Engaging your core....?!

SlowLearnerScottish started this discussion · 7/29/2012

I am aware of the concept of engaging one's core, and I know it's super duper important. What I am looking for is some exercises that will help me to train myself to know how to do this. I was watching Veena's lessons about elbow stands etc and whenever I do handstands I need to give a bit of a kick to get momentum rather than engaging your core. I will be trying each day to do the knee tucks (holding pole and lifting knees to chest (or as close to chest as possible!!)) but I'm looking for some help with other exercises. Someone (sorry can't remember who) suggested Yoga "Plow" practice for invert V and this is the kinda thing I am looking for. Please....teach me how to engage!! 🌸

12 replies

Veena · 7/29/2012
The switch and the torso twist in the conditioning section are great for this! Also you may need the kick due to lack of hamstring flexiblity.
calipolepixie · 7/29/2012
The yoga ”plow” move is great for this as are slow pull UPS on a pull up bar
muroo · 7/29/2012
I remember aerialamy emphasizing the awesomeness of the yoga plow. :-) Are you trying to improve on the inverted V or trying to get it in general? When I'm at my bf's place and away from my pole I like to get on his pull up bar, pull up halfway (arms at sort of a right angle, like on the pole when you begin your invert) and do a knee tuck or leg lift and then pull into an inverted position so I end up upside down in a pike position as slowly as possible without ending up swinging. (Kind of like something guys might do on the still rings in gymnastics haha.) I guess it'd require being comfortable with inverting in general, but I think it might be easier to do since the grip of a bar is easier than a pole. Oh and when you're doing the elbowstand/handstands, if you can't get lift or press up, do your best to control your way down in a split/V position!
Tara · 7/29/2012
This is puzzled me for a long time. I've always wondered if I was doing something wrong or if I was not properly engaging right muscles. I went to a pole instructor who told me to pretend that I was trying to get into the tightest fitting pair jeans that I had, and so making that squeeze would be engaging my core. We do an exercise on the floor where knees are bent our feet are close to our butt, and we focus on lifting our butts off of the floor, with very little momentum, or pushing off of the floor with our hands. We also do lots of core work with medicine balls, and negatives. I've noticed that I have a lot more control and much smoother in inverts since doing this.
Milena Stoyanova · 7/30/2012
I agree with Tara's comment. It actually comes from Pilates where we work a lot with the core, the powerhouse.
SlowLearnerScottish · 7/30/2012
Thanks for everyones advice. I do pilates and I can hold my core when static, ie I can do plank and laybacks etc. What I have problems with is engaging it on a dynamic way...does that make sense. So tightening it and using it to make my body move, for inverts, handstands and what not.
muroo · 7/30/2012
definitely makes sense to me! I know what you mean...planks I can feel the abs and core working...for handstands I can't tell I've worked at it enough until...I've worked at it enough and one day it's just much better. (I was working on elbow presses against the pole and one day I just sort of accidentally did it without touching the pole in the end.) I'm not sure if what Tara said about negatives is what I think it is...but like I tried to mention before, I think doing the opposite motion (e.g. dismounts instead of mounts) helped me a lot. And if knee tucks get a little boring, maybe do some of the ab intensive spins like a chair spin or V carousel so you're engaging your core while moving...not the kind of dynamic exercise you're looking for, I know, but every little bit helps, right? :-)
Elektra Vallens · 7/30/2012
This is an interesting question, because your core is a complicated place. There's several layers of muscle in there, and depending on what you're trying to do, you might be using some of it more than others. For instance, the rectus abdominus, or six pack, is only the outermost layer, and it's not really what you're using to invert. A lot of the strength that you need in pole comes from the deepest layer of muscle, the transversus abdominus. To feel the contraction of this muscle, lay on your back on the floor, and imagine trying to touch your bellybutton to your spine. It should feel like you're wearing something really tight around your true waist. You might feel like you're holding your breath, but keep breathing. Then, while keeping the contraction, try to lift your head and shoulders and your straight legs off the ground slowly. Keep your lower back on the floor and keep pressing your bellybutton toward your spine. This position is sometimes called "hollow body" in aerial acrobatics. That should give you a sense of what it feels like to contract the deeper core muscles. *slight disclaimer*: I'm not a doctor or anything, I just learned about anatomy by doing acrobatics and reading up on it.
Veena · 7/30/2012
This video my help you all visualize it better...it's old, and not amazing, but I think you'll get the idea....https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/d650d310-c3b4-11df-bc90-001b21721e0c
RoseMay · 7/31/2012
Really like what Elektra wrote about using the abdomial muscles :-) I found that for moves like the elbowstand press you're using the lower back, hamstring and glute muscles more than the actual abdominal muscles (which you would use for inverting and holding your legs up in front of you and stuff like that) I like this exercise for building strength for elbowstand presses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZz-XYaRWw8 You're kinda doing the same movement you would do to get up to an elbowstand: extend the legs from a flexion. If you do it with legs straddled it helps more with the straddle press :-)
Schtoffen · 7/31/2012
Get a hula hoop :D
ShonaLancs · 8/1/2012
Ok I totally get that you need to know HOW to engage because that is what I didn't get either!!! So my physio taught me. Lie on your back, knees bent. With shoulders, hips and feet all in one line as thought two tracks. Then find your pelvis bone with your fingers at each side. Move your fingers off your hip bone towards your belly by a cm and that is the lower stomach muscle which you need to engage. Try to 'engage' and you will either feel it tense or not, if it tenses that is engaged if it doesn't adjust until you feel it tense. For some people it tilts pelvis forward (arched back like me) for others it means it tilts back. Does that make sense??? Any exercise I do now, I do that first to make sure I am engaged. My inverts have improved dramatically and I got my SM as a direct result of learning how to engage properly. I hope that makes sense and helps you x