How to "engage your core" if you're fat and have basically no abdominal muscles

I do not understand what your weight has to do with doing core exercises. I really cannot understand it. And of course you have abdominal muscles.

Take in a deep breath. Now blow out hard pursing you lips and pushing from the ab (diaphragm) area. That contraction is the "engaging your core" feeling to a degree.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Your weight doesn't really have anything to do with your muscles - we all have the same muscles, only some folks have more developed ones! So don't worry, being a human you are fully equipped for core exercises I found that Pilates helped me sooo much to learn control over all of my muscles and how to activate them. Maybe attend a few sessions to get you started?

I would recommend pilates too. For years I have used the wrong muscles instead of core (mainly hip flexors) and now I am paying the price with pain and also money needed to pay for physiotherapy. But I am getting better!

Comes with practice. I am having the same problem right now with my glutes -- they tend to shuttle off the workload to my quads, hammies, groin, hip flexors, anything. Practicing the right exercises, taking it slow, and flexing a bit outside of exercises is slowly training them to engage and training me to find them during exercise again.

And I remember the first obliques exercises I ever tried, years ago, for like 3 weeks, I was like "I don't feel this?" and then it "clicked" and I've been able to flex them ever since.

Seconding the pilates recommendation. POP Pilates for Beginners Total Body Workout on YouTube would be one option for starting out. (You will not be able to do all the reps of everything straight away, that's expected, so just use it as a learning tool. You'll learn good form and some basic exercises and can work up to "nailing" the video.)

Yoga is another option! I like Yoga with Adriene on YouTube.

And yes, pulling in your stomach engages your core, as long as you are not "sucking" (as in, using your breath). You should be able to breathe normally while doing it. And I do think that doing it from time to time throughout the day will help your body learn to engage it better during exercise. (And as others have said, your fat has nothing to do with your muscles. You have the same muscles as anyone else, and you can train 'em up too!)

And btw, in the meantime, if you're doing core exercises, and don't think your core is engaging properly, other, less equipped for the job muscles are taking that load. So be extra careful, *especially* with your neck. Like, if you follow a video, go slower than the trainer, stop if you need to, pause it, etc.

And I do think planking would be a great start as well! You may want to run a video to work on your form though, as there are a lot of nuances to it.

Lemme think...when I was in that same place, there's an exercise I used to do. Lie on your back with your knees bent as though you were about to do crunches. Instead of crunches, press the small of your back down into the floor, and lift your knees to your body. then return feet to floor, that's one rep, up and back. Not too fast, you don't want to bounce or jerk. Repeat this motion as many times as you reasonably can. Take short rests as needed.

beccaR1960 wrote: »

Pilates was a wondrous thing in teaching me about my core and how to engage it. :-)

Absolutely agree...definitely changed how I do my workouts. You can engage your core whether you're working out or walking down the street.

This was an easy way I was taught and I continue to share the phrase as it's simple to remember.

"Zip your belly button to your spine" You'll definitely feel it and it'll build your strength, how you carry yourself and every workout you do.

(*) Pilates for the WIN! (*)

MKEgal wrote: »

You do the same core exercises anyone else does, as best you can do them, and aim to improve.

Can you do a plank for 3 seconds? 10? 30? Work on it. Do them to the sides too. Then make it harder by resting on 1 foot (&/or for the downward-facing plank, 1 hand). Or lift opposite hand & leg.

Can you do one crunch, raising your head off the floor? Can you raise your shoulders? Work on it. Increase the number, distance lifted up, time holding at the top. Don't do them faster, 'cause you're likely to cheat & not really exercise the upper abdominal muscles.

Leg lifts target the lower abdominals, and to some degree the uppers.

When you're lifting free weights, do compound moves that use your whole body. If you're only doing (for example) bicep curls, stand on one foot. That balancing act engages your core.

If you have access to weight machines, do the torso rotation to target your obliques.
This is probably the most common; some older models have the person seated.

Actually, I would suggest limiting your use of weight machines if you want to strengthen your core. The machine is supporting your core, not letting you use it.

Following is a nice article on progression for the core. Good luck.

A sports therapist once helped me with this, when I was wondering how to engage my core during running and stuff. If you have a good sense of where your hip bones are, use them to measure. With your index fingers, tap two inches to the left of your right hip bone, and two inches to the right of your left hip bone, so basically more to the center. You should feel your core muscles (they are there I promise!) react ever so slightly. Hold it, and that's really all that's needed unless your doing some crazy weight lifting. Just focus on that feeling, and if you lose it, tap to bring back the sensation and get you back on track.

DeserveVictory wrote: »

I had a belly dance instructor that described it as "pulling your belly button to your spine". It seems like "sucking it in" but that generally only includes upper abs (close to the diaphragm or rib cage). When you focus on "pulling your belly button to your spine" it seems to engage the upper abs and the lower abs.

My water aerobics instructor uses similar terminology. It really helped get a feel for what it really means. She also constantly tells us to remember to breathe when engaging the core.

ninerbuff wrote: »

Take in a deep breath. Now blow out hard pursing you lips and pushing from the ab (diaphragm) area. That contraction is the "engaging your core" feeling to a degree.

Perfect! Thanks for that!