ONLY ONE SPOT left for Posture in Motion!
Apply here: https://hedishah.com/posture-in-motion/
Entry is by application so I can make sure the group feels like a well-matched, supportive container for everyone.
This is a 13-week small-group posture and somatic practice for people who want to feel more at home in their body, move with more ease, and begin shifting the patterns that keep them tense, braced, or in pain.
“Engage your core.”
What’s the first thing you do when you hear that?
Maybe you suck in your belly. Brace as if you’re about to be punched. Or hold your breath and carry more tension into the movement.
You hear this cue everywhere, yet hardly anyone explains what core engagement actually means or what it should feel like.
Even during my personal training certification, I wasn’t taught how to explain it clearly. It was treated as if saying “engage your core” should be enough.
It isn’t.
Your core isn’t a single muscle, and it isn’t something you need to grip as hard as possible. It’s a coordinated system that includes:
Your diaphragm
Your pelvic floor
Your transverse abdominis
Your obliques
The muscles that stabilize your spine
These parts need to respond together as you breathe and move. When you constantly pull your stomach in, brace too forcefully, or hold your breath, you may create tension without building useful, adaptable strength.
So what helps this system coordinate?
Your breath.
Your diaphragm sets the rhythm. As you inhale, it descends and helps create pressure through your trunk. As you exhale, your abdominal wall and pelvic floor can respond. Core engagement is this changing, coordinated support, not a rigid position you have to hold all day.
When your breath can move freely, the rest of your core has a better chance to respond to the task in front of you—whether you’re lifting, walking, reaching, or simply sitting at your desk.
Try this now:
Place your hands around the sides of your lower ribs.
Inhale softly and notice whether your ribs expand into your hands, not only forward, but also sideways and into your back.
Exhale longer (building to 8 seconds) and feel your low ribs come down and in as your abdomen responds.
When you notice the subtle engagement in your core, keep it integrated as you take your next breath.
Repeat a few times without forcing, gripping, or trying to make the breath bigger.
If you want to put this into practice, follow the class below. I’ll guide you through using your breath and movement together so you can build a core that feels strong, responsive, and supportive.
This is the kind of work we explore inside Posture in Motion, my 13-week small-group program combining posture-focused movement, breathwork, and somatic awareness. You’ll learn to understand your body’s patterns and build more ease, mobility, and strength without forcing yourself into a “correct” position.
Only one spot left - Apply here: https://hedishah.com/posture-in-motion/
Thank you for joining me on the path of unconditioning,
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Hedi Shah
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👁️ Mindfulness Teacher & Bodyworker
🐉 Nervous system regulation, breathwork, and posture-focused strength training to target the cause of what keeps you stuck and in pain, not just symptoms.
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