Salsa...core?? WTF?

I'm sitting at the Human Motion booth at the Vancouver Adventure & Outdoor Travel Show....
Every time I look to my left I see the strangest thing...
A group of people twisting on a disk waving their arms around like a bunch of maniacs. Curious as to what this 'revolutionary training' was I asked one of the ladies at the booth...
Apparently this is 'Salsa Core'. And supposedly it is designed to train the core...
The lady at the booth even challenged me to try one of their exercises to 'activate my core'. She had me hold one of the disks at arms length out horizontally to the side and lift it up and down in a limited range of motion. Meanwhile the owner of the company told me to be very careful. I said that I'd probably be OK and that I knew how to lift, to which he replied "But this isn't about heavy weights...it's about 'the core'..." You know I always thought that my core would have to be pretty strong to lift nearly 700pounds out of the rack at a bodyweight of just over 165...but I guess I was wrong!
The challenge was to complete 30 reps. After chatting with her whilst doing this exercise she exclaimed "well you've done 35 reps now! Can you feel your core"...to which I replied "Uhhh no..."
Come on - give me a break....
I hate to deride anyone but unfortunately this is an example of some of the worst parts of the fitness industry. In using buzz words like 'core' and marketing to people who don't really want to do any real work to improve their health, fitness and strength they are doing themselves and the industry a massive dis-service.
Let's look at what is really happening in this movement. Standing on a disk and twisting side to side they claim is working the 'core'.

So what is 'the core'?


The core is a large conglomeration of musculature including the TVA, obliques, rectus abdominus as well as all the spinal erectors and muscles of the hip girdle. It allows for force transfer from the upper to lower body and vice versa as well as resisting impact and unwanted torque.

Because of this we consider the primary functional training aspects of the 'core' to be bracing under load (especially in extension) and rotation as well as anti rotation with secondary aspects being trunk flexion, trunk side flexion and extension. Of course rotation for any athletic or even primal functionality needs to incorporate a degree of loading and/or dynamic/explosive movement.

This is why we focus initially on activation and innervation of the core through programs like 'Building a Strong Foundation' but quickly progress the athlete into general strength programming incorporating big, basic lifts - all-round, kettlebell and Olympic lift variations as well as rotational work with cables, bars, dumbells and kettlebells.

I'm sorry - but as friendly and amiable as the crew at the 'Salsa Core' stand were, simply standing on a disk and 'doing the twist' for minutes or hours on end is not going to do much of anything.
And unfortunately not just the attendees trying the exercise but also the demonstrators as well all seemed to exhibit excessive lordosis with anterior pelvic tilting. And when you are trying to 'twist your way to a thinner midsection' in this position you will be at an even greater risk of back injury.

To develop the 'core' and to reduce your risk of low back injury, not to mention creating great posture AND get the aesthetic benefits that most of us want there is no getting around the fact that you have to become STRONGER. And not only that but you need to be doing intelligent strength training, activating the posterior chains and executing the primal movement patterns correctly.
There is no substitute for hard work!

Oh and by the way - I love Salsa dancing! I have danced for years...but I do it for fun!...I leave my 'core' conditioning where it belongs.... in the gym!

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Choosing You signing at the Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show!

This weekend - 14th and 15th of February

BC Place, Vancouver, BC



Cliff will be at the Human Motion booth along with Human Motion Strength Coach and Physiologist Paul Hemsworth.

There will be a range of Human Motion products available for sale at discounted rates along with copies of Cliff's local bestseller 'Choosing You!'.

Come along and get your signed copy today!

Here's what people are saying about 'Choosing You!':

"Thank you Cliff for letting me read your book!!! I LOVED IT!!!!! it honestly made me have a vision again.... it was good especially since you wrote in your own kiwi talk hahahahaha but honestly thank you so much!! it was fantastic!!!! great work !!!"


Leah - Vancouver, BC, Canada




"Cliff's book is great! I think the universe is trying to tell me something. The week after I received the book from you, a patient gave me 4 CDs as a present - The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. As I was reading your book, I also started listening to the CDs in my car. Both these things are telling exactly the same thing! Sadly though, when I was younger I truly did live these principles out but somehow along the road, forgot how to! Now the book & the CDs are teaching me again. I am forced to look deep within myself again & find my dreams. Think you are very fotunate to have met Cliff & spent time with him. People like him are few and far between. Thank you for helping me & sharing the book with me. It is one of those books that a person will read more than once. Eash time you read it, it will address another aspect or give you a different view."


Name withheld - South Africa





You know the saying that a book comes our way exactly when we need it....well your book came to me at the perfect time :-)
Your style of writing, your wording and your vision is so connected to mine so its really easy to read your book.
At the same time, I am at a point in my life where I really want to go to the next level....so I keep thinking about it....
Your words and steps to action are giving me more clarity and guidance to get things rolling....
Your book has added momentum to where I am already heading...
Thank you for helping me bring more focus and direction as well as confidence to my life as I move forward :-)
I have lots of power to choose, I know this, your book has reminded me in many ways :-)


Hana - Vancouver, BC, Canada




Finished the book. Loved. It! Good job. The most significant reminders for me were mindfulness, quality time & energy management, and your Dads' - Inaction in Action. I got more stuff done this weekend than I have in ages. I really liked the personal anecdotes and schedule examples -tres helpful. Rock on. Loved it. Can't wait for the next one!


Sarah - New York, NY, US




Come along, see the crew and get your copy!

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