Your “core” refers to the area between your diaphragm and your pelvic floor.  Your diaphragm is the breathing muscle that separates your chest from your abdomen and is located underneath your rib cage. Your pelvic floor muscles are the band of muscles that sit between your pubic bone and tail bone.

The muscles that support the region between your diaphragm and pelvic floor area include the transverse abdominals (deepest layers of abdominal muscles) and the multifidus (deepest back muscles).

The timing and degree of contraction of these muscles is important if they are to provide control and stability to the back and pelvic joints. To train the “core” we want to focus on the timing and co-activation with other muscles of the core.

In a seated position, sit up tall so that you can feel your pelvic floor muscles against the seat of the chair. This helps to give you feedback on your pelvic floor muscles.  Take a breath in to ‘fill your belly and expand your ribs.’

As you exhale, lift your pelvic floor muscles up whilst simultaneously drawing your hip bones together. This lift and ‘draw in’ should be gentle. We are not aiming for you to lift and squeeze as hard as possible.

As you inhale again, relax your pelvic floor muscles as you fill your belly and ribs with air. On the exhalation, gently lift your pelvic floor muscles away from the chair and draw your hips bones together.

Try repeating this for 10 repetitions twice a day.

Image from Continence Foundation of Australia