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Activating your core muscles is an important way to build muscle size, endurance, and power. It can be challenging to feel the gentle tension created when your core muscles are correctly activated. Core muscles are postural muscles that should be gently active all the time, just like the postural muscles holding up your head. To activate your core muscles, try to sit tall with your chest lifted, spine tall and normal inward curve in your low back. You can also try placing a light-to-moderate weight on your belly button and engaging your core so that the weight is held in place by your abdominals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Posture | Sitting tall with your chest lifted, spine tall and normal inward curve in your low back |
| Breathing | Breathe normally during exercises |
| Muscle holds | Start with 10-second deep abdominal muscle holds, increasing duration as core control improves |
| Muscle tension | You should feel a gentle tension or tightness under your fingers |
| Muscle contraction | Draw in your lower abdominal wall towards your spine slowly and with control |
| Muscle activation | Core muscles should be gently active all the time |
| Muscle location | Deep abdominal muscles are located just inside your pelvic bones |
| Muscle function | Deep abdominal muscles assist spinal and pelvic control |
| Muscle interaction | Deep abdominal muscles should work with pelvic floor muscles |
| Muscle activation exercise | Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground |
| Muscle activation exercise | Place a light-to-moderate weight on your belly button and engage your core to hold it in place |
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What You'll Learn
Core activation exercises
Good posture is essential for core activation. Sit tall with your chest lifted, spine straight, and a normal inward curve in your lower back. Your core abdominal muscles wrap around your trunk like a corset, so they should be gently active all the time, just like the postural muscles holding up your head.
Another way to activate your core is to place a light-to-moderate weight on your belly button and engage your core so that the weight is held in place by your abdominals. You can use a dumbbell, or a household item such as a jug of water.
Start with up to 10-second deep abdominal muscle holds, and progress the duration of your holds as your core control improves with practice.
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Core muscle holds
To activate your core muscles, you should start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Good posture is essential for core activation, so sit tall with your chest lifted, spine straight and normal inward curve in your lower back. Your core abdominal muscles wrap around your trunk like a corset, so you should try to draw in your lower abdominal wall towards your spine. This is a slow and controlled activation and should be a very subtle and gentle contraction.
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Core muscle tension
To locate your deep abdominal muscles, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your fingers just inside your pelvic bones and gently draw in your lower abdominal wall towards your spine. You should feel a gentle tension or tightness under your fingers, indicating that your core muscles are correctly activated. This is a very subtle and gentle contraction; it should not be too strong or forceful.
Another way to activate your core muscles is to place a light-to-moderate weight on your belly button and engage your core so that the weight is held in place by your abdominals. This can also be described as "bearing down" as if you need to go to the bathroom, without the end result. Remember to breathe normally during all core exercises and progress the duration of your holds as your core control improves with practice.
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Core muscle posture
Good posture is essential for core activation. Sitting tall with your chest lifted, spine straight and normal inward curve in your lower back is the best position for core activation. Your core abdominal muscles wrap around your trunk like a corset, running from the front of your abdomen, around your waist and inserting via connective tissue into your spine.
Deep abdominal muscles work to assist spinal and pelvic control. Ideally, these muscles should work with your pelvic floor muscles. The best position to locate your deep abdominal muscles is just inside your pelvic bones.
Try to breathe normally during all exercises for the core. Commence with up to 10-second deep abdominal muscle holds. Progress the duration of your holds as your core control improves with practice.
It can be challenging to feel the gentle tension created when your core muscles are correctly activated. Ideally, you should feel a gentle tension or tightness under your fingers with correct core activation. You shouldn’t feel a strong abdominal in-draw – core muscles are postural muscles that should be gently active all the time, just like the postural muscles holding up your head.
Gently draw in your lower abdominal wall towards your spine – this is slow and controlled activation. Try to slightly draw in the area of your abdomen that sits beneath your briefs. Remember this is a very subtle and gentle contraction; it should not be too strong or forceful.
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Core muscle activation with weights
Core muscle activation is about practicing engaging your core before you begin a workout. This helps to prime your muscles and mind for what it should feel like. You only need to do these exercises for 30 seconds or so, just long enough to feel the muscles engaged.
To begin, lie on your back, then come to a tabletop position by bending your legs at 90 degrees at both the hip and the knee. You can then progress to lifting weights without arching your back, such as barbell squats, deadlifts or overhead movements like a shoulder press.
When lifting weights, it's important to engage your core to keep your spine neutral and your shoulders retracted. This is essential for safe weight lifting. You can also try placing a light-to-moderate weight on your belly button and not letting it push through to your spine.
To further progress your core muscle activation, try combining your core activation with other exercises. For example, try keeping an exercise ball as still as possible while you move your arms or alternate leg movements.
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Frequently asked questions
Sitting tall with your chest lifted, spine tall and normal inward curve in your low back.
You should feel a gentle tension or tightness under your fingers. You shouldn't feel a strong abdominal in-draw.
Gently draw in your lower abdominal wall towards your spine. Remember this is a very subtle and gentle contraction; it should not be too strong or forceful.
Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
Take a light-to-moderate weight and place it on your belly button. "Engage your core" so that the weight is held in place by your abdominals.
