#Deep Core Work

Core work isn’t about sucking in… It’s about learning how to turn it on 🔥 Ribs stacked. 360 breath. Pelvic floor + core zipping up from the bottom like a jacket. It looks simple—but this changes EVERYTHING. Drop a 🧠 if this blew your mind or tell me—have you tried 360 breathing before?

What is your ‘deep core anyway’? 👇 First — what is your deep core? Your deep core is more than abs. It’s a system made up of your diaphragm, deep ab muscles (TVA), pelvic floor, and deep back muscles. They work together to manage pressure and support your spine. Why you should engage it: 👉When your deep core is doing its job, you get: • better core strength • less pressure on your pelvic floor • improved posture • safer, more effective workouts •more support to combat issues like leaking and back pain How to engage your deep core: 👉Start with your breath. Inhale through your nose to expand your ribs 360° (think about filling up your bra strap front, back and sides). Exhale slowly through your mouth like you’re blowing through a straw. Feel your lower tighten while gently lifting through the pelvic floor and your ribcage knitting together. Think support, not sucking in. This is the foundation for your core and pelvic floor workouts, lifting weights and exerting force in everyday life (think picking up your kids!). 👉 Save this post so you can come back to it when you’re working out 👉 Be sure to follow us @SculptDaily for simple, realistic core + pelvic floor education for moms ❤️❤️ #coreworkout #diastasisrecti #pelvicfloorexercises #abworkout #deepcore

✅ Follow + Comment “CORE” ⬇️ & I’ll send you a FREE CORE workout 🔗 Here are 3 ways deep core exercises actually fix your core: 1️⃣ They rebuild your pelvic floor from the inside out Your deep core and pelvic floor are a team. When you activate your transverse abdominis (your deepest abdominal layer), you naturally support and lift the pelvic floor. That means less leaking, less heaviness, and more stability. YES LOVE, esp. after pregnancy or high stress seasons. 2️⃣ They reconnect your brain to your core: Chronic stress, yup the kind you millennial moms live in. It always keeps your body in survival mode. Deep core work helps retrain your nervous system to engage properly instead of gripping, bearing down, or checking out completely. It’s not just muscle work! it’s neuromuscular retraining. 3️⃣ They flatten the pooch the right way That lower belly “pooch” isn’t usually fat, it’s pressure mismanagement. When your deep core learns to manage intra-abdominal pressure correctly, your abdomen pulls in and supports instead of pushing out. The result? A flatter, stronger midsection without endless crunches. Girlie, It’s about healing, reconnecting, and building strength that actually supports your life, gives you the boost you want & strength you lose! 📩DM “TONED” if you need help losing your belly pooch + staying consistent, & ill reach out 🎀

🏅NUMBER 7 POST OF 2025: Just say no to sucking in and bearing down and calling it “engaging” your core!

PSSSSST “deep core” isn’t an exercise… It’s an execution. Go on the discover page and there are plenty of 5-million follower accounts promising to get you the same snatched waist they have with their special deep core exercises 😍 Here’s something we all need ton understand about the deep core: It’s involved in pretty much anything, from sitting on your patootie to deadlifting 300 lbs off the floor. It’s something that can be elusive for many because it’s subtle… and also is used in varying degrees in different things! The core is a layered pressure management system, and the deep core is well, the deepest layer. The transverse abdominis. Pressure management is important for stiffening your spine for optimal force production, transfer, and efficient movement. It’s also important for allowing us to voluntarily defecate or urinate on our own time. 👏 It’s affected by position, breath, and activation. So, how to make anything into a deep core exercise: 1️⃣Start with isolation exercises & learn to connect to your breath 2️⃣Add gravity resistance (eg. On all 4s) 3️⃣Layer it up with the outer abs! (Eg. Add a reach to get those obliques!) 4️⃣Incorporate it into compound movements 👏‼️👏‼️👏‼️‼️‼️ Of course, the nuance of execution comes with individual’s baseline & response to coaching, neither of which can be addressed here. ➡️➡️➡️If you struggle with this —- comment CORE and I’ll send you a video I recently made alllllll about the core and bracing! #deepcore #coretraining #pelvicfloorphysicaltherapy #deepcoreexercises

