Core Training Quotes

We hear about the importance of strong core muscles all the time, but it never quite hits home until you stop and think what the muscles around your stomach and lower back really do.

'Immortals' was very much a martial arts based training program - a lot of body weight stuff, very little in the way of actually lifting heavy weights, and a very, very low calorie diet.

When I work out I always focus on activating my core so I'm engaging at all times no matter if I'm doing yoga or if I'm on the treadmill.

I think the two most important parts of any athlete's workouts are his leg workouts and his core training.

Mostly, I was into powerlifting when I was in high school. And I just continued to train the same way I was taught - to powerlift. Once I started doing bodybuilding, there were no real differences, just different exercises. A different way of training with more repetitions, but it was still the same lifting of very heavy weights to get stronger.

I do all core-based alignment training and strength training. If I don't die at the end of 90 minutes, then it hasn't been a good workout.

In regards to core training, I try to incorporate the medicine ball whenever possible. As a baseball player, there is a lot of twisting and turning that I will do. Keeping my abs strong is as important as anything else.

I have a routine for a day I'm in the office and not really physically active. Or a day when I'm in the gym once or in the gym twice. Then I've got a road course routine and an oval routine because they're different physically.

We do the majority of what most athletes do. For example, as a badminton player, you have to be able to run a long distance and sprint. We do weights three times a week.

I don't really like the gym. I like to fool my body. I run around the beach and then there's scaffolding so I can just do different pulls-ups there.

I have a personal trainer who comes over at least four times a week and kicks my butt. I get so sore that I can't even walk.

Every rep I can get is valuable.

I don't criticize weight training - as long as it is not a substitute for aerobic training.

I am doing a lot of core training exercises to build and strengthen my body, spending more time in gym. I am also doing endurance training like repeating 300m, 350m races in a day. Then I also do repeat of 60m, 70m.

I try to work out with my personal trainer for an hour, four times a week - we mainly concentrate on weights and running. If I'm on the road I sometimes do DVD work-outs in my hotel room - P90X and Insanity are a couple of my favourites.

I do a lot of a cross training.

The one thing I like to do is challenge my body, so I just transition between a bunch of different workouts all the time.

My go-to prebikini flat-ab move is the plank, all different types.

I do a lot of planks. I feel like the plank is the most underrated core workout; that's one of my go-to moves.

Balancing is good to isolate the abs.

It's important to work the core in all planes of movement, as we move in all three planes in tennis, especially into rotation and anti-rotation movements.

Crunches are much more effective than regular sit-ups because they specifically target your upper abdominal muscles rather than your hip muscles. If you're not used to them, they can cause soreness a day or two later, but it's a 'cool' soreness. A badge of honor.

I have a lot of weakness in my core, so that's definitely something I'm improving on.

I witnessed an MVP firsthand in Jose Altuve. I asked him what he did during the offseason, and he said he trains his core.

Sometimes I use a bungee, one of those bungee cords that offer resistance training. I find that useful. Like, I'll go out and hit a backhand or a forehand with resistance. Because when you get rid of the resistance, you've recruited more muscle fibers, and it definitely helps with speed.