The importance of training your core has received considerable attention in recent years. In addition, the concept of specificity has also received significant consideration that needs to be addressed in the program design of athletes. Core training, especially for mountaineers, should be specific to the required skills; maintaining body tension under load – not rectus abdominal flexion!

I define core strength as the ability to attain and maintain proper alignments of proximal body parts (torso) during movement, in order to heighten the efficiency of distal body parts (arms and legs). The musculoskeletal system works as a system of levers, therefore the fulcrums of these lever systems must be stabilized for proper force generation.

The core musculature includes the muscles of the trunk and pelvis that are responsible for maintaining the stability of the spine and pelvis and are critical for the transfer of energy from large to small body parts during many sport activities. Theoretically, core strength training will lead to greater maximal power yet more efficient use of the muscles of the shoulders, arms, and legs, better body balance, and a lower risk of injury. Keys to successful core strengthening programs include selecting sport-specific exercises that overload both anterior and posterior muscles of the trunk and pelvis and emphasize movement.

Generally, all training is sequenced from simple to complex, with increasing intensity over the course of the preparatory training period, and core strength training is no different. Exercises are varied to change demand, produce better adaptation, prevent staleness, and prevent injuries. Sequentially, I try to strengthen a muscle group in a general way, and then train it with advanced stabilization exercises, and then train it to withstand rotational forces, then, train it to operate functionally under load. Core strength erosion often masquerades as postural and technical problems.

The Core can be thought of as two units functioning in concert. The spinal stability core muscles are concerned with providing joint stiffness and segmental stability along the vertebral column. They work for extended periods of time at low levels of maximal contraction. The superficial core musculature, while very well oriented for moving the body, are also very important to stability, often serving to protect the spinal stability core muscles, spinal ligaments and joints from damaging overload.

The Olympic Lifts (Snatch and Clean and Jerk) are the best exercises to develop ground-based core strength, balance, leg strength and complete range of motion mobility. The overhead squat is the first place to start in your progression to the Olympic style lifts. The emphasis in core training should be placed on developing functional strength by training appropriate movements, not muscles. The specificity of mountaineering requires that most of your core training be performed from a standing position. The advantage in this is that this approach will not only train the core, but will train other muscles necessary to stabilize the body.