If your stomach turns into a “cone” or bulges during ab exercises — this is why. It’s not about weak abs. It’s about pressure management. When your deep core doesn’t activate on time, the pressure inside your abdomen goes forward — and pushes your belly out. That’s when you see the “doming”. Your deep core should work as a system: • diaphragm • pelvic floor • transverse abs When they work together — pressure is distributed, not pushed forward. And your stomach stays flat during exercises. #deepcore #posturecorrection #pelvicfloorhealth #coretraining #flatstomach

Your core is not a six-pack, it’s a canister. 🥫 🥫The Lid: Your Diaphragm (breathing is key!) 🥫The Bottom: Your Pelvic Floor 🥫The Front/Sides: Your Abdominal Wall 🥫The Back: Your Spinal Muscles Your core is a pressure management system. For anyone managing leakage (urinary incontinence), diastasis recti abdominus, pelvic pain, lower back pain, or training during / after pregnancy🤰, the “core canister” approach is a game-changer🌟 It’s not about harder exercises; it’s about better alignment and connection 🧘🏻‍♀️. You might have the strength to lift heavy 🏋️‍♀️, but if your core canister can’t manage the sharp rise in abdominal pressure safely, it could cause symptoms or issues down the line. When breathing 🫁 is coordinated, pressure is evenly distributed in all directions and stabilises the spine from the inside. Remember - a strong core starts from optimal breathing and efficient intra-abdominal pressure regulation 💪 你的核心肌群不是六塊肌，而是一個罐子。 🥫 🥫蓋子：你的橫膈膜（呼吸是關鍵！） 🥫底部：你的骨盆底肌 🥫前側/側面：你的腹壁 🥫後側：你的脊椎肌肉 你的核心肌群是一個壓力管理系統。對於任何正在處理尿失禁、腹直肌分離、骨盆疼痛、腰痛，或正在懷孕/產後進行訓練的人來說，「核心肌群罐子」的概念將徹底改變你的生活🌟 這並非意味著更難的鍛鍊；而是關乎核心肌群整體控制和有效運作🧘🏻‍♀️。你或許有力量舉重🏋️‍♀️，但如果你的核心肌群無法安全地應對腹壓的急劇上升，就可能在未來引發各種症狀或問題。呼吸協調時，壓力會均勻分佈在各個方向，從內部穩定脊椎。記住－強健的核心肌群始於最佳呼吸和有效的腹內壓調節。 ___________________________________ Pilates Edge Website: www.pilatesedge.hk Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: (852) 67911756 Address: Unit 1, 12/F, Wing Lee Industrial Building, 54-58 Tong Mi Road, Mong Kok, Kowloon ____________________________________ #pilatesforwomen #香港普拉提 #corecanister #breathwork #pelvicfloor

If your core feels weak… it’s not because you need more hour long ab circuits. It’s because no one taught you how to use it! Your deep core isn’t just about bending and twisting (think sit ups, russian twists, and bicycle crunches) It’s about stabilizing. Supporting your spine. Creating CONTROL. And this is where most busy women get it wrong 👇 It’s not about doing "more workouts" or more reps. It’s about improving the QUALITY of the reps you’re already doing. Slower. More intentional. Better alignment. Breath. Actually CONNECTED. This is how you build strength that carries into ALL of your lifts and your LIFE. Getting connected with your breath and your deep core takes practice and I hope this reminds you to slow down a little and focus on quality over quantity 😊 Make sure to save this post for your next workout so you can follow along 🫶

Helpful for women postpartum, those with diastasis recti, or anyone hoping to deepen their pilates practice ⬇️✨️ When our breath is not working in harmony with our deep core (our transverse abdominis) it can not only put greater pressure on the pelvic floor but also prevent our core from working as optimally as it could causing this building appearance during core work. Here's what you do to adjust this: ✨️ inhale before the action to prepare for movement ✨️exhale drawing the lowest part lf the abdomen in first, releasing the pressure in the abdomen WITH the effort as you curl up from the abdomen Without that gentle drawing in of the TVA and without exhaling at the appropriate time it can lead to bulging of the abdomen inhibiting your connection to your deep core/inner unit! ✨️If you want to know more about pressure regulation within movement and it's role in conditions like diastasis recti and more following the link in my bio to gain access to a recording of the Breath, Core & Pelvic Floor workshop we held last week! If you feel you need more 1 on 1 guidance to coordinate this system, reach out to set up an appt- I'd be so happy to help ✨️

