How to ACTUALLY engage your core for pain-free training?
No Crunches Required
You’ve probably heard it a hundred times:
“Engage your core.”
But hardly anyone explains what that actually means or how it should feel.
Some people suck their belly in.
Others brace like they’re preparing for a punch.
Some hold their breath and carry tension through every movement.
The funny thing is… even in personal training school, no one taught us what core engagement really is.
As if just saying “engage your core” would be enough.
But none of those strategies teach your body how to build real, sustainable strength.
Because your core isn’t just your abs.
It’s an entire system that includes:
Your diaphragm
Your pelvic floor
Your transverse abdominis
Your obliques
Your spine stabilizers
And what connects all of these?
Your breath.
Your diaphragm sets the tone.
When it expands and contracts well, the rest of your core can coordinate with it and that’s when true engagement happens.
A strong core is a responsive one.
It adapts to whatever you’re doing aka walking, lifting, even just standing still.
In this week’s video, I walk you through:
Why core engagement is often misunderstood
What actually makes a core strong
How intra abdominal pressure works
And why your breath is the key to it all
This isn’t about crunches or bracing.
It’s about coming back to the intelligence of your body so you can move in a way that’s both strong and free.
If you feel called to explore working with me to repattern your movement, regulate your nervous system, and restore your power, book an alignment call here: https://calendly.com/hedishah/initial-consultation
⚖️Join me for “Uncondition Your Posture to Reclaim Your Power”
< Monday, June 9th at 6pm GMT >
Let’s unlearn the myths and reclaim posture that actually works for you!
In this free class in my collaboration with CreativeMornings, you’ll learn how to:
✅ Let go of unnecessary tension and discover true support
✅ Activate deep postural muscles without clenching or bracing
✅ Use your breath to restore energy and presence
✅ Move in a way that feels strong, grounded, and natural
Thank you for joining me on the path of unconditioning,
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Hedi Shah
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👁️ Bodyworker & Mindfulness Teacher
🌊 Teaching change makers to uncondition their bodies, nervous systems, and voices from systems built to keep them small so they can move, speak, and live with sovereign power.
📲 Website | Youtube | LinkedIn | Insight Timer