Finding My Core
If you have taken a Pilates class, watched a Pilates video, or even tried a variety of other exercises, you will often hear the phrase “Engage your core.” I believe often times the things we hear over and over again we tend to tune out, unfortunately. If we have heard it 15 times before and didn't get the concept then, we certainly aren’t getting it now!
So let’s take a step back and find that core! It is particularly important during mat work … and also in my opinion a little tricker to find. I’ll confess in my first mat class - I was able to do most of the class not using my core. My arms and legs were on point going in the right direction but my abs were puffed out and I certainly wasn’t breathing. That is the tricky thing about Pilates … you may think you are doing it correctly, it may even look correct from across the room, but you may be missing the most important part - the core work.
How do we find the core and integrate it?? Let’s start with breathing. Place your hands on your belly button. Take a big inhale anyway you like. Exhale - I prefer an audible exhale - making a ‘shh’ sound as if trying to blow a candle out across the room. Did you notice while making the shh sound and exhaling fully your navel pulled in and your tummy tightened up and in a bit? Voila! You found your core! Now repeat this with a small inhale and ordinary exhale. No core. While you are practicing Pilates whether on the mat or equipment we want that tummy pulling in expelling the air feeling. We want that core engagement. Just by breathing properly you are using your core and taking your Pilates work to the next level.
I often tell my students the two most important things to focus on in class are:
Am I breathing?
What’s my core doing?
So let’s look at number two now. What is my core doing when I do an exercise or movement? Is it engaged and by that I mean are the muscles contracted or flat and pulled up and in? Or is my belly puffing up? Often times when we attempt to do an exercise that we aren’t quite ready for or strong enough for we over reach. In those instances our belly bulges and our back takes the brunt of the work. That’s no good. Or to quote Governor Andy Beshear, “We can’t be doing that!” The goal in a Pilates class is to have that core engaged throughout each of the exercises. That may mean modifying where you place your legs or if you use a c-curve or not. The only way to improve is to build a base first. Don’t try to jump ahead to the advance work if your core is not strong enough yet - you will only hurt your back!
Certain exercises lend themselves well to paying attention to the core - like the series of five abdominal work. Other exercises like side lying leg work require more focus. As you are lying on your side lifting a leg - what is your core doing … is it sliding down to the floor or pulled up and in? I hope it’s engaged because an engaged core helps you to better perform the exercise and hold your body in place! Remember - in the work we do we generally have a moving working part of the body - the legs in this case and a non-moving stabilizing part of the body - the core in this case.
I would argue any athletic pursuit you do will improve with some level of core involvement. While you may not run and do the Pilates breath or cycle and make the shh sound - using your core to support your moving limbs will help!
Next time you try a mat class, I encourage you to focus on the core even more than you normally do! Worry a little less about pointed toes and concentrate on core engagement. When you can engage that core like clockwork we’ll work on pointed toes!