You\u2019re doing ab workouts at home, but your lower back feels the burn more than your abs. What gives? Turns out, you might just have to learn how to activate your abs.<\/p>\n
Activating your abs is essential for strengthening them, but it\u2019s not the same as flexing your abs. Whether or not you want visible abs, those muscles are vital beyond aesthetics.<\/p>\n
Strong abs offer \u201cbetter support for all muscle groups,\u201d explains Jim White, an exercise physiologist, registered dietitian, and ACSM-certified personal trainer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019ve ever picked up a bag of groceries wrong and dealt with lingering muscle pain for weeks, you know your abs may need some work to provide better support,\u201d White says.<\/p>\n
Read on to learn how to activate your abs, plus a few moves to try.<\/p>\n
Flexing is part of engaging your abs, but you should also be \u201cbracing them so that it feels tight and secure,\u201d explains White. And that means the upper and lower abs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re not activating every part of your abs, you\u2019re not going to see growth in your ab muscles,\u201d says White.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re not used to activating your abs:<\/p>\n
White suggests adding these steps to feel your abs:<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should feel the lower part of your abs engage to support your lower spine,\u201d White says. Once you\u2019re activating the upper and lower parts of your abs, you can perform core exercises as they\u2019re intended.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re feeling crunches in your neck or back more than your abs, try the following:<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll know you\u2019ve got it when there\u2019s no gap between your lower back and the floor.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t be afraid to pause between each rep and reassess your ab activation. Performing fewer, quality reps is preferable to higher reps that strain your back or neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour core is involved in stabilizing all of your muscles,\u201d White explains. \u201cFailing to activate it can cause overreliance on other muscle groups\u201d \u2014 and not effectively training the muscles you think you\u2019re targeting.<\/p>\n
Properly engaging your core may also prevent injury. Engaging your lower abs helps prevent your lower back from taking on the work.<\/p>\n
Letting other muscles do your abs\u2019 work \u201ccan lead to pulled muscles or other injuries,\u201d White cautions.<\/p>\n
And, if you get lax about ab activation, \u201cyour abs won\u2019t look the way you want them to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not sure if you\u2019re engaging your core properly? Start with these moves, which will help you target them.<\/p>\n