Core Training for Fighters: What Actually Builds Power, Stability, and Transfer

Written by Tomasz Antczak · Published March 19, 2026 · Updated September 24, 2026

Learn how fighters can train the core for strength, stability, rotation, and trunk control, with practical exercises, progression, sample workouts, and evidence-based limits on sport transfer.

Core training is one of the most misunderstood parts of fight preparation.

For some people it means:

• crunches
• sit-ups
• leg raises
• a painful ab circuit at the end of training

For others it becomes the opposite extreme:

• balance balls
• unstable surfaces
• complicated cable combinations
• exercises that look more like circus tricks than strength training

Neither approach is necessary.

For a fighter, useful trunk training can help develop qualities such as:

• trunk strength
• bracing
• control of extension
• control of rotation
• lateral stability
• rotational strength
• balance

Those qualities can support movement in:

• boxing
• Muay Thai
• kickboxing
• MMA
• grappling

But core training should be described accurately.

A stronger trunk does not automatically mean:

a harder punch.

And doing more rotational exercises does not automatically mean:

more rotational power in a fight.

Sport performance still depends heavily on:

• technique
• timing
• coordination
• lower-body force production
• speed
• skill practice

The gym supports those qualities.

It does not replace them.

What do we mean by “core”?

There is no single muscle called:

the core.

In practical training language, the term usually refers to muscles around the:

• abdomen
• trunk
• spine
• pelvis

that help produce and control trunk movement.

That includes muscles involved in:

• spinal flexion
• extension
• rotation
• lateral flexion
• resisting those movements

So core training is much broader than:

training the abs.

What does the trunk do during fighting?

Combat sports involve coordinated movement across the whole body.

A punch, for example, does not happen because:

the arm moves by itself.

Biomechanical studies of boxing describe coordinated actions involving:

• the lower body
• trunk
• shoulder
• arm

with different body segments contributing during different phases of the punch.

That is why it makes sense to train the trunk as part of the athlete’s overall physical preparation.

But be careful with the common phrase:

“the core transfers power from the legs to the fist.”

It is a useful coaching simplification.

Human movement is more complicated than one body part acting as a passive transmission shaft.

The trunk:

• produces motion
• controls motion
• contributes to positioning
• interacts with the hips and upper body

during striking.

Does core training actually improve athletic performance?

Sometimes.

But the evidence is not as simple as:

stronger core = better athlete.

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of trunk muscle training in competitive athletes found improvements in several physical qualities, including:

• trunk-related strength
• local muscular endurance
• some measures of lower-body power
• sprint performance
• change-of-direction performance
• some sport-specific performance measures

However, studies varied substantially in:

• athletes
• sports
• exercises
• training duration
• outcome measures

So there is no single core-training formula that guarantees better performance.

What about fighters specifically?

A 2025 systematic review looked specifically at:

striking combat sports.

It included athletes from:

• boxing
• Muay Thai
• taekwondo
• karate
• Chinese martial arts

and reported improvements in some measures of:

• striking force
• impact speed
• kicking performance
• repeated striking performance

after core-strength interventions.

That is encouraging.

But only:

8 studies

met the inclusion criteria.

That is a relatively small evidence base.

So the reasonable conclusion is:

core training may support striking performance, but we should not treat any individual core exercise as a proven shortcut to harder punches or kicks.

Broader evidence is more cautious

A 2023 meta-analysis of randomized trials found that core training produced clearer improvements in:

• core endurance
• balance

than in:

• sport-specific power
• sport-specific speed

The authors found little overall effect on some sport-specific performance outcomes.

That is useful context.

Core training is worth doing.

But its most reliable benefit may be:

making the trunk itself stronger and better able to control movement

rather than instantly transforming sports performance.

The five useful categories of core training

Instead of chasing:

the best core exercise for fighters,

it is more useful to cover several trunk functions.

A simple program can include:

1. anti-extension
2. anti-rotation
3. lateral stability
4. controlled rotation
5. loaded bracing

You do not need all five in every session.

Across the week:

cover several of them.

1. Anti-extension

Anti-extension exercises challenge you to resist excessive arching of the lower back while force acts on the trunk.

Examples include:

• Dead Bug
• Ab Wheel Rollout
• Body Saw
• Long-Lever Plank

This is useful because many athletic movements require the athlete to create trunk stiffness while:

• arms
• legs

are moving.

