Ask most people what Pilates is all about and the answer is invariably “your core” or “core stability”. Before you begin the Pilates you learn how to find neutral position and the key core muscles involved in maintaining stability. But what exactly happens?
Throughout history, the importance of contracting the lower abdomen has been noted: this is nothing new – older than Joseph Pilates! In yoga it is referred to as applying the bandha, unifying the combined energy of the inhalation and exhalation. In martial arts and particularly in Tai Chi, drawing the belly back to the spine precedes each movement. Modern research has shown that drawing the navel back to the spine causes a co-contraction of the Transversus Abdominis (TA) and the Multifidus Spinae (MF) (more…)