Tighten your core?

darreneatschicken
darreneatschicken Posts: 669 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What does it mean to tighten / flex / brace your core? I have trouble wrapping my head around this term. My trainer said to imagine yourself peeing, then trying to stop peeing. He also described it as putting on a pair of pants too tight.

I don't really know what he means by this to be honest though... I just think of it as holding my breath and sucking air into my belly.

My trainer had me do this exercise where I just lay on a matt, sort of sucked air into my belly so that it would move backwards, then flexed around my hip area. It is really hard to explain what it feels like or how I managed to do it, but I managed to make sure that my trainer's hand couldn't go under my lower back. It sort of felt like I was flexing my "private part?"

Replies

  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
    Next time you are peeing, try and stop the pee mid-flow. It'll be that muscle. Also next time you want to fart, try to hold it in.

    Once you have identified the right muscle you should be able to engage it without holding your breath.
  • Catlady87
    Catlady87 Posts: 302 Member
    I remember trying to do this with a yoga DVD and I had no idea what she was on about, then all of a sudden about 3 weeks later it happened and I understood. The trying to stop the flow of pee is a good way of describing it, but not sure how well that works with guys - I dunno if your bits work with different muscles to us girlies.
    Another way of describing it is trying to make suck your belly button in but using your abdominal muscles not by breathing in. You should be able to contract your core and breath in and out at the same time. I hope some of this makes sense, cos it is hard to explain.

    Edit : spelling
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    Not sure what is difficult about this: lay on your back and press your belly button toward your spine, do this with breath. Another way to 'view it' pretend you are having someone tighten a corset(google search corset). Fairly straight forward. Best of luck.
  • darreneatschicken
    darreneatschicken Posts: 669 Member
    Catlady87 says:
    "Another way of describing it is trying to make suck your belly button in but using your abdominal muscles not by breathing in. You should be able to contract your core and breath in and out at the same time"

    Yes, thinking of it this way makes more sense. I can do this right now, as I sit at the computer writing this down.

    _Terrapin_ says:

    "lay on your back and press your belly button toward your spine, do this with breath"

    Useful info as well. Thanks! Important part is to remember to breath while you do this. I can only do shallow breaths if I do this.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    Catlady87 says:
    "Another way of describing it is trying to make suck your belly button in but using your abdominal muscles not by breathing in. You should be able to contract your core and breath in and out at the same time"

    Yes, thinking of it this way makes more sense. I can do this right now, as I sit at the computer writing this down.

    _Terrapin_ says:

    "lay on your back and press your belly button toward your spine, do this with breath"

    Useful info as well. Thanks! Important part is to remember to breath while you do this. I can only do shallow breaths if I do this.

    Also, place a hand, palm down right at your belly button, you to ought to 'see' the belly tighten. Best of luck.

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