PART 1
Just as any word can be broken down into letters, all the exercises in
Pilates can be broken down into parts. The Pilates dictionary is my way of facilitating the learning process and demystifying even the most complicated Pilates exercises. Almost all the advanced exercises are made up of basic movements that are repeated over and over again in the repertoire.
Digging into the abdomen
The image given is as follows: Deepen the abdomen so that the navel touches the vertebral column. Let the navel descend towards the vertebral column. This is a phrase that I have repeated a million times throughout my sessions. It is the first indication in Pilates, which is repeated throughout the session and the most characteristic of the Pilates Method.
From an anatomical point of view, what we need to do is to activate the deepest abdominal muscles (especially the transverse) whose function is to support the internal organs which, when contracted, reduce the contour of the abdominal wall.
We have 4 layers of abdominal muscles: The deepest is called the transversus abdominis. The second and third layers are called the internal and external obliques. The most superficial layer is the rest of the abdomen.
Digging in the abdomen or the image of "bringing the navel towards the spine" allows you to work on the 3 deepest layers, which compress the abdominal wall and help to support the back.
We need to dig into the abdomen when we perform all the exercises in order to get the most accurate results possible.
Unwinding/Wrapping the spine - Articulating the spines one by one
Articulating the vertebrae one by one is the final phase of many Pilates exercises.
Unrolled and rolled up, the spine teaches us to articulate, both when sitting and standing.
The process of articulating the spine vertebra by vertebra is initiated from the coccyx to the head.
Generally it starts with the spine in a "C" shape, articulating the vertebrae one by one, the head aligned with the spine.
