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Core Strength in Pilates 2022

March 29, 2022 July 8th, 2024

Last Updated on July 8, 2024 by Pilates Power

Core Strength in Pilates – Movement equals Happiness .

‘Pilates is not just exercise it’s a lifestyle that changes the world’

Brent Anderson, founder of Polestar Pilates

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There is so much written and talked about Pilates and why we should do it for all sorts of different reasons. We want to understand it as an activity that you simply attend and we often see it defined as a core based type of exercise combined with flexibility. Thankfully Pilates is so much more than that. 

Having been a Pilates Teacher for over 20 years I have seen the method grow in popularity and throughly enjoyed seeing people begin and develop their own personal journey with Pilates. Pilates is not defined by any type of person who attends, we see people who have injuries, back pain, neurological issues, muscle in-balances and low muscle tone, posture issues, the list goes on and on. Many Pilates people would just like to be stronger and fitter for ‘life’. One of the key elements we know  as Pilates Professionals is that practice makes perfect and you can never be doing enough Pilates on a daily basis to improve your core and balance.

Core Strength in Pilates - Pilates can both alleviate existing physiological problems and prevent future ones by straightening the spine and improving posture.

What do we mean by Core Strength in Pilates?

It is often something we say we want to achieve when we begin Pilates but core strength is not really a goal by itself. It is a concept, an idea, and a theory about biomechanical function. Most of us understand that a weak core can cause back pain and spinal problems, while a strong core helps prevent injury and enables us to do more challenging physical tasks.  As we understand it let’s go from the basis that core strength comes from the strength of the muscles surrounding the spine in the center of the body.

So which muscles are Core Muscles?

 

Many professionals including physical therapists and  Pilates teachers have different views on true core muscles and global trunk muscles. Some it is crucial that only four deep muscles of the trunk represent the core, for others it is six, and others still, it is every muscle surrounding the centre of the body.
If in Pilates we focus on the four deep trunk muscles (diaphragm, transverse abdominus, pelvic floor and multifidus), we would use a different strategy to strengthen them than you would if your idea included more superficial muscles.
We do know that these deep, postural muscles play a role in stabilising the spine. As soon as we add movement of the trunk, we also start exercising the global muscles of the trunk as well. If the core is considered weak, the goal for some would be to strengthen the deep muscles in isolation first.

What It Means to Lack Core Control in certain exercises? 

 

To understand what it means to lack core control, I start from the premise that no one body part is more important than another. For varying reasons like sedentary life habits or medical history, some people lack core control. Core control refers to efficiency and appropriate stability of the trunk during movement.  Motor control is the coordination and stability of efficient movement patterns, facilitated by the nervous system. Both may impact spinal health or abilities. However the reason for this lack of core control is unique to each person. That is why each individual responds so differently to each Pilates exercise they do, and that is the beauty of working through our various modifications to develop strength in our weaker areas but to also continue to work with the rest of our body at the same time.

How to Influence and Improve Core Control

There are so many ways to influence and improve core control.  I truly believe in the interconnectedness of the body. Connective tissue, or fascia, interwebs our muscles, organs and bones from foot to brain. The idea that we should isolate one or few muscles by trying to contract them individually and locally, is an unrealistic long-term approach and according to research, unnatural. Think of Pilates as re-engaging with our natural instincts to learn how to move well. The Pilates apparatus, such as the reformer, trapeze table and combo chair are fantastic tools for this. The machine gives you a unique experience of movement. It gives you subtle resistance and support. It provides feedback while enriching the neurological connections into your muscles. It lets you explore movements in different relations to gravity.
Core strength, is never a one-shoe-fits-all solution. Let’s always start with what we want to achieve, and what we want our body to be able to do. We also think about what do we want to change? Definitely some our own developed ideas of core strength through Pilates might indeed come into these personal goals. Contact me for more information. See directions here.
Emily

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