When it comes to training our core, we can approach it in two main ways: isolation or integration. While isolating muscles like the abdominals can have benefits, the real magic for performance, injury prevention, and lower back health lies in integrating the entire core system.
To support spinal stiffness, reduce lower back pain, and enhance performance, we need to train the core as a cohesive unit. Think of your core like a hockey team — you don’t win games by relying on just two star players. Just like the Edmonton Oilers found success this year by utilizing their entire lineup instead of overworking McDavid and Draisaitl, your core functions best when all its “players” are working together.
The Core: A 360-Degree Cylinder
Your core isn’t just your six-pack. It wraps around your entire midsection like a cylinder and includes your obliques, lower back muscles, glutes, lats, and even your hip flexors. When these areas are trained to work together, they create the foundation of movement and stability for your entire body.
So, how do you train your core to function as an integrated unit?
Enter the McGill Big 3
Dr. Stuart McGill, a world-renowned spine biomechanist, developed a set of three exercises designed to improve spinal stiffness, core coordination, and resilience. Known as the McGill Big 3, these exercises are a simple yet powerful addition to any training or rehab program.
These movements don’t require fancy equipment or complicated technique — just focus, intention, and consistency.
Guidelines:
| -Perform 5–10 reps of each movement. |
| -Hold each position for 5 seconds. |
| -Maintain full-body tension and control throughout each rep. |
1. Partial Curl-Up
Purpose: Activates the upper abdominals while preserving the natural curve of the spine.
How to:
| -Lie on your back with one leg bent and the other straight. |
| -Place your fingertips under your lower back to help maintain a neutral spine. |
| -Keep your feet on the floor and your head aligned with your body. |
| -Lift your shoulders just an inch off the floor — this isn’t a crunch. |
| -Focus on bracing your core as if someone were about to punch you in the stomach. |
| -Hold for 5 seconds, lower slowly, and repeat. |
2. Side Plank
Purpose: Engages the obliques, glutes, and stabilizing shoulder muscles.
How to:
| -Lie on your side with your elbow under your shoulder. |
| -Stack your feet or bend your knees for a modified version. |
| -Lift your hips until your body forms a straight line. |
| -Brace through your core, squeeze your glutes, and keep your pelvis neutral. |
| -Hold for 5 seconds, lower, and reset before the next rep. |
3. Bird Dog
Purpose: Trains cross-body coordination and spinal stability.
How to:
| -Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. |
| -Imagine balancing a glass of water on your lower back — no wobbling. |
| -Extend your left leg straight back, squeezing your glute. |
| -At the same time, reach your right arm forward, making a tight fist. |
| -Create total-body tension. Hold for 5 sec, then repeat on the opposite side, performing 10 total reps |
| Optional Progression – all reps on one side before switching (shown in video) |
| -After each 5 seconds, draw your elbow toward your knee without touching the ground an extend back out again for another 5 sec hold |
| -Repeat a total of 5 reps on the same side, then switch to the opposite side and repeat entire sequence |
Why It Works:
The McGill Big 3 are not flashy, but they’re effective. These exercises teach your body how to stabilize and distribute forces properly, which is key to both injury prevention and athletic performance.
You can use them daily, as part of a warm-up, or integrated into a rehab plan. While they aren’t a complete solution for every issue, they offer a foundational strategy for building a core that functions the way it was meant to — as a strong, resilient, and unified system.