Core Exercises

PILATES CORE EXERCISES

PREP CORE ACTIVATION EXERCISES - Maintain pelvic stability throughout these exercises (avoid any motion in the pelvis) Pam Johnson - Isometric Core Activation

Diaphragmatic Parachute Breathing

Inhale: allow belly to relax and rise, and expand the ribcage

Exhale: abdominal wall drops toward spine, waistline narrows, maintain neutral lumbar spine

Knees Open and Close

Inhale: Open your knees and allow your belly to rise

Exhale: Initiate closing the knees with abdominal activation, TA flattens and widens

Single Leg Levitation

Exhale: Abdominals activate, TA flattens and widens

Bring 1 leg to tabletop (hips and knees bent with shins parallel to the floor)

Inhale: Place foot back down on the floor

Alternate leg

Dead bug

Exhale: Abdominals activate, TA flattens and widens

Bring 1 leg to tabletop and lift opposite arm (same as single leg levitation, but adding the arm)

Inhale: Place the arm and leg back down on the floor

Alternate side

MORE ADVANCED CORE ACTIVATION EXERCISES

The 100’s

Start position:

Feet on floor (knees bent) or Legs in table top (hips and knees bent with shins parallel to the floor

Arms extended down by sides, reaching finger tips toward heels

Exhale: abdominals activate, TA flattens and widens, and curl your head and shoulders off the floor (Option: You can also leave the upper body lying down)

Hold the position, sniff breath 5x (through the nose), shoosh breath 5x (through the mouth). Pump the arms in small movements downward with each breath (5x with the sniff, 5x with the shoosh)

Repeat 10x

Single Leg Stretch

Lying down, one knee into your chest, both hands holding the one knee, with the other leg extended away from the body at a distance that allows for maintaining neutral pelvis (Keep your low back into the floor)

You can curl your upper body up the entire time or keep the upper body resting on the mat

Exhale each time your switch knees and hands (With each exhale, abdominals activate, TA flattens and widens)

Alternate sides

Emphasize abdominal activation and stability without shoulder/cervical tension

Pilates Abs... What is at the Core? - Article Written by Pam Johnson

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