toes pointed, knees
straight. Place your palms on the �oor so your �ngers are pointed toward
your toes and the heel of your hands are in a line about even with your
crotch. Slowly rock your shoulders forward so they come over your hands as
your elbows straighten and your shoulders drop. These two actions
combined will lift your hips o� the �oor. Push hard down through your
hands and lift your feet while keeping your knees straight. Do not be
dismayed if you can’t get your feet o� the �oor at all or if you can only raise
them for a split second. Keep working at it—you’ll eventually be able to hold
your feet outstretched for many seconds. Begin with bare feet.

(Courtesy of Patagonia)

10. Side Plank

Targets: Shoulders, chest, transverse and oblique abs.

How to: Get into the side plank position with your supporting arm straight,
one foot against the toes of the other (one in front of the other). Keep your
legs straight and in a straight line from head to your feet. Raise the upper
hand and point the �ngers to the ceiling. Slowly rotate your body so that
your high arm (while remaining straight) can come down and touch the �oor
next to the supporting hand. Return to the starting position for one
repetition. When this feels easy, hold a dumbbell in the high hand. It is
important to maintain planklike straightness along your spine and legs. Don’t
sag or stick your butt in the air as you rotate about the shoulder. Shoot for
six perfect reps on each side.

(Courtesy of Patagonia)

This core workout was adapted from The New Alpinism Training Log by Steve
House and Scott Johnston. Copyright © 2015 by Patagonia®.

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