No matter what your gym or athletic goals are, squats and deadlifts oftentimes play a major role in getting stronger, being more powerful, and getting bigger. These core exercises form the basis of almost every lower-body movement.
There’s a school of thought that performing hard and heavy squats and deadlifts is all you need to improve core strength. This is partly right, however, you also need to consider adding accessory core exercises, which not only will help prevent injury but will also improve your performance in both lifts.
Making sure your core is up for the challenge of lifting should always be a priority.
Improve your squats and deadlifts by building a stronger core
Your core has many functions, but its main one is resisting movement while you’re moving — think anti-extension (your lower back not overarching), anti-rotation (staying front on and not twisting), and anti-flexion (your lower back rounding forward).
For good squatting or deadlifting technique, keeping your spine in neutral and body in good alignment while lifting heavy is extremely important. Plus, if you don’t like getting hurt, maintaining a neutral spine is necessary for keeping your lower back healthy.
A strong and stable core makes this all happen. Think of your core as a bridge between your lower and upper body. When the bridge cannot stand the weight on it, it begins to break, and bad things start to happen.
Don’t let your core be your weakest link by programming these five core exercises into your accessory routine for improved technique and lifting numbers.
The reason you strain while performing squats and deadlifts is because you’re working to get stronger. But spending more time under and over the bar will only get you so far. Intelligent programming of these five core exercises will prevent injury and improve your technique.
Strong hamstrings, glutes, and lower back are a must for keeping in tip-top shape with your squats and deadlifts. Back extensions are one exercise that targets the entire posterior chain in one fell swoop. The large range of motion and the ability to load this exercise also gives you hypertrophy benefits.
Muscles trained: Lower back erectors, glutes, and hamstrings
How it helps: Strengthening the lower-back erectors around your spine helps keep your lower back in neutral under load. The large range of motion on the glutes and hamstrings helps improve your muscle building efforts and lockout strength.
When to do it: To avoid pre-fatiguing these important muscles, program back extensions after your main lifts. Using just your bodyweight is a good place to start, focusing on the mind-muscle connection. Once you’re doing three sets of 10 to 12 reps easily, start adding load.
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2. Pullover DeadbugÂ
Maintaining tension, particularly with your core and lats, is necessary for a neutral spine and a safer pull and squat. The pullover deadbug does this and more. This exercise focuses on the tension in the core and the tension is created by preventing the lower back from arching (anti extension strength) as the leg extends out and down.
Muscles trained: Lats, chest, low-back erectors, rectus abdominal, obliques, and hip flexors.
How it helps: This deadbug variation gives the lifter a better idea of what tension under load feels like and what it takes to keep a neutral spine. Because if you cannot do it with this exercise, then you’ll struggle with heavier loads.
When to do it: This is a great exercise to do as part of your warmup or use as recovery/filler exercise after a strength exercise. Six reps on each side works well.
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3. Ab Rollout
The ab rollout strengthens the core by lengthening it, which improves your anti extension which is needed when locking out your squats and deadlifts. Getting stronger in an extended position improves core stability and recruits muscle fibers that would otherwise be untouched.
Muscles trained: Rectus Abdominal, obliques, low-back erectors, glutes, and lats
How it helps: Extending or flexing your spine under a heavy load is a no-no. The ab rollout strengthens the important muscles around your spine to help prevent this from happening.
When to do it: This is an intense exercise best performed after your squats and deadlifts. Two to three sets of eight to 12 reps will have you feeling sore the next day.
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4. Suitcase Carry
The suitcase carry will strengthen grip imbalances between hands, which can be a limiting factor when pulling heavy from the floor. Plus, suitcase carries improves oblique strength, and strengthens the lower-back muscles — important for keeping your lower back healthy.
Muscles trained: Forearms, shoulders, obliques, glutes, and low-back erectors
How it helps: Suitcase carries throw your body off-balance, forcing your core muscles to engage to stay balanced. Stability, balance, and the ability to generate force from the core is hugely important for performing squats and deadlifts with good form.
When to do it: These are best performed when your grip strength isn’t taxed either before your main strength exercise or after. Two to three sets of 40 yards on each side using 25% to 50% of your body weight works well.
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5. Pallof PressÂ
The Pallof press, no matter the version you do, trains anti rotation, anti-extension, and posterior pelvic tilt; simulating forces that happen when you’re crushing your squats and deadlifts. It’s an extremely versatile exercise which is performed from a variety of positions to train your core strength from all angles.
Muscles trained: Obliques, transverse abdominals, rectus abdominis, and glutes
How it helps: Being able to resist rotation on the spine will keep you more stable when performing your squats and deadlifts. This improved stability helps you improve your form and be a more efficient lifter.
When to do it: Pallof presses are a great warm-up exercise to increase core activation, glute engagement, and core stability which is great for your squats and deadlifts. A few sets of between eight to 12 reps before hitting the barbell works well.
