The meaning of engaging core???

Movemoreguy22

When it says engage core during such and such excerise does that mean squeezing your abs and bum as hard as you can or does mean something completely different

rhoddy2015

Pretty much. Planks are a good example of a core exercise where you are told to suck in your gut, pulling navel towards spine and keeping back aligned so a water bottle wouldn’t fall off.

Movemoreguy22

Cool just double checking

jessef593

The common cue is to pretend you're about to get punched in the stomach and brace for it

iowalinda

garyggriffin wrote: »

When it says engage core during such and such excerise does that mean squeezing your abs and bum as hard as you can or does mean something completely different

Thank you for asking that question. I am sure there are others also who weren't sure what that meant

Chieflrg

When used within a exercise context, it could be translated into a couple different definitions. One being to contract the abs specifically to do a crunch or static hold of body weight.

When used loosely in strength training context, it generally means to contract every muscle from abs, obliques, to spinal erectors to brace for spinal extension and keep in a advantageous position to perform a lift that is relatively heavy to the lifter.

Regardless which context you are asking for, doing so will help transfer energy more efficiently and prevent injury to a degree.

Movemoreguy22

I do a lot of hanging/bodyweighted stuff. Pull ups chin ups Australian pull ups, knee/leg raises bla bla bla... I squeeze everything anyway but just making sure that's what they meant by engaging...

nasussacul

It does mean all the above but it doesn't work unless you find your neutral spine first. Move your pelvis back and forth a couple of times. Then move it back again and very slowly move it forward, you should feel your tummy start to pull up automatically, when you do stop your hips there, that is your neutral spine. Now suck in your wind, suck up your wee and pull your tummy to your spine. That is turning on your core, my pysio has been yammering in my ear for a couple of years now because I have a really bad back. It works. Turn it on every time you exercise and it will start to happen automatically.

Movemoreguy22

nasussacul wrote: »

It does mean all the above but it doesn't work unless you find your neutral spine first. Move your pelvis back and forth a couple of times. Then move it back again and very slowly move it forward, you should feel your tummy start to pull up automatically, when you do stop your hips there, that is your neutral spine. Now suck in your wind, suck up your wee and pull your tummy to your spine. That is turning on your core, my pysio has been yammering in my ear for a couple of years now because I have a really bad back. It works. Turn it on every time you exercise and it will start to happen automatically.

I will give it ago... suck up your wee is a bit weird

JaydedMiss

garyggriffin wrote: »

nasussacul wrote: »

It does mean all the above but it doesn't work unless you find your neutral spine first. Move your pelvis back and forth a couple of times. Then move it back again and very slowly move it forward, you should feel your tummy start to pull up automatically, when you do stop your hips there, that is your neutral spine. Now suck in your wind, suck up your wee and pull your tummy to your spine. That is turning on your core, my pysio has been yammering in my ear for a couple of years now because I have a really bad back. It works. Turn it on every time you exercise and it will start to happen automatically.

I will give it ago... suck up your wee is a bit weird

i just choked on my smoothie LOL thanks i needed a laugh. I agree that seems weird lol