WEIGHT LIFTING ADVICE NEEDED

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Dunkelheit666
Dunkelheit666 Posts: 223 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a question for all the people that do a lot of body building/weight lifting.

Do you engage your core muscles when you lift or do you keep your core loose and only engage the muscles involved in the movement?

I was watching Hannibal for King on youtube and started to reconsider the way i do my lifting.

I'm thinking that when you lift you should engage your core, but not to the point you give yourself a hernia :)

Is this correct lifting technique?

Replies

  • testease
    testease Posts: 220
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    Core should always be engaged, and should be sore after every workout.

    Usually injuries in the weight room come from a loose core, causing people to get squirly under the bar and shifting weight onto muscles, joints that were not intended to take the load.
  • Dunkelheit666
    Dunkelheit666 Posts: 223 Member
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    that's what i thought.

    I am not aiming for sculpting because i have to remain fast and flexible...but i also have to make a certain weight.

    as i strengthen my core, will that make it more difficult to lose weight??
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    if I didn't engage my core while lifting, my discs would explode like an elephant stomping on water balloons. You can't just load hundreds of pounds on your spine without using your soft tissue to support it.
  • Dunkelheit666
    Dunkelheit666 Posts: 223 Member
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    PUGS RULE!
  • Juliejustsaying
    Juliejustsaying Posts: 2,332 Member
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    I'm by no means a heavy lifter, but I do lift and I've always been taught that you should engage the core...always.
  • Dunkelheit666
    Dunkelheit666 Posts: 223 Member
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    bump
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
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    Yes. Look up the valsalva manuever as it relates to weight lifting.
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
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    almost all my lifts are compound lifts which use the core.

    I seldom do anything outside of squats, deadlifts, rows, pullups, and presses.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    as i strengthen my core, will that make it more difficult to lose weight??


    Absolutely not! In fact, you're likely to find that - since you're activating/strengthening/using more muscles (your core) - that it'll be easier to lose the weight. Only slightly, but a little easier.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    I agree with everything said here, except for the "always being sore" thing.
  • Dunkelheit666
    Dunkelheit666 Posts: 223 Member
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    And i assume i should "engage my core" not flex it to the point i get a hernia correct?
  • msbeeblebrox
    msbeeblebrox Posts: 133 Member
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    I've always engaged my core. In fact, I do very little isolated core exercises, and have a strong core due to squats, deadlifts, and other compound movements.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    Yes I engage my core. It's not my main focus, or flexed to the point of getting a hernia as you mentioned, but it is engaged.

    Usually the day after squats or deadlifts, while I don't get full blown DOMs, I can feel it in my core when I stretch and stuff like that.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    And i assume i should "engage my core" not flex it to the point i get a hernia correct?


    Engage it to the extent needed to complete the lift with proper form. You don't need to flex your abs for no reason.
  • Dunkelheit666
    Dunkelheit666 Posts: 223 Member
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    perfect, listening to my body, i felt like i was on the right track, but thank you guys so much for confiming and helping me out!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Yes. Look up the valsalva manuever as it relates to weight lifting.

    Is that the male version of kegels?

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