{"id":1963,"date":"2021-07-21T13:04:07","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T13:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.mutusystem.com\/en-uk\/?p=1963"},"modified":"2023-12-15T12:01:55","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T12:01:55","slug":"working-your-core-correctly-stick-your-butt-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mutusystem.com\/en-uk\/pelvic-floor\/working-your-core-correctly-stick-your-butt-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Working Your Core – Stick your Butt Out!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Working your core means you need to let your butt curve out. Showing my age here, but from eighties aerobics classes, to ballet, or just being told to ‘stand up straight’, the instruction to ‘tuck your tailbone’ is one we’ve adopted as habit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Squeeze your butt” “Suck in your stomach” “Tuck your tailbone under” are all common cues. But they may have the effect of building a fairly flat backside and possible pelvic floor weakness. Not working your core like you intended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For detail on how to engage your core correctly, read this post<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working your core right doesn’t mean sucking your stomach in or ‘tucking your tail bone under’ or squeezing your glutes. Try drawing your abs in VERY GENTLY. This really is a very subtle movement, not a forceful one – if you’re not sure, draw it back, then halve that. Imagine a line between your hip bones that you’re going to draw together. You should feel your pelvic floor lift when you do this – that’s good<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try not to let your pelvis tuck under. Breathe out, slow and steady and draw your belly button in\u2026. but keep that natural curvature in your spine. It’ll feel at first like you’re consciously sticking your backside out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"diastasis<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Different positions to find and work your core<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Try it with a ball behind you – keep your butt curved to the ball!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Try it kneeling astride a large cushion or bolster, sitting on the front of a chair or on a large pilates ball. Sit on your sit bones, upright, not on your sacrum with a curved back. Try to very gently engage your TVA muscle, without tilting your pelvis and rolling onto your tailbone. Also try squatting from standing but supporting your back with a ball behind you, as in the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see there is a difference between ‘finding your core and ‘working your core’.  If you haven’t found<\/em> it, you can’t work <\/em>it. Our brain forgets how to talk to some muscles in our body after pregnancy and childbirth because they have been unused, in a position not be able to work optimally, or taking up the strain of other imbalances and\u2026 your body cannot use a muscle that your brain’s stopped talking to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tucking your tailbone… and your pelvic floor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tucking your pelvis under and\/or squeezing your butt shortens the pelvic floor muscles. If you can visualise, your pelvic floor muscles are a hammock of musculature attached at your tailbone at the back and your pelvic bone at the front. So curling your pelvis underneath you shortens and tightens<\/strong> the muscle by bring your sacrum \/ tailbone closer to your pelvic bone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This movement has 2 downsides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n