Dead bug

The dead bug is simple and easy to scale.

It can help teach:

• ribcage control
• pelvic control
• abdominal bracing
• coordination between trunk and limbs

Basic version

Lie on your back.

Bring hips and knees into a comfortable bent position.

Brace gently.

Slowly lower:

• one arm
• opposite leg

without allowing the lower back to arch excessively.

Return.

Repeat on the other side.

Starting prescription

2–3 sets × 6–10 reps per side

Keep the movement:

• slow
• controlled

Do not chase fatigue.

Ab wheel rollout

The ab wheel is a much harder anti-extension exercise.

Start from:

• kneeling

and roll forward only as far as you can maintain trunk control.

Starting prescription

2–3 sets × 5–10 reps

If your lower back:

• drops into a large arch
• becomes painful

reduce the range.

A shorter controlled rollout is more useful than a long uncontrolled one.

Do not turn anti-extension into a posture religion

There is no need to believe that your spine must remain:

perfectly neutral at all times.

The spine moves.

That is normal.

Anti-extension exercises are simply one way to train the ability to:

control trunk position under load.

They are not proof that spinal extension is inherently dangerous.

2. Anti-rotation

Anti-rotation exercises challenge the trunk to resist an external rotational force.

The classic example is:

Pallof Press.

This category makes practical sense for fighters because combat sports involve situations where external forces attempt to:

• rotate
• pull
• move

your torso.

That does not mean anti-rotation is automatically:

more functional

than rotational training.

You can use both.

Pallof press

Attach a cable or band beside you.

Hold it near the chest.

Press your hands away from the body without allowing the resistance to rotate you substantially.

Starting prescription

2–3 sets × 8–12 reps per side

or:

15–30 second holds

Use enough resistance that you have to work.

But not so much that:

• your hips twist
• your shoulders rotate dramatically
• you turn it into a full-body wrestling match with the cable

Half-kneeling Pallof press

A half-kneeling version can reduce how much you rely on:

• wide stance
• leg movement

to resist the load.

That may be useful for variety.

It is not automatically superior.

Do fighters need anti-rotation?

You do not need to build an entire core program around it.

But it is a useful category because most traditional ab routines contain almost none.

One or two anti-rotation exercises across the week can be enough.

3. Lateral stability

The trunk also has to control movement in the frontal plane.

Useful exercises include:

• Side Plank
• Suitcase Carry
• Offset Carry

These challenge the body to resist:

• lateral bending
• asymmetrical loading

Side plank

A basic side plank is easy to learn and scale.

Starting prescription

2–3 sets × 20–45 seconds per side

Progress by:

• increasing time modestly
• using a longer lever
• adding load

Do not chase:

five-minute planks.

At some point:

adding difficulty is more practical than adding endless time.

Suitcase carry

Hold one heavy implement on one side.

Walk normally while maintaining control.

Starting prescription

2–3 rounds × 20–40 metres per side

Suitcase carries train:

• grip
• trunk
• walking under asymmetrical load

They are simple and easy to include at the end of a strength session.

Carries do not need to become conditioning

If you are:

• sprinting with dumbbells
• gasping for air
• racing the clock

you have changed the exercise.

That may be useful conditioning.

But it is no longer simply trunk-strength work.

4. Controlled rotation

Fighters obviously rotate.

So some direct rotational training can make sense.

Examples include:

• Cable Chop
• Cable Lift
• Landmine Rotation
• Rotational Medicine-Ball Throw

But there are two very different categories here:

Strength-oriented rotation

Usually:

• slower
• controlled
• loaded

Power-oriented rotation

Usually:

• fast
• explosive
• lower repetition

Do not mix them accidentally.

Cable chop

Cable chops can train controlled rotational movement under resistance.

Example

2–3 sets × 6–12 reps per side

Use enough load to challenge the movement while preserving:

• control
• balance

Do not simply:

swing the cable as hard as possible.

Cable lift

A cable lift changes the direction of the rotational pattern.

Again:

the purpose is not to perfectly imitate a:

• hook
• kick

It is simply another way to progressively train rotation under resistance.

Do rotational exercises make punches harder?

Possibly as part of a broader training program.

But do not claim:

cable chops increase punch force by themselves.

Punching performance depends on coordinated:

• lower-body action
• trunk movement
• upper-body movement
• technique

Core-strength interventions have improved striking outcomes in some studies.

That supports using trunk training.

