We all know our core is important, but do you know if you’re actually using it properly? Chances are you’ve got some questions, and it’s not your fault. The fitness industry over-indexes on training our arms and legs and often glosses over core strengthening with singular cues like “belly button to spine.” These can be helpful reminders to engage our abs, but they don’t help us learn to activate our complete core system.
What Is My Core Exactly?
Diaphragm: your primary breathing muscle that controls intra-abdominal pressure in concert with your breath
Transversus abdominis: a sheath of muscle that wraps around your torso, acting like a corset when engaged properly
Multifidus: small, yet powerful, deep back muscles that support your spine
Pelvic floor: a system of muscles at the base of your pelvis, holding up your internal organs, supporting bowel and bladder function, and overall core stability
These muscles work synergistically to brace your spine and give you the greatest strength—whether you’re lifting dumbbells or hauling a car seat around. If you’re “sucking in” at your navel to engage your core, you may be under-activating or misusing your core system, leading to dysfunction and instability.
Correct Core Function
Building a strong core starts with your breath. It seems too simple, but breathing is our body’s natural and most effective way of creating alignment and balance, which you need to build core strength. The key is breathing with your diaphragm.
Inhale and imagine air filling up your abdomen. Watch your belly rise, and feel the muscles in your pelvis drop and lengthen.
Exhale, lift the muscles at the base of your pelvis (your pelvic floor), and imagine a corset cinching your torso as you activate your transversus abdominis (TVA).
Repeat this extension on your inhale and contraction on your exhale.
When lifting heavier weights and/or needing more spinal stability, contract your core muscles and hold this position as you continue to breathe with your diaphragm. Focus on the breath expanding your rib cage 360 degrees versus inflating your belly.
Pregnancy and Your Core
Strengthening your core when you’re pregnant isn’t any different than when you’re not! However because of the baby growing inside you, creating additional pressure and strain on your abdominal wall, it’s evermore important to activate the complete inner core system to properly manage intra-abdominal pressure.
Incorrect core function can increase pressure in the wrong direction, leading to increased risk of diastasis recti (abdominal separation) and prolapse (organ protrusion through the pelvic floor). These conditions can be healed postpartum with corrective exercise and physical therapy, but they often can be prevented during pregnancy through proper core function! (Genetics plays a role too, of course.)
Imagine a balloon. If you pinch the balloon in the middle, the pressure will disperse to either end. Pinching the balloon is similar to the idea of pulling your navel to your spine. When you do this without engaging your pelvic floor, you send additional pressure in that direction, further straining your pelvic muscles and TVA.
Why Are We So Dysfunctional?
Poor core education in the fitness industry has been compounded by our modern, sedentary lifestyles. Beginning at a young age, we’re conditioned to sit for most of our days—whether at school, at work, riding in a car, sitting at a dinner table, watching television or reading, even socializing. Hard surfaces and shoes create an additional burden on our system, as our muscles attempt to over-stabilize. And rarely are we in an environment without postural aids—such as a table to lean our elbows on, a wall to rest our shoulder into, a chair to lean our back against. All of these external supports create postural weakness within us.
We can train our bodies to adapt more effectively with proper core engagement, and part of this training involves nutrition too. Toxins, allergenic foods and bacteria can lead to gas, bloating and fat accumulation, affecting one’s ability to control intra-abdominal pressure. Reducing anti-inflammatory foods in our diet helps to minimize pressure in our abdomen and allow our core muscles to contract effectively.
Most of all, stress causes core dysfunction, conditioning us to breathe with our chest and shoulders and disconnect from our diaphragm. The diaphragm and other inner core muscles should work rhythmically. When we inhale, our abdominal and pelvic muscles lengthen, and when we exhale, we lift our pelvic floor and contract our transversus abdominis, creating the “draw in” effect our fitness teachers encourage. When our diaphragm falls out of sync with our other core muscles, we aren’t able to maintain intra-abdominal pressure to stabilize our joints and build strength.
So, if you're questioning your core strength or simply curious about how to get stronger, start with your breath. Let your breath guide your movement and discover how much more powerful and stable you become.