Engaging Your Core: What It Really Means and How to Help Clients Get There
If you're a Pilates instructor or fitness professional, you've probably said "engage your core" hundreds of times. But how many times has a client looked at you with a puzzled expression or simply gone through the motions without truly understanding what that means?
The truth is, many clients hear the phrase "engage your core," but they don’t fully understand how to do it. Core engagement is more than just "sucking in" your stomach or bracing your abs—it’s about deep muscle activation that supports stability and posture throughout the body. To help clients get there, we need to go beyond simply telling them and start using creative visual cues that make the concept clear and actionable.
Why Core Engagement Is So Important
The core is the powerhouse of the body—it’s not just the abdominals, but a complex system of muscles that includes the pelvic floor, multifidus, transverse abdominis, & diaphragm. When properly engaged, the core stabilizes the spine, enhances posture, protects against injury, and makes movement more efficient.
However, achieving that deep, meaningful core engagement is not intuitive for most people, which is why so many clients struggle with it.
The Problem: “Engage Your Core” Isn’t Enough
For many clients, the phrase "engage your core" is too vague. Often, they mistakenly tighten the surface muscles, like the rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscles), rather than activating the deeper layers that stabilize the body. Some may over-activate and hold their breath, while others may simply brace without creating the dynamic support needed.
This is where the art of teaching comes in—helping clients understand how to engage their core correctly is key to maximizing the benefits of Pilates or any other workout. By using visual cues and metaphors, you can guide clients toward the proper activation of their deep core muscles.
Visual Cues to Help Clients Engage Their Core
Zipping Up the Ribcage
Imagine pulling the ribcage together as if you’re zipping up a jacket. This cue encourages the client to engage the deeper layers of their abdominals, bringing attention to the intercostal muscles and helping to create a sense of connection between the ribs and pelvis.
Why it works: Clients often over-rely on their rectus abdominis when engaging their core. "Zipping up" encourages a deeper, more integrated contraction without over-tensing or bulging the surface muscles.
Visualize zipping up a tight jacket or squeezing into a tailored blazer. The idea here is to feel the ribcage narrowing and drawing inwards as you engage the transverse abdominis, the deep abdominal muscles that wrap around the torso.
Why it works: This cue helps clients focus on the inward contraction of the core muscles, rather than just bracing the abs forward. It creates a sense of containment and controlled tension throughout the trunk.
2. Pulling Up Skinny Jeans
Imagine pulling up a tight pair of skinny jeans or high-waisted pants. As you "pull them up," think about lifting through the lower abdominals and engaging the pelvic floor to support the core from the bottom up.
Why it works: This cue helps connect the engagement of the lower abdominals with the pelvic floor muscles. It’s particularly effective for clients who struggle to engage the lower part of their core or who tend to over-rely on upper abs.
Lifting Up Through the Pelvic Floor
Visualize lifting your pelvic floor muscles as if you’re drawing them upwards like an elevator. This subtle yet effective cue encourages clients to engage the deep core muscles without clenching or over-activating their glutes or hip flexors.
Why it works: For many clients, the pelvic floor is an abstract concept, but this visualization can make it more tangible. It helps create a balanced core engagement that starts from the base and radiates upward, supporting the spine and torso.
Connecting the Cues to Movement
Once your client understands these visual cues, the next step is to incorporate them into movement. Here’s how you can guide core engagement during different exercises:
Planks: Use the "zip up the ribcage" and "skinny jacket" cues to encourage deep core activation without collapsing in the lower back. Remind the client to "pull up the skinny jeans" to activate the lower abdominals and pelvic floor for full support.
Bridges: Before lifting the hips, cue clients to "lift the pelvic floor" and "zip up" their core, ensuring they feel that connection through the center of the body before moving.
Hundreds: This classic Pilates exercise is often where core engagement can go wrong, with clients over-relying on the rectus abdominis. Cue them to "zip up the jacket" and "pull up the jeans" to ensure they are engaging the deep core muscles throughout the movement.
Practice Makes Perfect
Getting clients to understand and consistently engage their core properly takes time and practice. Using these visual cues regularly can help them build body awareness and understand what core engagement truly feels like. Eventually, they’ll be able to apply these principles naturally in every exercise, both in and outside of the studio.
Conclusion
Helping clients engage their core is about more than just shouting "tighten your abs!" By using visual cues like zipping up the ribcage, putting on a skinny jacket, or pulling up skinny jeans, you can guide clients to activate their core muscles correctly and deeply. This not only improves the quality of their movement but also ensures that they’re getting the most out of their Pilates practice, setting the foundation for strength, stability, and injury prevention.
Encourage clients to tune into these visualizations during each session, and over time, they’ll develop the deep, dynamic core engagement that Pilates is known for.