It does not prove that one specific gym drill directly transfers to one specific strike.

5. Loaded bracing

Sometimes the simplest core training does not look like:

core training.

Exercises such as:

• Farmer Carry
• Suitcase Carry
• heavy squat variations
• deadlift variations
• loaded presses
• rows

require the trunk to stabilize under load.

So if you already strength train:

your core is already working.

Do compound lifts train the core?

Yes.

They require trunk musculature to contribute to:

• positioning
• stability
• force production

But that does not mean direct trunk training is useless.

Direct exercises let you deliberately target functions such as:

• anti-extension
• anti-rotation
• lateral stability
• rotation

with relatively little overall fatigue.

Direct core training should supplement strength training

Think of direct core work as:

accessory training.

Not:

the foundation of the entire strength program.

A fighter usually needs:

• lower-body strength
• upper-body strength
• pulling
• pushing
• sport practice

as well.

For the broader gym picture, read Strength Training for Muay Thai: Best Exercises and What to Skip.

What about spinal flexion?

Crunches and sit-ups are often criticised as if spinal flexion were automatically bad.

That is too simplistic.

The spine is capable of flexion.

A crunch is an exercise.

It is not inherently:

• dangerous
• useless

The problem is when a fighter’s entire trunk program consists of:

hundreds of flexion repetitions.

That leaves other functions undertrained.

Can fighters do crunches?

Yes.

If:

• you like them
• they are comfortable
• they fit your program

you can use them.

They are simply one option.

They should not be confused with a complete core program.

Hanging knee raises

Hanging knee raises can train:

• abdominal musculature
• hip flexors
• pelvic control

and also require:

• grip
• shoulder support

They become less useful if every repetition is:

• swinging
• uncontrolled

Starting prescription

2–3 sets × 6–12 reps

Use a range you can control.

Hanging leg raises

These are harder.

You do not need them if knee raises already provide enough challenge.

Progression is not:

use the hardest exercise on social media.

Progression is:

increase the challenge when the current exercise becomes too easy.

What about rotation with medicine balls?

Medicine-ball throws can be useful for explosive rotational training.

Examples:

• Rotational Wall Throw
• Scoop Toss

Use:

• low repetitions
• high intent
• enough rest

Sample medicine-ball prescription

3–4 sets × 3–5 reps per side

Every repetition should look:

• fast
• explosive

If speed drops substantially:

stop the set.

This is power training.

Not abdominal conditioning.

Why throwing may be more appropriate for power

Explosive sport actions occur quickly.

A medicine-ball throw allows you to:

• accelerate
• release the implement

rather than being forced to slow the movement at the end.

That makes throwing a useful tool when the goal is:

explosive intent.

It still does not perfectly reproduce:

• punching
• kicking

and it does not need to.

Core training does not need to imitate fighting

This is one of the biggest mistakes in combat-sport strength training.

Someone wants punching power.

So they:

• hold dumbbells while punching
• attach resistance to every strike
• recreate hooks on cable machines

Specific skill should usually come from:

practising the skill.

Strength training can remain:

strength training.

What about unstable-surface training?

Unstable tools can increase the challenge of maintaining position.

Examples include:

• Swiss balls
• suspension trainers
• unstable pads

They can be used.

But they are not mandatory.

A 2025 meta-analysis comparing instability and traditional core training reported benefits for some trunk-strength and sprint outcomes.

That does not mean every fighter should move all strength work onto:

• wobble boards
• BOSU balls

Stable exercises remain effective and much easier to progressively load.

Use instability when it has a clear purpose.

Not because it looks:

more athletic.

Avoid turning strength exercises into balance tricks

For example:

heavy squat on a wobble board

creates a very different training problem from:

heavy squat on stable ground.

If the goal is:

• leg strength

a stable surface usually lets you produce and progressively load more force.

You can train balance separately.

Not every quality needs to be trained in one exercise.

Bracing and breathing

Bracing does not mean:

hold your breath for every exercise forever.

Breathing strategy depends on:

• load
• exercise
• duration

During heavy lifting, athletes may intentionally create substantial trunk pressure and stiffness.

During lighter trunk exercises:

you can usually breathe while maintaining tension.

Do not make breathing unnecessarily complicated

You do not need to learn a mysterious:

fighter breathing method

before training the core.

For most accessory exercises:

• maintain control
• breathe normally
• avoid completely losing trunk tension

That is enough.

