When it comes to training the obliques, the first exercise I turn to is the Pallof Press. It is a great anti rotation exercise that also trains hip stability. The goal should be to challenge your stability in the core and hips while being able to maintain proper breathing and good form.
The only downside I see with this exercise is that people feel they need to load it up with heavy weights.
This is understandable, for in the lifting world Exercise + More Weight = Badassery. So logic would then lead us to believe that Exercise + Less Weight = Lameness. What this tells us is the Pallof Press is a lame exercise, but it’s not. See, what you need to factor in is the fact that Josh (yes, I just referred to myself in the 3rd person) likes this exercise, so the actual equation is this.
Pallof Press + Less Weight + Josh = Awesome
Sorry, I just realized I went on a tangent about a fictitious math problem.
Getting back to the point. The Pallof Press should be progressed with changes in the body’s stance and position, before it is progressed with an increase in weight.
Here are 5 progressions you can do to increase the difficulty of the Pallof Press before you increase the weight.
Narrow Stance
Most will start off with their feet positioned at shoulder width. With the narrow stance all you are going to do is move your feet in under your hips. A small change, but you will immediately notice a difference in your ability to stabilize yourself.
Half Kneeling
Like the tall kneeling the half kneeling is a challenge to keep the hips neutral, not shift weight too far back or forward. In this position you will have the desire to lean away from the force of pull, but you want to resist this urge and stay tall and neutral.
Split Stance
In this position you will try to keep your feet in a straight line. You will have a very narrow base of support. This is arguably the most challenging position.
Someone can’t keep their eyes of my Pallof Press
Lunge Stance
The lunge stance is like the half kneeling except you are taking away one of your points of contact- your knee. This position is also challenging because you have to use your quads to keep you off the ground and also use your butt to stabilize yourself. It can be very fatiguing for both your legs and your obliques.
Final Words
Next time you do the Pallof Press try progressing the exercise with one of these positions before increasing the weight. If done properly these positions will be more challenging then any increase in weight.
Give em a try.
Happy Halloween
Josh Williams
