Strong bracing core strength is critical if you want to lift a lot of weight in your big exercises like squats and deadlifts.
This type of bracing is "anti-flexion" bracing. What you may not realize is that you can also brace in OTHER planes of movement, too.
In this case, we're going to be strengthening bracing in the frontal plane. I call it anti-tilt training, which means preventing tilting the torso directly to the sides (like you see in a side bend exercise).
This is fantastic for developing stability and strength in the muscles that support your spine from top to bottom while also helping with posture.
This is similar in concept to anti-rotational training for the obliques where you strive to keep the torso from rotating around (like when doing a Pallof Press) only it's anti-rotation in a different plane of movement.
To accomplish this, we're going to be doing a dumbbell curl squat (holding a dumbbell in the top of a curl position, then squatting down) while ALSO holding a high-pulley cable handle in the top curl position in the other hand.
Like I said...weird.
But CRAZY effective and challenging on the core in a very unique way.
How to Do Cross-Loaded Curl Squats
On the surface, these look like a complete waste of time. It LOOKS like the two loads are counterbalancing each other for a squat.
And they ARE... because this is NOT a leg exercise and it doesn't matter what kind of load is being put on the legs.
Your DEEP CORE muscles are working to counterbalance those opposing loads.
To do this one, you'll need a moderate-weight dumbbell (I'm using an 85 lb one here...start lighter, though) and a high pulley and single handle. I've got about the same weight on the weight stack as I have in the dumbbell...85 lbs).
Holding the dumbbell in the top of the curl position requires you to basically push UP with your core. Holding the cable handle with the other hand at the same level requires you to pull DOWN with your core on that side.
There two opposing directions of resistance will hit your core in a way it's NEVER been hit before, developing that anti-tilt strength.
To visualize this, think of the force on your core like rotating the dial of a combination lock...one side is trying to up while the other side is trying to come down.
Now the fun begins...
Hold that position with the weights then squat.
This change in body position is done under constant anti-tilting loading, which puts even greater cross-tension on the core.
Do 3-4 reps with this orientation, then switch sides and repeat for 3-4 more reps.
I recommend starting lighter then working up to heavier loads in order to warm the core up and gauge your strength levels on the exercise.
This one is clearly very strange to look at but it takes almost no setup time at all and is incredibly effective for targeting the core in a way that it's likely never been targeted before.
Learn more about regular One Dumbbell Curl Squats here...
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Want 90 more unique and challenging exercises to SHRED your core? Check out The Best Core Exercises You've Never Heard Of!
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Want Another Combo Exercise Like This?
It sounds horrible but it's actually VERY effective, combining a push and a pull at the same time as the torque goes directly through the core.
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