How often should fighters train the core?

There is no proven universal optimum.

A practical starting range is:

2–4 exposures per week.

But it is not a scientific requirement.

A fighter might do:

Twice per week

After two gym sessions.

Or:

Three shorter exposures

Across strength and technical days.

You do not need:

a dedicated core day.

How much core work do you need?

Usually:

not much.

A practical session can contain:

2–3 exercises

for:

2–3 sets each.

That may take:

10–15 minutes.

Because fighters already accumulate fatigue from:

• Muay Thai
• sparring
• conditioning
• strength training

there is little reason to make core work into:

a 45-minute punishment session.

Quality matters more than exhaustion

You should finish most trunk work feeling:

• challenged
• controlled

not:

• completely destroyed

Soreness is not the objective.

The goal is progressive strength and control.

Sample Core Workout A — Stability emphasis

1. Ab Wheel Rollout

3 × 5–10

2. Pallof Press

3 × 8–12 per side

3. Suitcase Carry

3 × 20–40 m per side

This gives you:

• anti-extension
• anti-rotation
• lateral stability under load

Simple.

Done.

Sample Core Workout B — Rotation emphasis

1. Rotational Medicine-Ball Throw

3 × 3–5 per side

2. Cable Chop

3 × 6–10 per side

3. Side Plank

2–3 × 20–40 seconds per side

This gives you:

• explosive rotation
• loaded controlled rotation
• lateral stability

Sample Core Workout C — Beginner version

1. Dead Bug

2 × 6–8 per side

2. Pallof Press

2 × 8–10 per side

3. Side Plank

2 × 20–30 seconds per side

You do not need:

• advanced variations
• maximal load

when basic control is still developing.

How to progress core training

Core exercises should progress like other strength exercises.

Possible progression methods include:

• more repetitions
• more load
• longer lever
• harder variation
• slightly longer carry
• better control

For example:

Pallof Press

10 kg × 10
→ 10 kg × 12
→ 12.5 kg × 8

Ab Wheel

5 controlled reps
→ 8 controlled reps
→ 10 controlled reps
→ slightly greater range

Suitcase Carry

24 kg × 20 m
→ 24 kg × 30 m
→ 28 kg × 20 m

That is progressive overload.

Read Progressive Overload Explained: How to Keep Getting Stronger Without Guessing for the full principle.

Do not progress by adding chaos

A common mistake is:

plank too easy → put feet on ball → add band → close eyes → lift one arm → balance on something unstable.

That may make the task harder.

But it also changes:

• what limits the exercise

Sometimes the simpler progression is:

add load.

Do fighters need core endurance?

Yes, trunk endurance can be useful.

Combat sports require athletes to maintain:

• posture
• control
• force production

across repeated rounds.

But endless planks are not the only way to train endurance.

Repeated sets of:

• carries
• trunk exercises
• normal strength training

also expose the trunk to repeated work.

Plank duration

If you can hold a basic plank comfortably for:

a long time,

you probably do not need to make the goal:

five minutes.

Instead:

• add a modest load
• use a longer lever
• choose a harder anti-extension exercise

Make the exercise more demanding without making the session endless.

Core strength versus core endurance

These overlap.

But broadly:

Strength-focused work

uses:

• higher resistance
• more difficult variations
• lower repetitions or shorter hard sets

Endurance-focused work

uses:

• longer durations
• more repeated work

Fighters may benefit from both.

You do not need to train them in separate blocks unless your program requires it.

Does a stronger core prevent injuries?

Be cautious with this claim.

Core training can improve:

• trunk strength
• balance
• control

But you should not promise that:

• Pallof Presses prevent back injuries
• planks prevent hip injuries
• stronger abs prevent all sports injuries

Injury risk depends on many factors.

No individual core exercise provides guaranteed protection.

Does core training fix lower-back pain?

This article is about:

performance training.

Not rehabilitation.

Exercise can be part of managing many cases of low-back pain, but there is no single universal:

core weakness diagnosis

that explains all back pain.

If you have persistent or significant pain:

use appropriate medical or physiotherapy guidance.

Does a weak core cause poor posture?

Not automatically.

Posture is influenced by many things.

You do not need to:

• constantly brace
• hold your shoulders back
• suck your stomach in

throughout the day.

Train strength and control.

Do not turn core training into fear of normal movement.

Fighters need movement, not permanent stiffness

This is important.

