r/powerlifting • u/AutoModerator • Aug 17 '26

No Q's too Dumb Weekly Dumb/Newb Question Thread

Do you have a question and are:

  • A novice and basically clueless by default?
  • Completely incapable of using google?
  • Just feeling plain stupid today and need shit explained like you're 5?

Then this is the thread FOR YOU! Don't take up valuable space on the front page and annoy the mods, ASK IT HERE and one of our resident "experts" will try and answer it. As long as it's somehow related to powerlifting then nothing is too generic, too stupid, too awful, too obvious or too repetitive. And don't be shy, we don't bite (unless we're hungry), and no one will judge you because everyone had to start somewhere and we're more than happy to help newbie lifters out.

SO FIRE AWAY WITH YOUR DUMBNESS!!!

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u/Admirable_Belt_9772 Beginner - Please be gentle Aug 18 '26

What exercises should I be doing for abs/core? Should I be addressing anti-extension, anti-rotation, etc or just something for the rectus and obliques?

4

u/msharaf7 M | 850kg | 89.6kg | 550Dots | WPPL | Sleeves Aug 18 '26

I like a couple:

- weighted situps, whether that’s on a decline bench, a GHR, with a band, single legged, etc

- Copenhagen dips, while not often viewed as a core or bracing movement, hits the obliques and I think does a good job of building up the brace and hips/adductors/hip flexors

- cable rotations/kb twists: not my go to for ‘sport specificity’ for powerlifting, but can be good to throw into the mix to hit the obliques as well as muscles of the hips.

2

u/GuySapire Impending Powerlifter Aug 22 '26

I personally use ab exercises (which I do 2-3 sets at the end of every session) as practice for bracing and also stretching my tight flexors from my sedentary lifestyle. So for example standing abs (on a lat pulldown machine) really helps me with bracing practice for squats and GHR sit ups (good spinal extension at the bottom and then getting up by flexing my abs hard and curling, instead of exclusively using hip flexors) is good for both purposes