Hey guys, Tyler here from GarageWarrior.com.

This video is for all of you from ExercisesForInjuries.com and ShoulderPainSolved.com.

Rick asked me to make a video on my philosophy about core training because it’s a little bit different than what people are used to.

In this short video, I want to teach you guys the proper way to activate your core so you can make it function properly. That way, when you get to lifting heavy weights or doing more challenging things, you’re actually doing things right and you’re not injuring yourself.

Abdominal Movement Progressions with Tyler Bramlett

What is Abdominal Movement Progressions?

I’m going to start with a really simple exercise and I’m going to teach you my philosophy on what’s called abdominal movement progressions.

Before I show you the exercises, a real quick way to think about abdominal movement progressions is this – you want to start with something that’s easy and you’re fully capable of doing, making sure your muscles are firing in the right sequence and posture and form is perfect.

As you progress, instead of just adding a bunch of reps to your exercise, once you master the exercise, you need to make your exercise more challenging. This way, we’re always stepping up that ladder of movement – making you a better mover, making you stronger and giving you abs that look as good as they perform.

Start Here

I’m going to show you the very basic exercise that you need to be able to do before doing anything else in order to build strong abs. Many of you who do have already strong abs might be trying this exercise wondering why you’re not able to complete it as I prescribe.

It goes like this. I’m going to have you lie on your back. You are going to take your hands. Your fingers are right over the edge of your hip bone and push in on that flesh on the inside of your hips.

To do the exercise, the first thing you’d do is flex your knees and inhale into your fingers. You will see when you inhale; your fingers get pushed out. You’re going to keep your fingers pushed out the entire time you do this exercise. Number one is this inhale, tap the heel, and tap the opposite heel. If you feel like your fingers are going in and out, you do not have the  neural connection to your inner unit – your core strength muscles that strengthen your posture and your real core muscles – your deep transverse abdominus, internal obliques, pelvic floor and diaphragm. You want to make sure you strengthen those first.

Next Step

Once you are able to do several sets or 20 reps of this keeping your fingertips pushed out the whole time, then move up to a more challenging range which is simply straightening your legs out. So same thing, lower back is pressed to the ground and fingers are right there. You’re coming down, and then you’re coming back up. You’re coming down, and then you’re coming back up. It’s the same thing and alternating.

Last Step

Now, once you’ve mastered that you can do several sets of 10 to 20 reps, we move on to the full leg raise. Once we can do that, maintain that core control and really nailing that hollow or bottom position right there, then we can move on to more advanced variations of abdominal work. Let me show you that. Inhale, come down – everything is under control, and then come back up. Come down – everything is under control, hold that position and then come back up.

When you do these exercises correctly by taking your fingers and testing that inner unit, you’ll be shocked at how challenging a simple line leg raise becomes. Once you have mastered that line leg raise and you can do 3 sets of 10’s or 20’s and you can maintain that inner unit control, then, you’re most likely able to go on to more challenging variations – things like hanging knee raises, hanging leg raises and other things that work really well. Years of these three exercises as a foundation for yourself and for your clients will make sure you have proper core function before trying any other core training routines.

Now, if you’re interested at how I personally train my clients’ abdominal muscles – going step by step from completely basic exercises all the way to advanced gymnastic variations, then check out the brand new program I have below called Warrior Abs.

Thanks for watching and good luck with your abdominal training!

Tyler Bramlett

You can check out the program that Tyler uses with his client’s to create athletically strong abs, here.