The goal is not:

make the trunk rigid all the time.

A fighter has to:

• rotate
• bend
• extend
• shift
• move quickly

The useful quality is the ability to:

create stiffness when needed and allow movement when needed.

Punching involves rotation — but not only rotation

Straight punches and hooks involve different:

• movement patterns
• timings
• contributions from body segments

Boxing biomechanics research supports viewing punches as coordinated whole-body actions.

So telling an athlete:

“just rotate your core harder”

is poor technical advice.

Punching technique should be coached as:

punching technique.

Kicking involves the whole body too

Muay Thai kicks require coordinated movement involving:

• support leg
• hips
• trunk
• striking leg
• upper body

Core strength can support the physical system.

But the gym cannot teach:

• kicking timing
• target selection
• balance under actual combat conditions

That still comes from Muay Thai.

Clinch is another reason trunk strength matters

Clinch involves:

• pushing
• pulling
• posture
• rotation
• resisting movement

So trunk-strength work may contribute to the general physical qualities used there.

But again:

Pallof Press is not clinch practice.

Strength supports skill.

It does not replace it.

Core training before or after Muay Thai?

Usually:

avoid fatiguing trunk work before the technical session if it noticeably reduces your ability to:

• brace
• rotate
• strike
• breathe
• maintain posture

A simple option is:

core work after strength training.

Or:

after Muay Thai

if it is short and low enough in fatigue.

Where core work fits best

For someone doing:

• 2 gym sessions
• several Muay Thai sessions

you might use:

Gym Day A

Anti-extension + anti-rotation

Gym Day B

Rotation + carry

That is enough.

You do not need additional daily ab workouts.

For a complete two-day strength template, use Best 2-Day Full Body Gym Workout for Muay Thai Fighters.

Example weekly structure

Monday

Muay Thai

Tuesday

Strength + Core A

Wednesday

Muay Thai

Thursday

Rest or easy recovery

Friday

Strength + Core B

Saturday

Sparring

Sunday

Rest

The core sessions may only add:

10 minutes

to each gym session.

That is sufficient for a useful starting point.

Do not put hard core work before important sparring

If Friday’s core session gives you:

• severe abdominal soreness
• tired hip flexors
• lower-back fatigue

and Saturday’s sparring suffers:

reduce it.

The point is not to win the Friday core workout.

The point is to improve the athlete.

What if you only train Muay Thai?

You can still perform short trunk sessions at home.

For example:

Twice per week

• Dead Bug
• Side Plank
• Band Pallof Press

That requires:

• very little equipment
• little recovery cost

But remember:

Muay Thai itself already trains your body.

Do not assume you need extra work simply because you saw another routine online.

What if you already lift heavy?

Then your direct core volume can be modest.

If your program already includes:

• squats
• hinges
• presses
• rows
• loaded carries

you may only need:

1–2 targeted trunk exercises

after each gym session.

Common mistake #1: only doing crunches

Crunches can be useful.

But if they are your entire program:

you are missing other trunk functions.

Include some:

• anti-extension
• anti-rotation
• lateral stability

across the week.

Common mistake #2: only doing anti-rotation

The correction can also go too far.

Some fitness programs act as if:

rotation is dangerous

and fighters should only resist movement.

That does not make sense for athletes who:

• punch
• kick
• rotate

Train both:

• resisting rotation
• producing rotation

appropriately.

Common mistake #3: doing hundreds of repetitions

Core muscles respond to progressive resistance too.

If you can perform:

100 repetitions

easily,

the answer may be:

• more load
• harder variation

not:

150 repetitions.

Common mistake #4: turning everything into conditioning

Core circuits can become:

• mountain climbers
• burpees
• sit-ups
• medicine-ball slams

performed nonstop.

That can be conditioning.

But if the goal is:

trunk strength,

allow enough recovery to perform quality repetitions.

Common mistake #5: chasing soreness

Severe abdominal soreness is not proof of:

• better bracing
• better punching
• better performance

It mainly proves you created enough unfamiliar stress to become sore.

Common mistake #6: believing more rotation equals harder punches

A fighter can become very strong at:

• cable rotation

without automatically becoming better at:

• boxing

Sport skill still requires sport practice.

Use rotational strength as support work.

Common mistake #7: using heavy weights while punching

Punching with dumbbells can change:

• mechanics
• speed
• joint loading

It is not required to develop punching power.

