Is Your Core Actually Weak or Just Misfiring?

Dr. Andrew Kakishita | Lehi, UT

Most People Don’t Have a Weak Core — They Have a Confused One

A lot of people in Lehi come into my clinic thinking their core is weak. They might be lifting regularly, doing planks, or following ab routines on YouTube but still feel their lower back tightening during simple tasks. The truth is that most people don’t have a weak core. Their core is misfiring, and that misfire is often tied to how their pelvis and lower back move.

Your core isn’t just your abs. It’s a group of muscles that work with your diaphragm, pelvic floor, deep abdominal layer, and spinal stabilizers. These muscles fire best when your pelvis and lumbar spine move smoothly. When they don’t, your core loses its ability to coordinate, not its ability to generate force.

How Pelvic and Lumbar Movement Impact Core Activation

Your pelvis acts like the base of your entire core system. When it shifts, tilts, or rotates differently from side to side, your deep core muscles have a harder time engaging evenly. This is why people sometimes feel one hip working harder than the other or feel “off” when they bend, twist, or lift.

The lumbar spine also plays a big role. When it becomes stiff or overly mobile in certain segments, your core compensates by firing at the wrong time or in the wrong order. For example:

• If your pelvis tilts forward too much during movement, your ribs flare and your deep core loses leverage.

• If your pelvis hikes on one side, the core shifts into a protective pattern rather than an efficient one.

• If your lumbar spine doesn’t move well, other parts of your body take over, which often creates tightness or fatigue.

This is why many people feel tightness no amount of stretching seems to fix. The tightness is often your body’s way of stabilizing an area that isn’t being supported well by the core.

Common Misfires I See in the Clinic

There are a few patterns that show up over and over again:

Breath holding:

When the diaphragm doesn’t move well, the core struggles to coordinate.

Rib flare:

Ribs lifting upward reduces the ability of the deep core to contract efficiently.

Hip hiking or shifting:

Uneven pelvic control pulls your core out of sync.

Lumbar stiffness:

If your lower back doesn’t move well, your core can’t time its activation properly.

None of these patterns mean anything is “wrong” with you. They simply explain why your core can feel weak even when you’re working hard.

How I Help People Fix This in the Clinic

In my clinic here in Lehi, I help people retrain their core by restoring how their pelvis and lumbar spine move. I typically combine gentle mobility work, soft tissue work, and simple movement cues that help the core activate with better timing. Once the pelvis and lower back start moving smoothly again, people often notice:

• less lower back fatigue

• more balanced muscle activation

• smoother lifting mechanics

• better control during daily tasks and workouts

You don’t need an hour of core exercises a day. You need the right system firing in the right order.

If you want help figuring out whether your core is misfiring because of pelvic or lumbar movement issues, I’m always happy to take a look. You can learn more here:

https://kineticchiropracticutah.com