Most people think of core muscles as the abdominal muscles but your core consists of the muscles of your trunk from the shoulders to the base of the spine. The core provides stability for your trunk both in static situations and during movement. When you sit or stand, your core muscles are working to keep you upright.
There are four layers of abdominal muscles that mobilize the trunk during flexion, extension, side bending and rotation. The deepest layer, the transverses abdominis runs horizontally around the body sort of like a girdle. Its job is to stabilize the spine and prevent it from overworking. When the transversus abdominis is engaged, it provides deep stability to the lower back.
The spine has natural curves that are S shaped. Sometimes our movement habits cause these curves to become exaggerated, for example when you slump. The muscles around the spine need to be in balance, like the rigging on the mast of a ship. Pilates aims to bring these muscles into a better equilibrium.
To learn to engage the transversus, the simplest method is hollowing the lower abdomen while lying on your back with your knees bent and feet standing. On the exhale, focus on pulling your tummy in and bringing your navel to your spine. (Imagine trying to close the zipper on a pair of tight trousers!) This type of contraction is used for stability. Once you can do this you can try the same thing on all fours in cat stance. When retracting the abdomen, no movement in spine should occur.
Gradually you’ll add other movements to challenge the core. By strengthening your core, you’ll be able to engage it in any situation and provide dynamic stability for all your movements.
September, 2023