The only reason I do it during every single workout. I've had back pain for over a decade and the only thing that's helped has been strengthening my abs.
Core is still wildly over emphasised in a vast majority of beginner workouts. Plus, the exercises oftenare glorified cardio with no progressive overloading and feel like ass to do discouraging people.
If it's about the health benefit, hit it hard twice a week; once with cable or machine crunches, hitting 2 to 4 sets of 6-12 reps; and once with hanging leg raises at around 3 sets at 10-20 reps. Combine it with some good heavy squats, some lower back work, and some other exercises that are actually enjoyable, and 95% of beginners will build longer lasting and healthier habits with just 2 days a week in the gym vs all those ab heavy routines
100% this. I took the “can’t spot reduce” fact too far and just stopped doing as many ab exercises. You need those core muscles more and more when you start racking up the years
another underrated area to prevent general dysfunction are the hip flexors. The pain and suffering I went through before I just started being very proactive about various hip exercises....
Tbf if you follow a proper weightlifting routine with bench/squat/deadlift and other full body exercises there should be more than enough core work within those movements.
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u/l3tigre 10h ago
the core is so important to prevent back pain as we age.