Engaging your core

[rockette]

Hi Cathy,

I thought I'd write now hoping that you'll have time to answer because I know you'll be very busy in a few weeks.

I read an old thread the other day on the fitmoms preg. forum(I think). The author was referring to keeping her abs muscles pulled in tight.

I wanted to make sure I understood you when you spoke of engaging your core. Are you just pulling in your stomach as if you were trying to zip up a tight pair of pants? Do you hold your stomach like that throughout the entire day(it seems so unnatural for me to do that)? Would that be enough ab work for a pregnant woman or would additional work be needed?

Thanks so much,

Rockette

 

[Beets]

A good way to think about engaging your core is to do the following:

Place your hands around your waist and cough. Feel the abs tighten up with the cough. Now, try to engage the ab muscles in the same way. There isn't a sucking in of the gut--you would not be able to hold that for very long and breathe naturally. When you engage the core properly, you should be able to breathe naturally and just feel the tightness in your muscles. This is a hard concept to teach but hopefully the cough exercise will help you get the sensation of how engaging your core feels.

Maybe Cathe has a better way to explain.

 

[JamminX3]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Mar-13-02 AT 09:40AM (Est)[/font][p]Here's what I've been doing. Stand in correct anatomical position. Feet straight in front, arms at your side--palms facing forward. Feel your abs engage? Make sure your pelvis is ever so slightly tucked. Do this in front of a mirror--side view, so that you can see that your head, shoulder, and pelvis are aligned. Now remember that in this position your shoulder blades are where they are supposed to be, also your pelvis. This is how I've been standing and walking and I can tell a difference in my stomach pooch. When I forget, I just face my palms forward, and then my abs pulls in and I remember to keep my shoulder blades right there.

I hope this makes one ounce of sense. Robin.

 

[JamminX3]

Hey, Beets, I tried your "cough to engage the abs" trick while I did crunches on the balance ball last night and OH MY!! I could really feel an increase in intensity, especially in my lower abs. Thanks for the tip. Robin.