Engaging Your Powerhouse

The “powerhouse” are the core muscles centered in the abdomen- from the ribs to the pubic bone and the lower back muscles. When you “engage” your powerhouse, you will immediately feel a shift in your posture. Lets give it a try. Sit in a chair and think about drawing your naval up toward your spine. Continue to breathe in and out normally. As you are drawing in your naval, you will find you begin to sit straighter and taller automatically, without having to think about it, and you will fel much more stable. You can do the same thing standing up. You will feel your pelvis tilt slightly as it engages itself in the correct postural position. Try it while walking and you will immediately feel your power shift with more of the working muscle effort coming from your inner thighs and glutes as your pelvis aligns intself for the most effecient use of muscles. If you do this continually and mindfully during your daily activities it will become second nature.

Why would you want to “engage your powerhouse”? The powerhouse provides you with stability and strength in everything you do. Walking, running, biking, sitting, floor exercise, lifting weights and even swimming all benefit from engaging your core. You will find if you conciously engage your powerhouse you will be less likely to injure yourself and more mindful of your bodies position in space. You will move with a stable center of gravity and you will need to put in less effort when doing whatever it is you are doing.

To strengthen your powerhouse, there are a few easy exercises you can do.

Cook Hip Lift Lie face up with your legs sharply bent. Place your left foot flat on the floor and draw the right leg up against your torso, holding it in place with pressure from your hands. Now contract the hamstrings and glutes of the left leg to lift your butt off the floor two or three inches. Concentrate hard on keeping your deep abs contracted and your pelvis neutral. Hold this position for five seconds and relax. Repeat 5 times and then switch legs.

Lying Drawn In With Hip Flexion Lie face up with your head supported by a large pillow or foam roller. Begin with your legs bent 90 degrees and your thighs perpendicular to the floor, feet together. Engage your deep abs by drawing your navel toward your spine.Keep your lower back pressed into the floor, if it begins to lift you are doing it incorrectly. While holding this contraction, slowly lower your right foot to the floor, return immediately to the start position, and then lower the left foot. If you find this easy, you are failing to hold the contraction of your deep abs. Lower each foot to the floor eight to 10 times.