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If you’ve ever worked with a trainer, attended a group class at the gym, or read a set of exercise instructions, you have, without a doubt, been told to “engage your core.” The fitness world is constantly reminding people about the connection between their athletic pursuits and the muscles that make up their midsections.

So, it may surprise you that core engagement as you know it—bracing, contracting, tightening, and squeezing—doesn’t apply to running. “I wouldn’t recommend even thinking about engaging your core [while running],” Alison Marie Helms, Ph.D., pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist and founder of Women’s Running Academy, tells Runner’s World. “I’d just let it do its thing.”

But that doesn’t mean your core isn’t essential to your running or that you have no power over how it functions. In fact, it’s crucial to confirm how to engage your core so you can strengthen those midsection muscles and allow them to do their job without effort as you hit your stride.

To better understand the nuanced relationship between the core and running, we spoke with Helms and two other experts in exercise physiology. Here’s what you need to know.

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“I try to explain the core to people I’m working with as the canister of your trunk. So, we’re talking about all the musculature between your shoulders and hips,” Maison Margiela Replica canvas espadrille sneakers Nude., an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, tells Runner’s World.

This includes the rectus abdominis, or the six-pack muscles; the internal and external obliques, which are located on the sides of the torso; the transverse abdominis, which wraps around the trunk like a corset; the diaphragm, found below the lungs; the multifidus and erector spinae, which run alongside the vertebral column; the quadratus lumborum in the lower back; and all the muscles of the pelvic floor. Nike Blazer Mid 77 Db Doernbecher 2022 Sneakers Black Purple glutes.

Each individual muscle performs a specific function. For example, the rectus abdominis flexes the spine, and the obliques allow the torso to twist and bend to the side. But your core muscles also function together as a cohesive unit that’s critical to all kinds of movement, including running.

What role does the core play in running?

For runners, the core is a stabilizing force; it holds your spine and pelvis steady as you move your limbs and transfer force between your lower and upper body.

high heel patent sandals posture and enables the upper body and hips to rotate as you run—but all within an optimal range, says Todd Buckingham, Ph.D., triathlete and professor of movement science at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. “[Part of] the core’s job is to make sure that we’re not twisting too much and that the movement we’re producing propels us forward,” he says. Over-rotating is a waste of precious energy.

There’s also a lot happening inside the core to consider, Helms says. “Think about how you land in the stance [phase of running, when balancing on one foot] and then the other. Your guts are sort of sloshing to that side,” she says, explaining that the core muscles work to hold up your organs and respond to changes in intra-abdominal pressure accordingly.

How should you engage your core while running?

While the core is critical to running, the experts we spoke with advised against trying to actively contract or brace the core muscles while running. Cues like “tighten your core as if someone’s about to punch you in the stomach” or “draw your belly button toward your spine” may be useful in weightlifting or Pilates, but they won’t help runners perform better while clocking miles.

“What’s so important with running is being able to rotate and move freely through the core. We want this really good balance of stability but with the ability to move and breathe and rotate as we run,” Helms says.

Any kind of tightening or drawing in can restrict movement and inhibit breathing. Plus, it requires an incredible amount of energy—both physical and mental—to actively contract your abdominals or remain in one fixed position over the course of, say, a five-mile run. “That’s really stressful to think about doing,” Baird says.

What school shoe style is best posture, as proper alignment will allow you to breathe and move efficiently. “One really good cue to think about is you want your ribs over your pelvis,” Helms says, suggesting runners look at the ground 15 to 20 feet ahead. “Where your head goes, your ribs and chest go,” she explains.

Joma Propulsion Lite SG Football Boots shoulders and upper back hunch. If you look up, your spine extends or overarches. But if you look straight ahead, it’s easier to maintain a position in which your chest is stacked on top of your hips. Thinking about feeling “drawn up” or “tall” as you run (regardless of your actual height) can also help you find and maintain alignment.

