The Striking Truth Bonus Footage - UFC champion Georges St-Pierre, David Loiseau & Dr. Stuart McGill

"If you generate power with your spine, generally it will break, the discs will become damaged before you get to that ultimate performance." That is a quote from Dr Stuart McGill based on some of his newer research on elite athletes including MMA world champion George St-Pierre. His work has revealed that elite athletes protect their spine while generating tremendous power by using their hips and shoulders to create movement and super stiffening the spine at critical times. This discover translates to the average person in that we all need to learn to stiffen the spine when it is under higher loads so our spines and discs will be protected from damage.
One of several ways to do this is through abdominal bracing. Is anyone familiar with that technique?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb8ShtGSLHk

Dr. Stuart McGill demonstrates research based core exercises

I just spent 16 hours at a weekend seminar instructed by Dr. Stuart McGill, who is a world renowned spinal biomechanics researcher and who works with many world class athletes from many different sports. I have been following his work for about 15 years. Please take his advise and stop doing sit ups, crunches and the many other "abdominal" exercises that put repetitive flexion into the spine as these will many times eventually cause disc damage including herniations. He knows this because he has researched it in his lab at the Univ of Waterloo.
Here is a video form NY Times Magazine featuring his big four exercises.
Can you see why these exercises are much better for building the core?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kukmaW9CmSU