There is a huge focus on abdominal strength in Pilates. Old news, I know. But Pilates is also known for its positive effect on posture.

“Draw your ribs down and together” or “keep your suspenders on” are two of the most used cues for core connection.

“Spread your...

In previous posts, I discussed the breathing pattern in Footwork, and I explained how your breath moves the spine.

Today we’ll discuss the best way to get you(r student) to maintain a neutral lumbar curve and stable lumbo-pelvic region during the bending and straightening of the legs.

First...

As we move throughout our daily life, we need to be able to safely move the spine in all directions. In the Programming & Sequencing chapter of the Pilates Encyclopedia, you’ll find a list of exercises that move the lumbar spine into flexion.

The biggest benefit of lumbar flexion...

For one or two of my students, Tower is the single best exercise to release tension from their backs. But what to do if they don’t have a Trapeze Table at home, or can’t make it to the studio every single day?

The best alternative that I’ve come up (so far) is Bridging with Feet...

I can’t keep count of how often people mention “Plank” when talking about building core strength. It’s the first exercise that comes to mind. Yes, Plank, or Front Control, as we Pilates snobs professionals like to call it, is a decent exercise with lots of benefits, but...

Magazine or news articles about health and fitness are not usually written by experts. A journalist interprets an expert’s paper maybe, or they interview an expert. Still, the final article is filtered through the knowledge of the interpreter.

I’ve read many an article that puts the...

Pulling your navel in will encourage your lumbar spine to flex and your pelvis to tilt posteriorly (tuck). This means if you want to challenge the transversus abdominis, which works in a neutral spine position, but not a flexed spine, then “navel to spine” is not an appropriate cue.

When trying to correct a kyphotic posture you have probably learned to use extension exercises. It sounds logical: since the spine is bending forward, strengthening the spinal extensor muscles by bending the spine backward will help it return to normal/neutral, right?

Well, when working on...

The inhalation naturally extends (arches) the spine. The exhalation naturally flexes (rounds) the spine. You can use the breath to either use this natural tendency to help you perform a desired movement better or prevent an unwanted movement. Here are two examples of how the breath can be used to...

The Pilates method lives in the details. We can get caught up in all of the many tiny adjustments. So when I come across a shortcut to fix someone’s alignment without saying much I frolic.

The three-point-contact is one of those shortcuts. Neutral spine is a term that has been obsessing...