Use:

• skill practice

for punching.

Use:

• resistance training

for strength.

Common mistake #8: copying flashy social-media drills

An exercise does not become useful because:

• it looks athletic
• it involves five pieces of equipment
• someone performs it on one leg

Ask:

What quality am I training?

If the answer is unclear:

you probably do not need it.

Common mistake #9: never progressing

Doing:

the same 30-second plank

for two years is not much of a progression strategy.

Record the exercise.

Progress it over time.

Common mistake #10: adding too much on top of fight training

Core work still creates:

• fatigue

especially when it includes:

• heavy carries
• hard rollouts
• high-volume flexion
• explosive throws

If total training load is already high:

keep direct trunk training small.

For weekly workload decisions, read How Many Rest Days Do You Really Need? Gym + Muay Thai Recovery.

How to choose exercises

You do not need one exercise from every category.

Use a simple decision.

Want anti-extension?

Choose:

• Dead Bug
• Ab Wheel

Want anti-rotation?

Choose:

• Pallof Press

Want lateral stability?

Choose:

• Side Plank
• Suitcase Carry

Want controlled rotation?

Choose:

• Cable Chop

Want rotational power?

Choose:

• Medicine-Ball Throw

That gives you a clear purpose for each exercise.

A simple two-day fighter setup

Day A

Ab Wheel Rollout
3 × 6–10

Pallof Press
3 × 8–12/side

Day B

Rotational Medicine-Ball Throw
3 × 3–5/side

Suitcase Carry
3 × 20–40 m/side

That is:

four exercises across the entire week.

For many fighters:

that is plenty.

A no-equipment version

Dead Bug

3 × 8/side

Side Plank

3 × 30 seconds/side

Long-Lever Plank

2–3 sets

You can build a useful trunk-training habit without specialised equipment.

A home band version

With a resistance band:

Pallof Press

3 × 10/side

Band Chop

3 × 10/side

Dead Bug

2 × 8/side

Simple and cheap.

How hard should core sets be?

Strength-oriented core work should be challenging enough that:

• the set requires concentration
• the last few reps are difficult

while still maintaining:

• control
• technique

You do not need every set to reach failure.

RIR for core exercises

For exercises with clear repetitions:

a practical starting point is:

1–3 reps in reserve.

For isometric holds:

stop before technique deteriorates severely.

For power exercises:

stop much earlier.

Power work is about:

speed.

Not failure.

How long should core sessions be?

For most fighters:

10–20 minutes

is plenty.

They can even be shorter.

A useful direct core program does not need to feel like:

an entire extra workout.

Should you train core every day?

You can perform very light trunk work frequently.

But there is usually no need for hard direct core training:

seven days per week.

Treat it like other strength work.

Give hard sessions enough recovery.

Can core work be active recovery?

Very easy movement drills might fit a recovery day.

But a demanding session containing:

• hard rollouts
• weighted carries
• heavy chops

is:

training.

Do not call it recovery simply because it targets the core.

For genuine low-stress options, read What Counts as Active Recovery? 15 Low-Stress Options for Fighters and Gym Training.

FAQ

What is the best core exercise for fighters?

There is no single best exercise.

A good program combines several trunk functions.

Are planks good for fighters?

Yes.

They can train trunk endurance and bracing.

They are one tool, not a complete program.

Are sit-ups bad for fighters?

No.

They train spinal flexion.

They simply should not be the only type of trunk exercise you do.

Are crunches useful?

They can be.

But they do not cover all the trunk functions relevant to athletic training.

Is anti-rotation important?

It is a useful training category.

But it should not completely replace rotational training.

Do fighters need rotational core exercises?

They can be useful.

Cable rotations and medicine-ball throws can complement sport training.

Do rotational exercises make punches harder?

Not automatically.

Some combat-sport studies report improved striking outcomes after core training, but sport transfer depends on the complete training program and punching technique.

Does a strong core increase punching power?

Core training may contribute to physical qualities involved in striking.

But punching power also depends on:

• technique
• lower-body force
• speed
• timing
• coordination.

Does core training improve kicking power?

Some studies in striking combat sports have reported improvements in kicking-related performance.

The evidence base is still limited.

Do squats and deadlifts train the core?

Yes.

They require trunk stabilization.

Direct core work can still target additional functions.

Do I need direct core training if I lift?

Not necessarily a large amount.

A small amount of targeted work may be enough.

