Originally Posted by
EthanYQX
The little muscles in your "core" are trained through heavy compound movements. When I'm talking about barbell work I don't mean isolation work, I mean squats, presses and deadlifts. You are just as likely to fail a squat due to a weak back as you are due to weak legs.
Over the years I've worked out with a number of competitive powerlifters, all fairly successful. The most surprising thing about their workouts, aside from the fact of how few set/reps they did, was the time spent on core work. This would be as much as 5 sets of 100+ body weight crunches, with the occasional set of 50+ incline crunches with a few 100 lb plates on the chest. It's absurdly simple, but I think this applies to all sports.