Activate Your Core in 3 Steps
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!