Mastering the Mind-Body Connection for Stronger, Smarter Training After 40

Understanding and Engaging Your True Core Muscles

With over 30 years as a personal trainer, I’ve learned that many clients think core strength is all about chiseled abs. While a strong midsection looks great, the real power lies deeper—especially for adults over 40. Muscles like the iliacus and psoas, often overlooked, are the unsung heroes that stabilize your spine, improve posture, and support everyday movements like walking or bending. At Strongist.co, I help you tap into this hidden strength to stay active and injury-free.

Rethinking Core Strength: Beyond the Abs

The fitness world often focuses on ab crunches and planks, targeting muscles like the rectus abdominis and obliques. These are important, but relying on them alone can create imbalances. True core strength comes from engaging a broader network of muscles, including the deeper iliacus and psoas, to unlock your body’s full potential for movement and stability.

Meet the Iliacus and Psoas: Your Hidden Stabilizers

Located deep in your pelvis, the iliacus and psoas work together (known as the iliopsoas) to connect your upper and lower body. The iliacus starts in the inner pelvis, while the psoas begins along your lower spine (L1–L4), and both attach via a shared tendon to your femur. This setup allows them to:

Flex your hips
Stabilize your spine
Support your posture

Whether you’re lifting, lunging, or just standing tall, these muscles keep you balanced and resilient.

Why They Matter for You

For adults over 40, activating the iliacus and psoas reduces injury risk, boosts mobility, and supports an active lifestyle. Athletes gain power and agility, while everyone benefits from better posture. These muscles are your foundation; strengthening them with intention can transform how you move and feel.

Learning from Babies: The Natural Core Workout

Interestingly, babies offer a lesson in core strength. When placed on their backs, they instinctively move arms and legs independently, strengthening their core muscles without even knowing it. This resembles the dead bug exercise I recommend for adults.

For many of you, sitting 8–10 hours at work, then another 3 hours at home, weakens natural core engagement, eroding spinal support and setting the stage for pain and poor posture.

Reclaiming that baby-like core strength through intentional movement can reverse these effects.

How to Engage Your Core: Practical Steps for Success

I teach clients to build a strong mind-body connection to activate deep core muscles in every movement. Here's how:

Imagine Blowing Out a Candle: Slowly exhale as if blowing out a candle. This gently engages the rectus abdominis and prepares your core.
Push Out Against It: While maintaining that tension, push your belly outward like you did as a kid pretending to be “fat.” This activates your deep core, including the iliopsoas.
Apply to All Movements: Use this technique for squats, bench press, pull-downs, dead bugs, bird dogs, and more. It increases stability and protects your spine.
Daily Practice: Make this activation second nature by incorporating it into standing, walking, and lifting.

The Red Light Core Training Game: A Daily Routine

To reinforce daily engagement, try my “Red Light Core Training Game” while driving:

At each red light, blow out like a candle, push out your belly, and hold until the light turns green.
As you improve, switch it: engage during green lights and rest at reds.

This habit keeps your core engaged throughout the day—even when life gets busy.

Bringing It All Together

By integrating these core principles into your 45-minute sessions at Strongist.co, you’ll not only train smarter—you’ll move better, feel stronger, and prevent injuries for years to come.

Let’s work together to make every move count. Contact me to start your journey!

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