This helpful blog post comes from Dr. Joe Olofsson at Olo Physical Therapy and Wellness.
“I need to do more core work—I think my abs are just weak.”
“I’ve been adding planks but my back still gets tired when I lift.”
“Maybe I should try one of those 30-day crunch challenges?”
If any of those thoughts have crossed your mind, you’re not alone. I hear some version of this every week.
The truth? Most people don’t need more crunches—they need a better understanding of what their core is and what it’s supposed to do.
Let’s clear a few things up.
Myth #1: A Strong Core = Visible Abs
Reality: Having a six-pack doesn’t automatically mean your core is strong—or functional.
The “core” includes way more than just your abs. We’re talking deep muscles like your transverse abdominis, diaphragm, pelvic floor, and multifidi that help stabilize your spine under load.
You can have visible abs and still struggle with back pain, poor bracing, or power leaks during lifts.
Myth #2: Planks Are All You Need
Reality: Planks are a fine starting point—but they don’t carry over to real movement as much as you might think.
A strong, functional core has to control rotation, resist extension, and stabilize during dynamic movement.
That’s why I often recommend:
- Dead bugs (for bracing + coordination)
- Carries (for anti-lateral flexion and total-body tension)
- Pallof presses (for anti-rotation)
- Cable lifts/chops (for diagonal patterning)
- Deadlifts (for translation to function)
Myth #3: Back Pain Means You Need More Core Strength
Reality: Back pain isn’t always a strength issue—it’s often a coordination or timing issue.
People with strong deadlifts still get back pain if they can’t properly brace, breathe, or control pelvis position under load.
Sometimes improving your exhale control or learning how to create tension before a lift does more for your back than any ab exercise ever will.
Myth #4: You Should Train Core at the End of a Workout
Reality: It depends on your goal. For some folks, core work as a finisher is fine. But if your core is limiting your main lifts—don’t wait until you’re tired to train it.
Try this instead:
- Add a set of carries or planks in your warm-up
- Make core a primer, not an afterthought
So… Is Your Core Actually Weak?
Maybe. But more often, it’s undertrained in the ways that matter for real-world movement.
If you’re dealing with lingering back tension, lifting plateaus, or always feel like you check out halfway through a workout, it might be time to take a closer look.
At OLO Physical Therapy and Wellness, I help active adults figure out how to train smarter—not just harder—so they can lift, move, and feel better without chasing the next core fad.
Book a movement screen if you want help building a core that actually works for the things you care about.
See you in the gym
Joe
NEXT UP: Back Soreness or injury? How to tell the difference and what to do about it.
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