Flat Abs - How Pilates Helps

Flat Abs - How Pilates Helps
by Paige Mercer

There are a few techniques used in Pilates that can translate into any other exercise
you might be incorporating into your fitness program at the moment. These are easy
to try out. The first is proper spinal alignment.

Proper spinal alignment is key to any exercise. If you lay on the floor, you will notice
this alignment right away. The base of your tailbone sinks squarely into the floor.
Moving up the spine, the lower back sits just off the mat in a slight curve. Further up
the spine, the shoulders sink squarely into the floor. Then the neck comes off the
floor, and the head rests heavily upon the mat. These are the natural curves of the
spine.

By keeping the natural curves of the spine while you exercise, you are protecting
your back as you work while improving your balance. It also helps to prevent jarring
of the joints.

The other concept that is commonly used in Pilates is the teacup method. Different
practitioners call it by different names, but the technique is still the same. Lying on
your back with your feet on the floor, sense the natural curves of your spine. Take
your hands and meet the tips of the thumbs and forefingers together creating a
triangle. Keep all of the other fingers side by side.

You are going to take your triangle onto your lower abdominals. The fingers should
line up nicely with the angle of your legs. The area in your triangle is your center. You
should always strive to keep that area level as you exercise. The image that is
commonly used is imagining balancing a teacup in the center of your triangle. The
muscles should not protrude or sink in. It should stay level. One way to train your
body to do this automatically when you exercise is to practice a little bit each day
with the Pilates Bridge.

The Pilates Bridge is very similar to the Yoga Bridge. There are, however, a few
exceptions. You start in the same position that you tested your teacup method. On
the exhale you lift your tailbone off the mat just as high as is comfortable with your
knees and legs zipped together. On the inhale, you release back done one vertebrae
at a time. Repeat this as many times as you like. Make sure that you NEVER turn
your head in Bridge pose as this can cause injury to the neck.

After you gain some comfort with this pose, you can leave your hands on your
abdomen to keep monitoring your teacup. This method will help you to train the
muscles to stay where they are needed to protect the back as you exercise along
teaching that naughty tummy where it needs to be.

About The Author

Paige has a busy life like all of us, but she makes time for fitness. She looks forward
to crawling into her to recuperate each night. She enjoys nature,
reading and the comfort of her after a long day.

Everyone wants the ideal stomach,
the flat smooth abdominals that
models sport in magazine ads that
drive the rest of us to thoughts of
"no one is that perfect." Secretly, we
want that. We want to look like that.
But how do we accomplish such a
daunting task?

The answer is Pilates. The main focus
of Pilates is the core. Your core
consists of your lower back muscles,
the four layers of your abdominals,
and the pelvic floor. Isn't that
convenient? Just the area you
wanted to work on.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The content on
this website is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician before using natural
remedies and before making any drastic changes to your diet or exercise program.