If you have read a fitness magazine, watched a workout DVD, trained with a personal trainer, or taken a group exercise class over the past few years you may have performed the, The Draw-In Maneuver.

This technique is also referred to with phrases such as, “suck/draw your belly button in towards your spine”. Last night as I bossed my clients around, pushing and poking at their abs to make sure they were nice and tight, I told one to make sure her belly-button was pulled in, nice and tight. She glanced my way before seriously asking me if she was sucking hers the right way….

Drawing in your stomach activates your deep internal core muscles: transverse abdominis, internal oblique’s and pelvic floor muscles.

Think of your transverse abs an internal girdle—when engaged, it tightens, giving you support around your trunk. Obviously when tightened, the muscles are being trained to be stronger and more defined. This drawing in also helps to provide stability to the spine while you are pushing, pressing, squatting, lunging, and rotating.

When the core muscles are involved, the movements of your limbs will be more efficient, making your lifts and exercising more effective. It helps us protect our lower back from strain and injuries.

How do you do this? Pretend you are putting on a pair of TIGHT jeans, suck in your lower abdomen as though you need to zip up the zipper. That works for the ladies, so men, run out right now and buy a pair of super tight jeans so you can do it too! Or pretend you are walking by that sexy woman in her tight jeans and suck in your gut as far as you can. And YES, we know you are sucking in your big gut when you walk by.

When should you do this? As often as possible. It will take perfect practice to do this correctly and be able to hold it for the length of one entire rep, or even 20 seconds at a time.

So my friends, if you don’t already suck, start sucking now.