“Engage your core” is the most-heard cue in any Pilates class — and one of the least understood. This short explainer covers what the core actually is: not the muscles you can see, but the deep group supporting your spine, pelvis and trunk in everything you do.
Once you know what you’re engaging, the cue starts to mean something. Follow with Your Core: A Complex Balance of Roles to see how these muscles work together in movement.