I’m supposed to do what with my core?

So, you know when they say “breathe” and “engage your core” whenever you’re working out or… really doing anything forceful?

Do you know what that means? What do you end up doing? A lot of times, you might squeeze your abs, hold your breath, sink your belly button to your spine, squeeze your buns, or tense up just..everything! 

We have the abdominal muscle group that most of us know (rectus abdominis) that make our 6 pack abs - or 8 - or 10 if you’re #blessed.  But there’s also another muscle group called transverse abdominis. They are extremely important in engaging your core.

They are part of one “wall” of our trunk (if you imagine our middle is like a canister or soda can). This, along with the other muscles (diaphragm, multifudus, and pelvic floor muscles), are in charge of stabilization. They have to work as a team!

Engaging your transverse abdominis is extremely helpful for:

✨Stability

✨Strength

✨Co-engagement of your pelvic floor

✨Pressure management

When these muscle groups work together, we can prevent and often times resolve issues of leaking, pain, prolapse, constipation, and joint pain in this general area.

If we don’t engage these muscle groups well, we may see a “doming” effect along the abdominals, like it’s round like a barrel. This is an increase in pressure and force inside which pushes out on our abdominal wall and also down on our pelvic floor. This means that these itty-bitty muscles of our pelvic floor have to work extra hard to support and keep us from leaking. You might notice this when you laugh, cough, or sneeze!

Learning how to engage your transverse abdominis, as well as manage breathing are instrumental in pelvic floor health!