In the world of performance training, “core” has become a diluted term, often associated with high- rep floor circuits and pink dumbbells. At Power Athlete, we don’t train the core—we train the Trunk. If you want to move heavy loads, sprint at maximum velocity, or maintain a rigid spine under the duress of a 300 lb linebacker, you need more than just a visible rectus abdominis. You need a structural cylinder capable of immense force transfer.

The trunk is a complex orchestration of the musculature surrounding the spine and pelvis. We are talking about the diaphragm, the pelvic floor, the internal and external obliques, the transverse abdominis (TrA), the quadratus lumborum (QL), the psoas major, the erector spinae group, and even the latissimus dorsi, which acts as a powerful bridge between the upper body and the pelvis. I know what you are thinking and you are right – crunches thrown in at the end of your training sessions aren’t cutting it. Serious trunk training isn’t about burning calories; it’s about creating a bulletproof chassis. I’ve spent the last several months working out my own trunk limitations and listening to the experts: Louie Simmons, Charles Poliquin, Matt Wenning, John Welbourn himself, and others. By applying their principles to my own training, I’ve built a framework for developing serious trunk strength, so here’s a blueprint for building your own, serious, trunk strength:

Deadbugs: A Diagnostic and Readiness Tool

We begin where most people fail: motor control. The deadbug is far from a warm-up exercise; it is a neurological diagnostic tool. It requires the athlete to maintain a neutral spine (posterior pelvic tilt engaging the TrA) while moving contralateral limbs.

If an athlete cannot maintain lumbar contact with the floor as the leg extends, they are demonstrating a lack of lumbopelvic stability. This identifies restrictions in the hip flexors or a lack of anterior pelvic control. We use deadbugs to prime the nervous system to keep the trunk stiff while the extremities move—a prerequisite for the heavy lifting to follow.

Programming RX: In general, I like to program these for time rather than repetitions. When performed properly, you’ll notice in yourself or your athletes that posture and position breakdown quickly, within seconds. Rather than sets and reps on this one, aim for perfect posture and position under time domains: :30 s, :45 s, … 2-min. You get the idea.

Hanging Leg Raises: Training the Anterior Chain

Moving into high-tension territory, the hanging leg raise is the gold standard for integrated trunk strength. Unlike floor leg raises, the hanging version demands massive recruitment of the latissimus dorsi to stabilize the shoulder girdle, while the rectus abdominis and psoas work in concert to flex the hip and then posteriorly tilt the pelvis.

Strict hanging leg raises require a violent contraction of the entire anterior chain. While I think CrossFit did a lot of things right, teaching people to kip this movement was not one of them. When done strictly, minimizing swing and engaging the lats, few movements demand as much from the trunk as hanging leg raises. This movement is the coordination of the hip flexors and the abdominal wall to move the weight of the lower extremities through space while hanging—building the specific strength required for explosive sprinting and jumping.

Programming RX: Serious trunks can handle 20-30 repetitions per set. Remember, these are standards to work towards. It is not expected you will achieve this the first time you attempt it. Put in the work and you’ll see that back pain you’ve struggled with begins to improve significantly.

Weighted Decline Sit-Ups: Overloading the Psoas and Rectus

This may be the movement I’ve heard Louie Simmons discuss more than any other for developing trunk strength. Modern fitness has demonized sit-ups, but athletes need strong hip flexors. The decline sit-up, specifically when weighted at the chest or overhead, creates a massive eccentric load on the psoas major and rectus abdominis. By increasing the lever arm on a decline, we force the trunk to resist gravity through a larger range of motion.

For the athlete who sits all day, the psoas often becomes weak and tight. Loading this pattern through full hip flexion strengthens the psoas in its shortened position, teaching it to work as a stabilizer of the lumbar spine rather than a source of lower back pain.

Programming RX: A standard I use is 30% of your body mass, overhead with arms extended at the top of sit-up for 10-15 reps per set.

One-Arm Heavy Farmer’s Walks: Anti-Lateral Flexion

Standard carries are great, but the one-arm (unilateral) farmer’s walk has few equals for working anti-lateral flexion and anti-rotation. By carrying a heavy load on only one side, you create a massive lateral shearing force. The contralateral internal/external obliques and the QL must fire intensely to prevent the spine from bending sideways.

This develops anti-lateral flexion strength. In sport, stability is often about what you don’t let happen. This exercise ensures that when you plant your foot to change direction, your trunk stays stacked over your center of mass rather than leaking energy through the hips.

Programming RX: Working up to 50% of your body mass for either distance (40-50 meters per arm) or time (:45-60 s per arm) is a standard everyone should work towards.

Weighted QL Side Raises

My personal favorite—and the most recent addition to my own trunk training—is the Quadratus Lumborum (QL) side raise. The QL is the unsung hero of the trunk. It connects the iliac crest to the lumbar spine and the 12th rib. Using a 45-degree back extension bench to perform side raises allows us to isolate the QL and the obliques through a deep range of lateral flexion and extension.

Most athletes have a silent QL that only speaks up when it spasms from overcompensating for weak glutes. Most people notice this after a heavy day of squatting (or prolonged sitting). By training it directly, we create a lateral pillar of strength that protects the lumbar discs and provides a stable base for the lats to pull from.

Programming RX: A standard I use is 30% of your body mass per side for 10-15 reps per set.

Weighted Get-Up, Sit-Up

I first learned about the get-up, sit-up while following Jacked Street. We take the first half of a Turkish Get-Up and load it heavy. This movement integrates the shoulder stabilizers (serratus anterior and rotator cuff) with the cross-body tension of the trunk. Getting a heavy kettlebell or dumbbell off the floor from a supine position requires a massive diagonal contraction from the opposite hip to the reaching shoulder.

This X-pattern is the foundation of human locomotion. By loading the sit-up portion of the get-up, we teach the trunk to generate force from a dead stop, which is the definition of starting strength in a contact sport environment.

“Stability is not the absence of movement, but the control of it under load.”

Programming RX: A standard I’ve adopted for this one is 30% of your body mass per side for 8-10 reps per set.

Conclusion: Building the Bulletproof Chassis

When we look at these movements, (from the neurological precision of the deadbug to the sheer lateral demand of the one-arm carry) we see a complete system. We are not just building abs. We are building a trunk that integrates the lats (the upper anchors), the hip flexors (the lower drivers), and the QL/erectors (the posterior support).

For the modern athlete who spends hours seated, the hip flexors and trunk often become dormant and stuck. This program reverses that trend. By strengthening the psoas through weighted sit-ups and the QL through side raises, we provide the spine with the active support it needs to stay resilient. A strong trunk allows for better force transfer from the ground to the hands, protects the spine under heavy axial loading, and ensures that you aren’t the athlete who breaks when the game gets heavy. Train the trunk like a serious athlete, and your performance will follow suit.

Building a stronger trunk is only part of the equation. If you’re ready to train like a serious athlete with proven strength and conditioning programs designed for performance, resilience, and longevity, explore our training programs. Whether you’re chasing strength, speed, durability, or all three, we’ve got a program built for the mission.

Related Content

Blog: Movement Demo: Dead Bug

Blog: Why You Should Never Skip Trunk Training

Podcast: Ep 587 – How to Fortify Mobility & Stability w/ Dr Matt Zanis