When it comes to core training, planks have long been heralded as the go-to exercise. Their simplicity and commonality make them a favorite for trainers and fitness enthusiasts alike. However, what if I told you that planks might not be the best way to train your core for functional, real-world movement? In this post, we’ll dive into why planks may not live up to the hype and explore an alternative exercise using Swiss balls that can recalibrate your core training.
The Problem with Planks
At first glance, planks seem perfect: they engage multiple muscle groups, build endurance, and are easy to perform anywhere. But here’s the catch—planks overly focus on static stabilization. They teach you to hold your spine in one fixed, neutral position while resisting external forces. While this has its benefits, it’s not how your body naturally moves in the real world.
In daily life, your core isn’t just about bracing; it’s about stabilizing and adapting dynamically. Walking, running, bending, and twisting all require your core to work in coordination with your arms and legs while maintaining a balanced, fluid motion. Planks, with their rigid positioning, fail to train this dynamic stability. Moreover, planks often involve significant input from the arms and legs, which can overshadow the core’s true role.
Redefining the Core
So, what is the core? It’s not just your abs. The core includes every muscle that helps stabilize your spine, minus the arms and legs. This includes deep stabilizers like the multifidus and transverse abdominis, as well as muscles in the neck and even the face. Rather than isolating these muscles, effective core training should encourage them to work together as a system.
To better understand core function, it’s helpful to look at infant development. Babies develop their core strength while floating in the womb and in their early movements outside of it—often without relying on their arms or legs. This concept of pure, unsupported stabilization inspired the exercise we’re about to introduce.
The Swiss Ball Core Challenge
For this exercise, you’ll need two Swiss balls of similar size. These balls serve as an unstable platform, forcing your core to stabilize dynamically. Here’s how to perform it:
- Setup: Position one ball under your chest and another under your thighs. If the balls are of different sizes, place the larger one under your chest to maintain a more neutral spine.
- Find Balance: Start by simply breathing and feeling how your body reacts to the instability. Avoid using your arms or legs for support. This step alone floods your nervous system with information, teaching it how to stabilize.
- Rocking Motion: Progress by gently rocking forward and backward using only your spine. This motion requires your core to coordinate without help from your limbs. For an additional challenge, rock side to side or incorporate slight rotational movements.
- Advanced Variations: Once comfortable, you can add small arm or leg movements to test your balance further.
Key Benefits
This Swiss ball exercise offers a host of benefits that planks simply can’t replicate:
- Dynamic Stability: Unlike planks, this exercise trains your core to stabilize through movement, mimicking real-life demands.
- Neurological Activation: The instability of the Swiss balls heightens proprioceptive input, engaging your nervous system at a high level.
- Holistic Engagement: By removing the arms and legs from the equation, this exercise ensures your core is doing the bulk of the work.
Practical Tips
To get the most out of this exercise, keep the following in mind:
- Perform 2–3 sets of approximately 2 minutes each.
- Do this at the beginning of a workout when your nervous system is fresh, as it requires a high level of proprioceptive awareness.
- Focus on control and breathing rather than brute strength. The goal is to teach your body to react and stabilize naturally.
Why It Works
This approach emphasizes function over form. By challenging your core dynamically and neurologically, you’re not just building strength—you’re teaching your body how to move efficiently and effectively. This translates to better performance in sports, daily activities, and injury prevention.
While planks have their place, they’re not the be-all and end-all of core training. By incorporating exercises like the Swiss ball core challenge, you can unlock a deeper level of core functionality that better serves you in the real world. So, ditch the rigidity, embrace dynamic movement, and let your core shine in its full potential.
If you like these types of exercises, check out my courses at Four Lights Wellness, where I cover both physical and mental aspects of wellness. My course Healing (e)Motions: Trauma Release Exercises for People with Stress offers targeted physiological exercises aimed at reducing stress and mental health dysfunctions that can contribute to physical pain.
You can also sign up for my newsletter or subscribe to my Substack, which is packed with tips and insights on living a healthier, happier life. Additionally, if you’re curious about how these practices can be tailored specifically to your needs, I offer a free consultation to see if working together 1:1 could be beneficial. Let’s keep building that foundation and enjoy a happy, healthy life!