CONFESSION: I did deep core exercises for a few weeks, saw no progress, and thought they were a waste of time 😅 . The truth was … I wasn’t doing them correctly, and I didn’t know there were other factors I needed to incorporate to see results… and many women are missing these ❤️ . So AMAZING LADY, when you include THESE FACTORS with your deep core exercises, your diastasis will close, your pelvic floor will strengthen, your back will thank you and your midsection will feel tighter. . PAIR THESE WITH DEEP CORE EXERCISES FOR THE BEST RESULTS . 🏆Get GOOD at deep core activation (not just going through the motions) . 🏆Optimize posture (or your DR could stay open). Ribs over hips Level ribs (no tilting) Level hips (no tilting) . 🏆Check for rib flare then use deep core exercises to bring it down . 🏆Avoid exercises with excess intra-abdominal pressure ‘til the gap is closed . 🏆Progress gradually and strategically until your diastasis is closed . Result / Benefits: . Best core health of your life . Stronger pelvic floor . Less back pain . Foundation for total-body strength . . Want more info on all of these? . Follow me @its.jessicajoy for more! . Would love to see you there and support your progress!

Ever heard “suck your belly to your spine”? This is why I’m not a big fan of this cue and here’s why.🙏🏼 💬 Comment LEARN for a 6-minute in-depth tutorial 💬 Comment RECLAIM to join my program + community where we go deep on this stuff Most people who are learning or have never done this kind of body awareness, when they hear this cue, typically flare their ribs and create a hollow effect. → This guides pressure down and upwards → That rib flare prevents your transverse abdominis from doing its job → It blocks 360° expansion through the rib cage (doesn’t allow diaphragm to descend) → Without that expansion, you can’t properly distribute pressure This strategy doesn’t allow for pressure distribution, spinal stability, and recruiting the abdominal muscles as well. So what IS true deep core activation? It’s actually not that intense. It’s a gentle drawing in of the tummy in a global way on the exhale portion of your breath. That’s it. (Harder to execute. I also tend to teach the pelvic floor separately when learning) The deep core system, your diaphragm, pelvic floor, and transverse abdominis, works off the mechanics of diaphragmatic breathing: ↳ Inhale: everything expands ↳ Exhale: everything contracts inward Struggling to feel it? Here’s why that might be: → Mechanical restriction (tight muscles, fascial tension) → Years of sucking in all day, hello, ab grippers → You’ve been taught to brace like someone’s about to punch you and push outward These strategies don’t help distribute pressure well in the core canister. They either turn off your abs or guide pressure down to the pelvic floor. The good news? This can absolutely be repatterned. It just takes unlearning some old habits first. (Fun fact: after this work, when you go to brace, you don’t bare down)

Every client I’ve ever assessed for ANY kind of pain, mobility issues, stress, trouble sleeping, back pain, nervous system dysregulation or pelvic floor related challenges had this one thing in common… 1) They were convinced (or told) they had a WEAK CORE. 2) Posturally, they had imbalance between shoulders & pelvis, combined with unstable ankles / feet; and 3) Many of them had never actually learnt the proper form on HOW to engage their core container (careful use of words because it IS a container, not just your ab muscles). All this led to ONE simple but crucial dysfunction… ⚠️ POOR PRESSURE MANAGEMENT⚠️ Which, when you work out, lift, load or have babies can lead to symptoms & compensations such as:- 1) leaking / constipation 2) back spasms or disc bulges 3) lower belly pooches (hi that’s me) 4) belly bulging or doming during workouts 5) neck strain or painful wrists when on all 4’s 6) breathing heavily from chest & throat 7) diastasis rectii, ab separation & 6 pack abs but no function Connecting from FEET all the way into the core container is the real key! #coreengagement #pelvicfloortherapy #corestability