Building your core strength can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re coming back from an injury or recovering after pregnancy. Your core is responsible for so much more than you might think — it’s the foundation of every movement you make! Core strength is essential for your overall wellness and stability, so it’s crucial to have an intentional approach.
In this blog, I'll share some core workout tips to help you reclaim your core strength, focusing on proper technique, intentional breathing, and holistic movement.
Understanding Core Engagement and Pressure Control
The Core is More Than Just Abs
When you think about core exercises, do you imagine crunches or sit-ups to target “six-pack” abs? That's what most people think of! But the truth is, your core is a complex 360-degree canister-like system involving much more than just those surface muscles. The deeper layers, like the transverse abdominis and pelvic floor, are critical to stabilizing your body and controlling internal pressure. Properly engaging these muscles is essential for a strong core.
The 360-Degree Core Breath
One of the first steps to building core strength is learning to breathe with intention. A 360-degree core breath means engaging all the muscles around your torso. To practice this, sit or stand tall and take a slow breath in, allowing your rib cage to expand in all directions — front, sides, and back. As you exhale, draw your belly button in gently, engaging your deep core muscles. You should incorporate this type of breathing into every movement to stabilize your core and protect your body from compensating in detrimental ways.
Dynamic Stability and Pressure Control
Your core isn't just a static group of muscles — it must adapt to stabilize your body in motion. Remember that your body is a dynamic, fluid-filled system, and your core must be able to stabilize and control internal pressure, especially as you move. Without this control, the body compensates in ways that can lead to injuries or delayed recovery. Proper breathing and core engagement are essential for managing that internal pressure and preventing and resolving issues like diastasis recti or pelvic floor dysfunction.
Core Strength Myths vs. Reality
Myth 1: Traditional Core Exercises Are Best
You might assume an article about core strength tips would dive straight into traditional exercises like crunches or sit-ups. But endless sets of crunches are not the answer! Rather, it’s about understanding how to engage and strengthen your core the right way — you’d get much more out of five crunches done properly. Did you know that doing crunches the wrong way can actually perpetuate issues like diastasis recti? The key is to focus on quality over quantity, whatever the exercise.
Myth 2: Core Strength Requires Specific Exercises
The days of believing core workouts are just about isolated exercises like crunches or planks are over — or they should be, anyway. The truth is that everything becomes a core exercise if you engage from the inside out and use awareness, alignment, and breath! Whether you’re picking up your baby, standing, or walking, engaging your core from the inside out is essential. By aligning your body and using intentional breath, even everyday movements can strengthen your core.
Myth 3: Posture Doesn’t Matter
Poor posture can hinder your progress even if you’re working really intentionally on strengthening your core. You can do all the ab work in the world, but if you stand with your pelvis shifted forward and shoulders rounded, your body will push your belly forward. Posture plays a significant role in your core muscle function because everything is connected: your ribs, pelvis, ankles, and shoulders all affect your core! Being mindful of your alignment throughout the day can make a big difference in your strength and recovery.
5 Workout Tips for Core Strength
Tip 1: Start with Core Breathwork
The foundation of core strength is breathwork. Mastering the 360-degree intentional core breath is the first step toward claiming your core strength. Practice this type of breathing while lying down, sitting, and standing to incorporate it into everyday movements. Also, holding a position and breathing purposefully is very powerful. Want to try it out and see what you feel?
Tip 2: Engage the Core from the Inside Out
Proper core engagement means using your awareness, alignment, and breath in every movement. Whether you're holding a plank position, balancing on one foot, or twisting your torso, focus on engaging your deep core muscles first. Start small — hold each position for a few seconds (with intentional breathing!) and build up as your strength improves.
Tip 3: Focus on Posture and Alignment
Maintaining proper posture is crucial for effective core strengthening. Imagine a string pulling your body up from the top of your head — this will help you stand tall, align your pelvis, and avoid rounding your shoulders. Throughout the day, check in with yourself to ensure your posture supports your core engagement.
Tip 4: Include Whole-Body Movements
Remember, your core is like a canister with many muscles involved — not just the six-pack! To effectively build core strength, you must incorporate movements that involve different planes of motion and stability lines. Whole-body movements like squats, lunges, and rotational exercises will challenge your core and promote balance and stability. Functional exercises like these are more effective than traditional crunches because they engage the muscles you use in everyday life.
Tip 5: Add Variety to Challenge the Core
Variety is essential to building your core strength. (Not to harp on this, but I'll say it again: doing 100 of the same crunches every day will not give you what you need!) Side planks, twists, balancing exercises, and even getting on your hands and knees can all engage the core from different angles and provide the variation your body needs. Introduce new force and movement that your body has to adapt to — giving your body new challenges will catapult your strength. Don't be afraid to add weights, quick movements, and impact....BUT, make sure you have a strategy and are stabilizing well first, otherwise, you will not be doing much good for those deeper core layers.
Building Core Strength with Progression and Patience
Effectively strengthening your core is absolutely possible with the right approach. Start slow, focus on proper technique, and progress at your own pace. Focus on breathing, alignment, and variety in your movements to engage your core effectively. Remember that it’s not about how many exercises you do but how purposefully and properly you do them. With time and practice, you can gain strength, stability, and confidence in your body — and I’m here to help you along the way. If you have questions, I’d love to chat with you in a free phone consultation. Book a time that works for you!
-Dr. B
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