- CrossFit athlete Katrin Davidsdottir always had 6 packs, but her core wasn’t always strong.
- The healthiest woman on the planet said ignoring her core would lead to a herniated disc.
- Davidsdottir is currently doing a lot of core exercises such as dead bugs, side planks, L-sit holds and more.
Katrin Davidsdottir has done “many” core training to maintain her position as an elite CrossFit athlete, including dead bugs, L-sit holds, and suitcase carry, she told Insider.
The 29-year-old Icelandic athlete won the CrossFit Games in 2015 and 2016, but despite his visible abdominal muscles, he doesn’t always prioritize the core.
“I’ve had 6 packs since I was a kid and they look great, but they don’t always work efficiently and the inner core muscles are stable,” Davidsdottir told Insider.
The abdominal muscles are the external muscles on the front of the torso, but the core muscles include the abdominal muscles, but they also wrap around the entire center, including the pelvis, diaphragm, hips, and hips. Cores help stabilize the whole body and can have a strong core without 6 packs or a strong core without a strong core.
A former gymnast said one of her biggest mistakes was lack of adequate core training, leading to a herniated disc at the end of 2019. A herniated disc, also known as a slip disc, causes the bones of the spine to shift.
Since then, Davidsdottir has made ab-strengthening exercises an important part of her training.
Katrin Davidsdottir does a variety of core exercises
To protect her back, Davidsdottir prioritizes “McGill Big Three.” These are three core exercises designed to be performed before training, especially for people suffering from back pain.
The exercises are as follows:
Davidsdottir adds dead bugs to these. This is another move that helps pull in the core, as personal trainer Luke Wassington told insiders earlier.
Dead bugs and side planks can also help build abdominal muscles, especially when you gain weight, bodybuilder Hatty Boyle told insiders earlier.
In 2021, Davidsdottir moved from the United States to Iceland to train with his new coach, Jami Tikkanen. Since making that change, she has incorporated more abs and core exercises into her training.
“We carry a lot of suitcases, L-sit holds, ring holds and hip extensions,” she said. “I make a lot of accessory movements around a big lift.” The accessory movement is a complementary exercise designed to support and improve the performance of major movements such as squats and overhead presses. Examples include Davidsdottir’s core exercises, as well as many other exercises such as dumbbell curls, skull crushers, and split squats.
A suitcase carry is a simple movement of holding a weight with one hand, engaging the core muscles to keep the torso straight, and walking. This can be done in everyday life, such as when carrying groceries. Pilates instructor Natalie Hayward told insiders earlier.
Davidsdottir wants her whole body to contribute to every move
Davidsdottir said he’s made a lot of these accessories move around big lifts (deadlifts, squats, clean and jerk, etc.) so that they can run safely and continue to make progress.
“I feel like I’m keeping my body very healthy, and it helps with big and sexy lifts,” she said.
According to Davids Dottil, not only strengthening her core, but also making sure her gluteal muscles are strong and engaged helps protect her back.
“The big thing this year is that I can contribute to what I’m doing,” she said.