How often should fighters train core?

A practical starting point is:

2–4 short exposures per week.

This is not a universal optimum.

How many exercises?

Often:

2–3 exercises per session

is enough.

How many sets?

Usually:

2–3 sets per exercise

is a practical starting point.

Should I train core before Muay Thai?

Usually avoid fatiguing trunk work immediately before important technical or sparring sessions.

Should I train core after Muay Thai?

You can if:

• the session is short
• fatigue remains manageable.

Should I train core after lifting?

Yes.

That is often the easiest place to put it.

Are medicine-ball throws core training?

They can be part of rotational power training.

They involve more than just the trunk.

Should medicine-ball throws be high rep?

Usually no if power is the goal.

Use low reps and maintain speed.

Is the Pallof Press functional?

It trains resistance to rotation.

That can be useful.

It does not need a special label.

Are unstable surfaces better?

Not necessarily.

They can provide a different stability challenge.

Stable training remains effective and is often easier to progressively load.

Can I do core training on rest days?

Light work is possible.

Hard core strength sessions still count as training stress.

Will core training prevent back injuries?

Do not rely on one training category as an injury-prevention guarantee.

Will core training fix back pain?

Not automatically.

Persistent or significant back pain deserves individual assessment.

Should I brace all day?

No.

You need the ability to brace when required.

Not permanent trunk tension.

Do fighters need strong hip flexors too?

Hip flexors participate in many athletic actions.

But they do not need to dominate every core exercise.

Your overall sport and strength program already gives them substantial work.

What if hanging leg raises hurt my hips or back?

Use another exercise.

Dead bugs, rollouts, Pallof presses, carries, and other options can train the trunk without forcing one particular movement.

Sources and further reading

The recommendations in this guide are informed by research on trunk training, athletic performance, boxing biomechanics, and striking combat sports.

• Zhang S, Huang W, Soh KG, Luo S, Li L, Wang X. Effects of Core Strength Training on the Technical Skill Performance of Striking Combat Sport Players: A Systematic Review. PeerJ. 2025;13:e19615. PMID: 40755806. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.19615.

• Saeterbakken AH, Stien N, Andersen V, et al. The Effects of Trunk Muscle Training on Physical Fitness and Sport-Specific Performance in Young and Adult Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. 2022;52(7):1599–1622. PMID: 35061213. DOI: 10.1007/s40279-021-01637-0.

• Dong K, Yu T, Chun B. Effects of Core Training on Sport-Specific Performance of Athletes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Behavioral Sciences. 2023;13(2):148. PMID: 36829378. DOI: 10.3390/bs13020148.

• Prieske O, Muehlbauer T, Granacher U. The Role of Trunk Muscle Strength for Physical Fitness and Athletic Performance in Trained Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. 2016;46(3):401–419. PMID: 26589515. DOI: 10.1007/s40279-015-0426-4.

• Lenetsky S, Brughelli M, Nates RJ, Neville JG, Cross MR, Lormier AV. Defining the Phases of Boxing Punches: A Mixed-Method Approach. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2020;34(4):1040–1051. PMID: 30789570. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002895.

• Dinu D, Louis J. Biomechanical Analysis of the Cross, Hook, and Uppercut in Junior vs. Elite Boxers: Implications for Training and Talent Identification. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. 2020;2:598861. PMID: 33345181. DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2020.598861.

The evidence supports trunk training as a useful part of athletic preparation.

It does not establish one uniquely optimal:

• core exercise
• anti-rotation ratio
• weekly frequency
• fighter-specific core routine

and it does not prove that improving a gym core exercise will automatically improve a specific strike.

That transfer still depends on:

• the athlete
• the sport
• the wider program
• technical training.

Final takeaway

Core training for fighters should not be:

random ab punishment.

And it does not need to be:

complicated functional-training theatre.

A useful program can train:

• anti-extension
• anti-rotation
• lateral stability
• controlled rotation
• rotational power
• loaded bracing

with a small number of progressive exercises.

For most fighters:

two short core blocks each week can already cover a lot.

Keep the exercises:

• simple
• measurable
• progressive
• low enough in fatigue that they do not interfere with Muay Thai or boxing

and remember the hierarchy:

core training supports fighting.

It does not replace:

• technique
• sparring
• pads
• strength training
• sport-specific practice.

Build a stronger trunk.

Then learn to use the whole body better in the sport.