How can I activate my core without restricting my breathing?

Breathing is fundamental, but not always functional. 

Within your body, you have these great neighbors, all getting along— Mr. Heart. Mrs. Core. The Nerves. The Cardio brothers. 

But then you have one dysfunctional family, the Breathers (diaphragm, intercostals, ribs), causing a major disturbance on the block. 

With normal breathing, the tummy inflates when you inhale, and flattens when you exhale. But the dysfunctional Breathers bring a slew of new problems to the neighborhood. Chest breathing. Reverse breathing. Hyperventilation. Poor rib mobility. Havoc! If anything, the  Breathers and Mrs. Core need to work in tandem for a happy and safe community. 

Did you know that your diaphragm, apart from breathwork, is also responsible for your spinal stability? It’s the roof of your core or “column”. So a dysfunctional diaphragm can quite easily bring the house down. 

Want to perfect your breathwork and core stability to armor plate your core?  Set up an evaluation or movement screen with a Physical Therapist or Strength and Conditioning Coach. Dysfunctional breathing? Core instability? See if you have any holes in your core that need patching.  

Once you know that both your core and diaphragm are functioning normally again, you can work on coordination between the two, and bring peace back to the neighborhood. 

Watch how we test your breathwork and core stability in our Bracing & Breathwork 101 video. 

Heal. Move.BREATHE. Evolve.