Engage your core!

leosmith66

I bet you've heard this one before. But there seems to be some controversy regarding how often and during what activities we should do this. I'm in the process of trying to improve my posture now, and I'd like to know what the experts say on engaging the core. What have you folks heard?

usmcmp

Improving posture comes from more than just engaging your core. You can have a tight core, but still have your pelvis tilted or your shoulders slumped.

DancingMoosie

My posture improved after taking ballet from a very good instructor. Engaging your abs does not always equal great posture. If you can find an adult ballet class, it may be helpful.

SonyaCele

i'm not an expert, but i try and keep my core engaged whenever i'm doing anything strenuous, and especially when weight lifting. The rest of the time i try to just have good posture, not necessarily core engaged, but i never slouch or let my stomach stick out.

canadianlbs

afaik, 'posture' is mostly about having all the vertical landmarks of your body 'stacked' on top of each other so there's no untoward moment arms or strain on anything. someone who's more of a physio than i am can surely either correct that idea or name the landmarks for you. my knowledge goes something like: knees over ankles, hips over knees, ribs over hips, head over shoulders. and 'core engagement' in regular life is just whatever activity it takes from muscles between my armpits and hips to keep things aligned in that way.

estherdragonbat

The exercises I do include bicycle crunches (3 sets of 20) bird-dogs (1 set of 10 reps on each side with 10-second hold, alternating sides), and planks (trying to hold for 60 seconds). I also sit on a stability ball while doing lat rows, which engages the core, and just... sit on it long enough to read a chapter of Tamora Pierce's Will of the Empress. I have Dickens' Bleak House set up for when I finish that. I also sit on the ball while resting between sets/exercises during my strength training.