6 Best Exercises To Activate & Strengthen Your Lower Abs

In the same way your "core" isn't just one body part (reminder: it includes abdominals, back, glutes, and even pelvic floor muscles), your "abs" aren't just one muscle, either. In fact, your abdominals consist of four different muscles: the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, along with the internal and external obliques.

Each of these muscles plays a role in your overall core strength, but your lower abs (the lower part of the rectus abdominis) is often one of the harder areas to work. Why does this matter? "It's important to strengthen the deep core to prevent and address back pain, improve balance, practice good form and prevent injury," says body neutral pilates instructor Helen Phelan. "As a bonus, when you initiate from your core, it can even increase the efficacy of movements designed to work the rest of the body by increasing intensity."

As for how to properly engage your abs, rather than sucking in your stomach, "you really want to envision hugging the abs in and up—it's much gentler and prevents tension build up that can cause weakness over time," says Phelan. "I like to imagine that as I inhale, I breathe equally into my low belly, side, and back ribs, and as I exhale, everything wraps in towards the center equally as well."