# Core strength

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/core-strength/14125>\
**Category:** Training Q&A \[Moderated\]\
**Created:** [November 22, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/core-strength/14125 "2023-11-22T16:13:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Valle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/valle/32/856_2.png) [@Valle](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Valle)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/core-strength/14125/1 "2023-11-22T16:13:23Z")

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Hi guys

Couple questions regarding core/ab work.

1. between 2 elite lifters 1 has super core strength (human flag dragon flag standing ab wheel etc) vs the other who does no direct ab work will their sbd perfomance be affected all things being equal height/weight etc?

2. If i recall correctly Dr. Baraki said in a podcast that he doesnt do ab/core work is it a matter of preference or is there any other reasoning?

3. Best bang for your buck core exercises?

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/core-strength/14125/2 "2023-11-22T18:48:57Z")

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Valle,

Thanks for the post. To your questions:

1. No idea, as this doesn’t really tell me much of anything about their SBD performance likelihood. I do think training the abs directly is more likely to be beneficial than not.
2. Likely personal preference.
3. I don’t think there is a “best” core exercise, just as I don’t think there’s a best squat, press, hinge, or row pattern exercise. I personally like GH situps, ab wheel roll outs, and hanging leg raises, but it’s just a personal preference thing.

-Jordan

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**Author:** ![Valle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/valle/32/856_2.png) [@Valle](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Valle)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2023, 7:02pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/core-strength/14125/3 "2023-11-22T19:02:07Z")

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Hi jordan and thanks for your answer. Are weighted crunches and decline barbell sit-ups out of the questions given you can load them heavy?

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2023, 12:56am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/core-strength/14125/4 "2023-11-23T00:56:34Z")

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I’ve done weighted GH sit ups and weighted regular sit-ups, but I’ve never done weighted crunches or decline weighted sit-ups. I don’t see a reason why they can’t be loaded, though like anything else, I’d be conservative with the loading at first.