How to Engage Your Core | Feel Your Abs, Not Your Back!
As a Physio, I talk to people about core strength on a daily basis. And, most people by now are aware of how important strength in this area is. Not simply for the purpose of having an instagrammable six-pack torso, but for optimal spine health, pain-free living, and improved sporting performance.
However, although many people include (or attempt) some sort of core strengthening in their workout routines, common little errors in these exercises reduce how well you engage your core! In fact, many people describe how they just can’t work out how to ‘engage their core’.
In this video, I’ll show you how to properly engage your abdominal muscles and what you should be thinking about when doing core exercises.
These are some of my simple tips and tricks that I use with clients in the clinic. They will help you optimise core engagement and avoid putting stress on the back.
These small technique changes will drastically change how effectively you engage your core and ultimately massively improve the benefit of your core workouts.
About the Author

Alina Kennedy
Alina Kennedy is the founder and lead Physiotherapist behind The Runners Physio.
Alina is a physiotherapist and strength & conditioning specialist based in Adelaide, Australia. She graduated from the University of South Australia in 2011 and works as a sports physiotherapist focusing on running performance and injury rehabilitation. She’s developed training and rehab methods based on years of clinical experience and up-to-date scientific evidence. Her simple but effective approach has successfully helped thousands of runners overcome repetitive injuries and get back to running faster and healthier.