If you want a strong and defined core and waistline, most of the ab / core training you've been doing, may not be delivering it.

I know that's a bold thing to say. But as a Physiotherapist, it's one of the things I feel most strongly about. Sit-ups, crunch circuits, leg raise sequences - they mainly work the rectus abdominis, the most superficial layer of your core. They don't always reach the deep stabilising muscles underneath. And those are the muscles that determine how your core performs.

What matters more than the reps is your form and the engagement. If your technique is incorrect your effort won't yield the results you want.

But first, let's explain what we are talking about when we say "core"

Your core is not your six-pack.

The rectus abdominis - the muscle that creates visible definition - is the most superficial layer. It is the least important part of your core when it comes to genuine strength, posture, stability and injury prevention. Training it in isolation is like painting a wall before you've fixed the structure underneath.

The muscles that matter most are the ones you can't see.

• Transverse abdominis: your deepest abdominal layer - I call this your corset. It wraps all the way around your spine and provides the foundation for every movement you make.
• Multifidus: a series of small muscles running along your spine, responsible for spinal stability and control.
• Pelvic floor: works in coordination with the deep core to manage intra-abdominal pressure.
• Diaphragm: yes, your breathing muscle is part of your core system. This is why I cue you to breathe with control through everything we do - exhaling to engage, inhaling to release.

These four muscles form your deep core unit. They fire before any other movement - before you lift, step, push or pull. They are your body's first line of support through everything you do.

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Why ab training without correct engagement misses the point

Sit-ups and crunches are spinal flexion exercises. They load the rectus abdominis through repeated bending - and they put significant strain through your lumbar discs at the same time.

When I cue any abs or crunch work, I always bring you back to two things: imprint your spine into the mat and control your breath. Exhale as you curl up. Inhale as you lower. That conscious breathing pattern is not just technique - it is how you activate your corset and take load off the lumbar spine.

Watch me explain this in 60 seconds here.

Your deep core muscles are stabilisers. Their job is to resist movement, not create it. To train them, you need a completely different stimulus - exercises that challenge your body to stay still under load, with your spine neutral and your deep muscles working to hold everything in place.

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What good core training looks like

In the LEAN Method, your core is trained in two ways.

First, it's working throughout every session. I help you find deep core engagement throughout all movements - squats, lunges, standing arm work.

Second, focused core work. These movements are slower and more controlled, designed to challenge your stabilisers in different positions using a variety of exercises, also in different planes (directions of movement). When done correctly, the engagement (often referenced as ‘burn’) you feel is deep and different.

Then there are the core finishers - a LEAN Community favourite. Once your body is fully warm and your core is already engaged, that's when you blast it. Short, targeted and effective - placed intentionally at the end of your workout.

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What this means for the results you want

The shift I want you to make is from thinking about your core in terms of how it looks, to how it functions.

A strong corset supports your posture, protects your spine and creates a stable base for every movement you make. That foundation is built through slow, controlled, deliberate training - the kind where you imprint your spine (or position yourself in neutral spine when you are more advanced) and feel the deep work rather than just the surface burn. The kind that you need to be guided into and stay conscious throughout.

And here's what I know from years of training: when you build the foundation properly, the visible results follow. Not as the primary goal - as the outcome.

That's why core training sits at the centre of the LEAN Method.

A Program I've wanted to build for over ten years, Abs & Sculpt starts inside the LEAN App on Monday 29 June. It's core focused, balanced with full body using 21 minute strength and pilates workouts over 21 days.

I'd love for you to join me on this one.

Lilly