Have you ever been to a workout class and the teacher says, ‘now, really engage your core!’ Most likely, some thoughts like, ‘I’m not quite sure how to do that!’ or ‘I’m trying!’ or ‘my core is weak’ have run through your head. First of all, the word core is very elusive, not exclusive. It can refer to your abdomin, psoas, obliques, pelvic floor, back and/or even glutes! No wonder you’re confused 😉

In today’s post I’m taking you through a new way to connect to your core. Let’s think about the muscles in our trunk as our core (it’s OK if you don’t know about those muscles just yet). Remember, all muscles engage based on a signal from your mind, hence the name of my site – “Mind & Motion.” The muscles summoned in our trunk are either moving your body or stabilizing your body. In the video below, I show you how your trunk muscles respond to your legs moving in space and act as stabilizers. Click play to listen or better yet, get down on the floor with me so we can explore together. You will want a low chair or step stool to try this out. You can also try with legs bent and feet resting on the floor (this is harder😬).

If you notice your back moving upon lifting and lowering your legs, you will want to work on stabilizing your trunk. In the next video (below) I demonstrate a little movement which might help you feel more stable and grounded when lifting and lowering your legs… Take this moment to learn for yourself – keep watching!

The above clips are from a M&M Foundational video . It goes into further explanation about how to connect to your core. This exercise is asking for all of your core muscles to work as stabilizers – the more you stabilize, the more you will feel it. You should think about leaning your back(around your lower ribcage) into the floor to stabilize. Notice the response in your abdominal muscles. There’s a direct relationship between your legs and your trunk. The lower your legs are to the floor, the more stability you will need in your trunk. It’s equal and opposite! Now you have a new way to identify and engage your core.

For more Foundational videos head over to the Collections tab. You can then select Strength or Mobility. We offer Foundational videos in both! See access instructions below. You will find the core engagement Foundational video here.