Your abs aren't just one muscle—and they are much more than just the bumps that comprise a ″six-pack." YOUR CORE IS YOUR ENTIRE TRUNK - shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip. This is your torso, the cylindrical space between these points that include muscles, connective tissues, cavities, and joints. Let's get to know all your abs muscles and how to work so you can use them in the most effective way.

There are 4 key parts to your "core", these four parts are broken up into the center, front, sides, and back of your body. When we understand where they live and why they do what they do, we can become more in tune with our own bodies and build functional strength. Core strength and mobility can help with back pain, better breathing, and lack of core awareness due to pregnancy or injury. Here is a little anatomy lesson to help you understand what is going on in your core. 
 
Transversus Abdominis
This is the deepest layer of your core that wraps around the torso from front to back and from the ribs to the pelvis. This muscle doesn't help much in the movement of your spine or pelvis, but it does help with breathing, stabilizing the spine, and compressing the internal organs. We may feel this space working to stabilize you while you are in plank or a side plank.

Multifidus & Erector Spinae
These muscles are deeply located in the back of your body, especially in your lower back and along your spine. The erector spinae muscles and tendons connect your entire back from your hips/sacrum to the base of your skull. They line both sides of your spine and are in charge of back bending, and side-to-side flexion, and rotation. 
The multifidus help to support your spine by keeping it straight and taking pressure off vertebral discs. They also help to distribute your weight evenly along your spine. The multifidus assists in bending backward, side-to-side motions, as well as rotation.

Internal & External Obliques
The external obliques are the V-shaped muscles that run diagonally down your sides, connecting to your pelvis. They work to compress your abdominal cavity by pulling downwards on your chest. This pulling allows you to twist and rotate your torso.
The internal obliques are located underneath your external obliques but above your transverse abdominis. They run from inside your hip bones all the way up to under your ribs. The internal obliques help with rotation by pulling the rib cage to the hip and lower back when you twist. Plus they are good friends with the diaphragm and assist with breathing.

Rectus Abdominis
Finally, the rectus abdominis is a long, flat group of muscles that run along the front of your abdomen. It's responsible for flexing and rotating the trunk and was made famous by coining the term "six-pack abs". The rectus helps with spinal flexion, supports better posture, and assists in giving you the ability to forcefully exhale.  

Now that you have a basic understanding of what your core consists of and how they work, it is time to put it all to the test!! I have designed a series of six 15 to 20-minute videos that actually target all four parts of your core muscles. If you have low back pain, have not quite strengthened your core after having a baby, or just need some consistency in your exercise program, this is for YOU!! Look for the "6-days to a stronger core" series of videos coming out next week!! In the meantime begin to notice the four compartments in your core and how they function or do not function. lol!! Awareness is the first step to building yourself a stronger core. 
Sending you love & light dear friends!

Namaste...Chantel