The core muscles, which include the transverse abdominal muscle, the multifidus and the pelvic floor, support postural alignment and enhance balance. All Pilates exercises should engage the deep core musculature when performed correctly. In fact, while Joseph Pilates referred to the deeper abdominal muscles as the "powerhouse," he was actually describing what instructors now call core muscle activation. Core muscle activity is vey important in exercises that require a stable, aligned spine.
Leg Pull Series
Core muscle activation is crucial to the leg pull series, which also works your chest and back muscles. A disengaged core causes spinal misalignment and redistributes your body weight, resulting in excess pressure on your wrists or shoulders. Since there is no spinal movement during the leg pull series, the core muscles function as postural stabilizers.
Begin with the leg pull front. Assume a raised push-up position, with your hands on the mat and your arms and legs extended. Engage your core muscles to stabilize your back. Inhale to prepare. Exhale, draw your belly toward your spine, and lift your right leg a few inches from the floor. Inhale to return. Repeat with your left leg. Perform eight repetitions, or four lifts on each leg.
Rest your wrists, and then perform the leg pull back. Sit with your legs extended straight out in front of you. Place your hands on the mat, fingers pointing toward your hips. Lift your pelvis from the mat, forming a straight line with your body from your shoulders to your feet. Lift your right leg a few inches off of the floor, hold for a breathe and return to the start position. Repeat lift with the left leg. Perform eight repetitions.
Rolling Workouts
The Pilates rolling exercises recruit your core muscles for balance. Begin with the rolling ball exercise. Sit in an upright position with your knees bent, toes on the floor and your lower back rounded into a C-curve. Engage your core, lift your feet and balance on your sit bones, which are the bones in your buttocks. Inhale to prepare. Exhale and roll back until your shoulder blades touch the floor. Keep your head and neck lifted as you roll. Inhale to pause. Exhale and roll back up, stabilizing your body by balancing on your sit bones. Perform four repetitions.
Sit with the soles of your feet together, knees bent and heels lifted. Hold each ankle with your corresponding hand. Roll back to your shoulder blades, keeping your head and neck lifted. Roll back up. Balance on your sit bones and clap your heels together three times. Repeat exercise four times.
Leg Lifts
Any Pilates exercise when both legs are lifted from the floor and the neck is in an unsupported position requires deeper core engagement than those performed with one or both feet on the floor. The single leg stretch and the hundred are examples. The deeper core muscles stabilize your spine and help you keep it pressed into the floor as you perform these exercises. Keep your legs at a higher angle if your back arches.
For the hundred, lie face up with your legs lifted and extended. Lift your head from the mat and extend your arms by your side, palms facing the floor. Pump your arms as if you are pressing down on heavy springs. Remember to keep your head elevated as you perform this motion. Breathe in for five counts and out for five counts. Repeat the sequence 10 times.
Rest your neck before performing the single leg stretch. Extend your legs and lift them from the floor. Inhale to prepare. Exhale, engage your core and lift your head and shoulders from the mat. Take a small breath in and then exhale. Bend your right knee and use both hands to pull your knee closer to your chest. Inhale in the transition. Keep your head lifted as you repeat with the left leg. Since this exercise requires fast transitions, avoid taking long, deep breaths. Perform 16 repetitions, or eight leg stretches to each side.
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