Engage your core” might be the most overused—and underexplained—cue in modern movement.
It sounds powerful. It sounds scientific. But is it actually?
The idea that there is a group of muscles (the so-called “core”) that, when properly activated, will stabilise the spine, prevent injury, and cure low back pain is one of the most persistent myths in the rehab and fitness world. Read on to see what science has to say about this.
Read more: Rethinking Core Stability: Why Bracing Isn’t the Answer (and Breath Might Be)What the Research Actually Says
In his provocatively titled paper The Myth of Core Stability, osteopath and researcher Eyal Lederman (2010) makes a clear case: the belief that the spine needs to be braced by deep muscles like the transversus abdominis and multifidus to prevent injury or improve movement has little support in real-world outcomes.
His argument isn’t that those muscles don’t exist or don’t function. They do. But targeting them in isolation doesn’t produce superior results compared to general movement or strengthening.
Have you ever been asked to spend time to activate your TVA in a Pilates session and the instrucor having their fingers on your stomach and concentration (closing the eyes) to feel you activating it.
Yep.
Studies comparing “core stability” training with regular exercise often show no significant difference in long-term outcomes for low back pain. In fact, rigid bracing strategies may reduce movement variability and increase load on the spine—not ideal for a dynamic human body.
More recent work by Augeard and Carroll (2019) reinforced this, suggesting that core instability is an oversimplified explanation for complex, multifactorial issues like chronic low back pain.
Bracing vs. Breathing: Enter the Diaphragm
Here’s where it gets more interesting. The diaphragm, long treated as just a breathing muscle, is now being recognised as a central player in spinal stability. Unlike rigid bracing strategies that lock down movement, the diaphragm creates dynamic, pressure-based stability through intra-abdominal pressure (IAP)—especially when working in synergy with the pelvic floor and deep abdominal wall.
A 2023 review by HajGhanbari et al. in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice proposed that the diaphragm’s dual role in breathing and postural control means it should be explicitly included in core-focused rehab. In practice, this means teaching clients not how to brace and hold, but how to breathe and support—especially under load.
Another study (Sharma et al., 2020) showed that combining diaphragmatic breathing with core strengthening exercises led to greater improvements in pain and function than core training alone in people with chronic low back pain.
The Real Core is Contextual
Core stability isn’t a singular system to be “activated” like a switch. It’s a context-dependent, task-driven orchestration involving the whole trunk—spine, diaphragm, abdominals, pelvic floor, and more—adapting in real time to load, breath, and intention.
Teaching clients to stiffen their trunk during daily life doesn’t improve stability. It reduces their capacity to adapt. That’s not resilience; that’s rigidity.
Instead, what builds resilience is variation, coordination, and responsiveness—qualities breath naturally supports.
What You Can Do (and Teach)
If you’re teaching movement:
- Stop treating the “core” as a static cylinder. Teach it as a dynamic pressure system.
- Replace cues like “brace” or “pull in” with “breathe wide” or “create support from the inside.”
- Incorporate breath-focused movement: rotation, lateral flexion, spinal mobility, and breath-led load transitions.
If you’re practicing movement:
- Notice when you hold your breath to find control—especially during load or balance.
- Explore movement where breath flows first, rather than following tension.
- Get curious: are you stabilising through strategy or gripping from fear?
Conclusion: Core Control Isn’t About Gripping. It’s About Trust.
Let’s move on from the myth that our spines need to be locked down. Stability isn’t a state you hold. It’s a skill you express, shaped by breath, posture, load, and confidence.
And in that context, the breath isn’t fluff. It’s foundational.
References:
- Lederman, E. (2010). The Myth of Core Stability. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.
- Augeard, N., & Carroll, T. J. (2019). The core stability narrative: Time for change. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(13), 793–794.
- HajGhanbari, B., et al. (2023). Role of the diaphragm in core stability: A narrative review. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice.
- Sharma, M., et al. (2020). Effect of diaphragmatic breathing with core exercises in chronic low back pain: A comparative study. International Journal of Health Sciences Research.