Top Shopping Deals

Are You Engaging Your Core Correctly?

You’ve heard the term bandied around at the gym, in yoga classes, or maybe even from your personal trainer: “Engage your core.” But what does it really mean? Understanding how to engage your core helps not just with workouts but with your daily activities as well. But before we delve deeper into the how, let’s clear up the what. Your core refers to a complex series of muscles; many are hidden beneath the exterior musculature people typically train. Knowing how to correctly engage these muscles can have a profound impact on your strength, stability, and overall fitness.

What Does It Mean to Engage Your Core?

Engaging your core means tensing all the muscles of your midsection so they can stabilize your body, allowing you to carry out a range of movements. During physical activity, it’s akin to providing a sturdy central link in your body, assisting with balance and stability. This is fundamentally different from simply flexing your abs, where you are just tensing your abdominal muscles. Even though the abs are a significant part of the core, they constitute just one aspect of it, explains Theresa Marko, PT, DPT, MS, a board-certified orthopedic...