The 2 Ways to , Engage br Your Core:, Explained.br Knowing the difference can help br you reach your fitness goals.br 1. Pull your belly button br to your spine.br Think of “hollowing” br or “drawing in” br your stomach muscles.br You’re not sucking in your stomach, but rather tightening it with your muscles like in a plank.br This is a common way br to engage your core...br ...during activities like br pilates or yoga.br For forceful feats of strength, br like weight-lifting...br ...you need to, 2. Brace for the lift.br Brace by taking a deep breath, contracting your abs and tightening up all the muscles around your waist. .br It might feel like you’re pulling your ribcage down towards your pelvis. .br Bracing turns your br torso into a solid, br stable, pressurized br column that can either br support a heavy weight...br ...or hold its position steady as you br apply force to it in another direction.