Core muscles: The diaphragms

Core muscles: The diaphragms
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The “diaphragms” aka the thoracic diaphragm and the pelvic one, are generally referred to as pelvic floor muscles.⁣
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These muscles are known to interact “together” during breathing, as they allow to increase iAP (intra-abdominal pressure), which for example, is useful when lifting heavy weights! ⁣
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To understand the force-pressure interaction of these muscles, a good idea is to think about them through the balloon analogy, where the diaphragm is the “top” of the balloon, and the pelvic floor is the bottom.⁣
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As we breathe in, intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) allows the creation of a “rigid cylinder” through the abdominal muscles and/or through stabilizing forces delivered via fascial connections to the vertebral segments. This appears to assist with stability by increasing IAP/Intra-Abdominal pressure.⁣
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Basically, when we breathe in (inhaling) we’re pushing air to our lungs, pushing down the diaphragm which contracts and creates pressure over the abdominal cavity, obliques & lumbar muscles.⁣
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Why do weight lifters wear belts ? ⁣
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By wearing your lifting belt (tight enough to the point in which you’re still able to push your belly against the belt), you’re providing your mid section with an external force which pushes against you. And that’s the whole point of wearing it. ⁣

This counter-acting force, helps increase force output, efficiency anx the perception of security experienced!