What is Pilates?
Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 1920s. Joseph Pilates was
ahead of his time with his insights into the movement of the human body. He
combined Eastern and Western forms of exercise to develop the Pilates Method of
exercise. In World War I, Joseph was in a wartime camp with others that were
disabled with disease. Joseph helped them get stronger by using items such as bed
springs attached to the wall above the bed. In this way, they could exercise their
bodies while in a stable position, getting stronger to help them heal.
Pilates teaches you to be mindful of your body during movement, this spills over into
everyday activities. The exercises are based upon strengthening the "core" muscles
of the abdomen and lower back. It helps create fluidity and control of your
movements while also increasing muscle strength. Pilates works the smaller muscles
that help stabilize your torso, keeping your back well supported.
There are two components of Pilates, machines and mat work. At Balance we teach
Pilates mat work. In the mat workout it is possible to do much of what you can do
with the machines. Anyone can do Pilates at any age and any fitness level, there is
always a modification to fit your individual needs.
Please read Pulling In The Abdominals below for a better understanding of what we
mean when we suggest pulling in or zipping up your abs during class.
Pulling In the Abdominals
From Marguerite Ogle
How to Use Your Abdominal Muscles for Core Strength and Stability
"Pull in the abs!" - A little phrase that might be called a Pilates chant, yet it is so
misunderstood.
Pulling the abdominals in is fundamental to the Pilates method of exercise. It is a
technique that is promoted in physical therapy settings, in strength training, and to
some degree throughout the fitness world as a means of stabilizing the spine.
Done properly, training the abdominals will create an integrated core of strength that
supports the spine and facilitates stability and freedom of motion throughout the
body. What is it to "pull in the abs" effectively, and how is it different from the
destabilizing "suck in the middle" approach that shows up in many fitness scenarios?
In Pilates, we are looking to create a strong, stable foundation for movement.
We develop this powerhouse for movement by employing the muscles of the pelvic
floor and all of the abdominal muscles, teaching them to work efficiently and in
harmony with the muscles of the back.
Pilates puts a special emphasis on training the deeper abdominal muscles, such as
the transverse abdominus, and the muscles of the pelvic floor. These muscles are
often underdeveloped and not working equally with the oft overworked surface
muscles, such as the famous rectus abdominus (the six pack abs muscle).
Images like "pull your belly button to your spine", or worse, "pretend you got punched
in the stomach" are often used to encourage a deep pull-in of the abs. These
images, while they do convey the look of pulled in abs, can be misleading. They put
the emphasis of the pull-in at the waist and may encourage a destabilizing forward
slump of the upper torso along with a tuck of the pelvis. The inner mechanics of
creating a stable core begin not at the belly button, but with engaging the muscles of
the pelvic floor.
Use the Pelvic Floor
Working the pelvic floor is not just for women or bouncing back from pregnancy. The
engagement of the muscles of the pelvic floor is critical to providing a stable base of
movement for anyone. You feel like you are pulling the pelvic floor up and in toward
the center line. One might also imagine pulling the sit bones together. This is similar
to Kegel exercises. The only real difference is in intensity. In Kegels, one is entirely
focused on the pelvic floor, and the pull up may be more aggressive and sustained
than what you would use for general exercise.
Pull In and Scoop the Abdominals
After the pelvic floor is engaged, the actual pull-in begins just above the pubic bone
and becomes a deep pull-in of the lower abdominals. From there, the pull-in action
progresses upwards to pulling the belly button to the spine, and then the upper
abdominal area. From there, some people find that they can get an extra upward lift
of the abdominals; this is a true scoop of the abs. These moves are not as obviously
sequential as they may sound, but a bottom to top awareness is the best way to
practice engaging the abdominal muscles properly. Note: The pull-in is not just from
front to back, but also from the sides of the trunk.
A Strong Back Works with the Abs
Pulling the abs in is usually done with a neutral spine. That means that the natural
curves of the spine are present and the pull-in does not create a forward flexion of
the upper spine, or a tuck of the pelvis. As the abdominals pull in, it is essential to
maintain both length and breadth in the back as the muscles are challenged to
counter the pull of abdominals. Pilates does use both forward flexion and a flat or
curved (see finding your C-curve) lower back for many exercises in Pilates; but those
are choices that are made for specific exercise intentions beyond the initial pulling in
of the abs. In general, a neutral spine is the strongest position and what we want for
effective everyday movement.
How to Breathe in Abdominal Work
A question that comes up a lot for people who are learning to pull their abdominals in
is, "If I have everything so pulled in, how do I breathe?" The answer is that we usually
use a very small amount of our breathing capacity and tend to focus on the front
body. In Pilates, we allow the breath to fully expand into the sides and down the back
of the body. Doing so provides a lot of breathing room, and helps open and lengthen
the back of the body as well.
When to Pull In the Abdominals
In Pilates and many other exercise systems, the abdominal pull-in can be used quite
intensely as a training tool. The idea is that the muscles will become stronger, and
their interactivity better organized so that everyday movement, or even athletic
movement, is easily supported. The intention is not to imply that the intense pull-in is
an ideal that would be in action all the time. As one develops a stronger core, the
muscles become more toned and ready for action. But there is no need to try to pull
your abs in all day.
Integrating the Abdominal Workout
Pulling in the abdominals is just part of the set up for developing strength and
efficient motion in Pilates. We are always looking at the whole picture wherein the
alignment of all body parts, the full utilization of the breath, and the application of
focused awareness are integral to achieving the full benefits of each exercise.
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| The Difference in Contemporary & Classic Pilates Contemporary Pilates is the newest generation of Pilates using modern science to adapt the original teachings to today’s knowledge. Instructors of the newer methods believe that although the method of Joseph Pilates was ahead of its time, certain changes needed to be made. Here at Balance we focus of teaching Contemporary Pilates. However, there are times when we do refer to Classic Pilates Principles. The primary difference between contemporary and classic methods is the placement of the spine. In classic Pilates, Joseph Pilates used a flat back as the ideal line for the spine while contemporary Pilates uses the neutral spine, with its natural curves, because it is the most shock absorbent position. Contemporary methods also use modifications and variations to the exercise sequence. Recently, Stott Pilates rearranged the original order of their exercises to keep the spine moving in flexion, extension, rotation and lateral flexion earlier. The original work has the spine in flexion for quite some time which, in my opinion can cause more harm than good in many students. |