VRT and core development

[jonlclay]

Greg,

I've been trying to do Atlas Situps and Leg Raises to improve my core, but my lower back is resisting way too much with pain, to where I cannot perform any for a few days. My thought and what I've seen is doing VRT/DSR style of exercises does not cause this problem, so I'm looking for any suggestions on what you would consider the best VRT/DSR exercises to improve one's core. Hopefully after using this for a while I'll be able to add in calhesteninc based core exercises again.

Any help is appreciated.

Jon

[MikeNY]

Jon good move, pain is a sign something is wrong. You can start once your out of pain.

I'd recommend the Yogi stomach vacuum, lean forward, place your hands on your thighs, inhale and let your belly ballon out, exhale and pull your stomach in as much as you can. Repeat ten times.

For the lower back the superman or any varitation work wonder's for lower back strength. Page 99 of the M7 has one variation of the superman, the superman is just holding your hands up like superman, there is a variation holding the hands at your sides also. The same exercise is on page 119 of PYTP. Page 97 of the M7 has the Back Flex again a great back exercise for the lower back. Powerflex has a great section on back exercises.

One trick I've learned through the years, when doing a situp or crunch, kept the arms folded over your chest; do a slow crunch to start and rise up, now it is just your abs pulling you up, consentrate on the abs and situp or crunch. A lot of people with a weak lower back try to use the lower back muscles to push themself ups to start or they pull on thier head and neck. Try the stomach vacuums for awhile, after awhile your backbone will show through your stomach as you do this. If you have an injured back the stomach vacuum can be a replacement for situps and it makes for fine ab development. once your back to yourself see which works for you the crunch or situps; JP has a great crunch course in PYTP and they have a great abs course in Powerflex, and Isometrics might be just the ticket for your abs and back, experiement.

PS just VRT alone without stomach exercises will develop the stomach!

[firefox]

Greg,

I never got an answer on the preferred method of doing VRTs. I know that they are done with tension in the positive movement only;so,right after completing the positive phase,you then totally relax the muscle while quickly returning to the starting position? Then you reapply tension just before starting the next rep?

[VRT Man]

Firefox, when doing the uni-directional style, I do not do any flexion on the downward part of the movement; just the flexion in one direction only. Completely relax as I drop the muscle group or limbs I am working on back down. Then I re-apply tension as I begin the move again. As I said, there has been a lot of banter about what some think is best; flexion in both directions, or just in one direction. I like one direction. Do what you feel is best! One direction is my baby though, that's what I like best.

Greg Mangan

[MikeNY]

Greg I've tried it both ways and think your method works the best. But that might vary from person to person, we all tend to test things.