What is your core?

Major muscles include: Transversus Abdominis, Internal and External Obliques, Rectus Abdominis (6 pack muscle), Back Muscles (Multifidus, Erector Spinae, Longissiumus Thoracis), Pelvic Floor Muscles, and the Diaphragm.

Let’s look closer at 4 of these:

Diaphragm

• Breathing muscle that sits up under your rib cage

Back Muscles (Multifidus)

• Stabilize the joints of the spine

Transversus Abdominis

• Deep core muscle that acts like a corset and wraps around your midsection

Pelvic Floor Muscles

• Sit at the bottom of your pelvis like a sling that supports the pelvic organs

How to Properly Activate the Core

Step 1: Transversus Abdominis (TA) Activation

• Lay on your back with your knees bent

• In order to feel for the TA, find your 2 bony hip points with your index and middle fingers of both hands (see above)

• Move your fingers in and down 1 inch, it should feel squishy

• To engage this muscle, think about a few different cues:

  • Draw belly button toward spine (not just sucking in)

  • Zipping up a tight pair of jeans

  • Drawing 2 hip points together

  • Lower ribs drawing towards hip points (my personal favorite)

• You will see your belly flattening as you engage, and not protruding, if you are activating the correct muscle

• Then, relax this muscle

• You will practice switching this muscle on, and off

• Repeat 10 times

Step 2: Add the Breathing Component

• Same position as above, but now bring an awareness to your breathing as you engage your TA

• Put one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly

• As you breathe, feel the breath going into the belly hand (using your diaphragm), more than the chest hand

• Inhale: feel the ribs expand (chest hand is quiet) and your core is relaxed

• Exhale: you will engage your TA (step 1)

• Repeat 10 times

Step 3: Add the Pelvic Floor Muscles

• Same position as the first 2 steps

• As you inhale, the ribs expand (chest hand quiet), your TA and pelvic floor muscles will relax

• To relax your pelvic floor muscles, think of a flower opening OR your SITs bones separating

• As you exhale, your pelvic floor will draw up & in, engage your TA, and lower ribs draw toward hip points

• To contract your pelvic floor (Kegel), think about drawing a blueberry or marble up & in

• Repeat 10 times

I know this might seem like a lot of steps just to engage your core properly, but it takes less than 3 minutes to do. For many of us, stress, poor posture, and lifestyle have contributed to poor breathing patterns and compensations leading to the incorrect muscles activation of core exercises. Sometimes it’s chest breathing instead of diaphramagtic breathing, sometimes it’s an over activation of the rectus abdominis, or a pelvic floor that is overactive or under-active.

These things take time to relearn so be patient with yourself. For most clients, it can take anywhere from 1 week to 4 weeks to reconnect to their bodies and learn how to activate their core incorporating each of these components. This is the vital foundation which all other strengthening and stabilization exercises can build. This ensures when you do progress “core” exercises you are activating the correct muscles to develop a strong and functional core. 

If you want a more individualized approach, a 1:1 Virtual Consult will be the prefect option for you!