A common error when flexing the spine is creating most of the curve in the thoracic spine, a region of the spine that is naturally concave to the front but is already excessively rounded (kyphosis) in static alignment in many people. This cue commonly is used when performing an exercise lying on your back such as the Pelvic Curl (exercise 4-1), but can also be used in other positions to help create a C curve.

The cue of drawing the abdominal wall inward can help you recruit the deeper abdominals, including the transversus abdominis, as well as help you achieve the aesthetic goal of a flatter abdomen. If you have difficulty finding this muscular control, place the palm of one hand on your lower abdomen, and press the wall outward into your hand to feel the undesired position then draw the abdominal wall inward as you think of the hand pressing flat toward the spine or the hand scooping the abdomen, as if making a hollow in the sand at the beach. Drawing the navel or abdominal wall inward toward the spine can be thought of as scooping or hollowing the abdominal area inward. These cues are designed to counter the common error of allowing the abdominal wall to bulge outward when the abdominals are activated and to encourage a flattening or pulling inward of the abdomen. Draw the navel or abdominal wall toward the spine, or scoop.This functional emphasis also led to the development of additional cues to encourage a neutral position of the pelvis or spine in appropriate exercises. However, the desire to create strategies that are more similar to those needed in functional movements has led various current approaches to apply some of these cues in a modified or less rigorous manner.

In the original Pilates approach, many of these cues were exaggerated and emphasized lumbar flexion and a posterior pelvic tilt. Others are described in the chapter introductions or with the specific exercises in chapters 4 through 9. Some cues used with the exercises in this book are described in this section. These cues, or directives, offer practical ways to help you apply many of the principles discussed in chapter 1 and in this chapter. Many common cues are used with Pilates to try to achieve the desired static or dynamic alignment in a given exercise. Research suggests that with repetitive activation of the desired muscles in the appropriate manner, over time your body will automatically start using these more optimal strategies. It also is important to learn to feel correct alignment and core stability, to hone skills for quickly achieving this alignment, and to practice using this alignment in the exercises in this book as well as during other activities in your life. However, strength alone will not necessarily create the desired results. Many of the Pilates exercises in this book are designed to strengthen muscles that are important for alignment and core stability. If you’re new to Pilates and want to strengthen your core from top to bottom, here are some of the best basic moves you can explore wherever you’re comfortable-whether it's at home, at the gym, or at a studio.This is an excerpt from Pilates Anatomy-2nd Edition by Rael Isacowitz & Karen Clippinger. RELATED: How Denise Austin Gets Her Insanely Toned Abs at 62 Pilates also helps build strength in your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. A well-rounded Pilates routine is known to help people develop rock-solid midlines at every level of the core. While working out all of these layers might seem like a lot of work, doing Pilates can be a great way to take some of the thinking out of it. Both the diaphragm and the pelvic area work in tandem with the rest of your core.Īll together, these muscles help you to maintain great posture, protect your spine, keep your pelvis in alignment, and help to control your sense of balance. We can even include the diaphragm (the muscles that help you breathe) and the pelvic floor. Besides the rectus abdominis (the abs), there are the external and internal obliques along your sides, the transverse abdominis (the deepest of your ab muscles), the erector spinae (the muscles that connect from the top of your spine to your hips), and the lower lats that sit right below your shoulder blades. We’re talking about all the muscles in the midsection of your body-front and back. That's because the muscles in your core are the stabilizers that help you move through life safely and with minimal joint pain.Īnd when we say “core,” we are not just talking about your abs. A strong core is the beginning of a strong body.

Moderate pilates moves