And take note of your shoulders. “Relax the shoulders down and pay attention to your breath,” Helms says. “If you’re doing these short little breaths and your shoulders are coming up to your ears, that’s an indication that you’re not fully Under your diaphragm [to breathe], which means you’re not really Under your core.” To better engage the diaphragm, take a few deep breaths and think about expanding circumferentially through your belly, sides, and back with each inhale.

Why is learning to engage your core so important outside of running?

Outside of running, more active core engagement can create stability in your trunk and protect your spine when lifting weights. zapatillas de running Mizuno neutro constitución fuerte talla 36.5 deadlift or arching your lower back while pressing a set of dumbbells overhead puts the vertebrae in a vulnerable position. Generating stability through your midsection takes the pressure off your spine and allows you lift with the appropriate muscle groups.

In some workouts, active core engagement is the entire point. During a Pilates or barre class, you can expect to actively contract your core, as most of the movements are designed to strengthen those muscles. And for gymnastic movements, like handstands or even planks, core engagement is critical to balance and control.

Knowing how to engage your core is also critical during everyday life, not just in the gym. After all, moving a heavy piece of furniture is essentially a deadlift. Placing a stack of books on an overhead shelf is a lot like an overhead press, and shuttling your grocery bags from the car to your kitchen is the ultimate example of a farmer’s carry. Knowing how to engage your core can make you more effective at these tasks and potentially ward off all-too-common injuries.

So, exactly how do you engage your core when you’re supposed to engage your core? As noted earlier, “bracing for a gut punch” can be a helpful cue. You want to think about protecting your insides and holding your ground, so it’s not just about tensing your abs. You want to contract all the muscles that wrap around your midsection, including your lower back and pelvic floor.

While instructions like “scooping” your abdominals or “drawing belly button to spine” can help with spinal alignment, they can also cause you to suck in your stomach or hold your breath. Even when your core is braced, you should be able to take full breaths.

6 Core Exercises for Runners

A strong core is a prerequisite for solid posture, which is why all of the experts we spoke with recommend a strength-training program that prioritizes core exercises. This helps you build Kamik Bone Goretex Infant Hiking Boots outside of your runs, Baird says, allowing the benefits of a stable and strong midsection take hold when you actually hit your stride.

Below are some expert-recommended core exercises for runners. You can perform them together as a core workout or individually incorporate them into your current training program.

1. Dead Bug

1. Lie faceup, both legs lifted, knees bent 90 degrees and positioned over hips. Lift arms so wrists are over shoulders and fingertips are pointing toward ceiling. This is the starting position.
2. Straighten left leg and lower heel toward ground, while extending right arm overhead and toward ground. Keep core engaged and lower back pressed into ground.
3. Return right arm and left leg to starting position.
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2. Plank Shoulder Tap

1. Start in high plank position with shoulders over wrists and core engaged. Body should form a straight line from head to heels.
2. Keeping hips steady (widening the feet can help), tap right hand to left shoulder, then return to plank.
3. Tap left hand to right shoulder, then return to plank.
4. Continue alternating. Do 10 reps per side.

3. Single-Arm Farmer’s Carry

1. Holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in right hand, stand tall with shoulders back, chin parallel to the floor, and arms straight down at sides.
2. Relax traps (i.e., don’t shrug shoulders) as you slowly walk forward, being careful to keep shoulders even and not lean to one side.
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1. Start on hands and knees. Keeping back flat, lift knees off ground a few inches.
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5. Kneeling Woodchop

1. Start kneeling, right foot forward, both knees bent 90 degrees. Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball with both hands and bring it above right shoulder.
2. Keep arms straight as you swing weight across body to below left hip. Keep hips steady, rotating through torso.
3. Swing weight back to above right shoulder.
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6. Pallof Press

1. Loop one end of a large resistance band around a sturdy object, like a pole or rig, at about chest height.
2. With right side of body facing anchor point, stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Hold band with both hands at chest (make sure you’re far enough away from anchor so that there’s resistance on band).
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4. Pause, then pull arms back to chest.
5. Repeat. Do 10 reps, then switch sides.