Your Core Is Not Just Your Abs — Here's What Pilates Actually Trains
What Is Your Core? It May Not Be What You Think
When fitness professionals refer to your 'core' what do they actually mean? Well, it may not be what you think. Many people think of their core as the abdominal muscles or the 6 pack. Something visible but there is also more to our core.
The Core Is More Than Abs
I want you to think of your core as the core of an apple. It has a floor (pelvic floor muscles), it has a front the abs, it has a back the back muscles and it has a ceiling the diaphragm. There are also muscles on the side called the oblique muscles. These muscles all work together to form support for your spine and are your core muscles. So, training just your abs or 6 pack is not helpful.
How Pilates Trains Your True Core
The beauty of Pilates is that it trains these muscles which sometimes are not targeted in a typical gym program but are beneficial to our health and wellness. Pilates works the abdominals while working the back extensors. Ensuring that neither group of muscle is taking up most of the workload. Through the use of breathwork we also work the diaphragm and build that awareness of breath. The pelvic floor muscles responsible for continence, especially as we age, are also worked as they move in tandem with the diaphragm. Strengthening of this system creates a strong core or powerhouse.
Why Have a Strong Core?
A strong core helps you to move without pain. It means that you can enjoy better quality of movement in your everyday activities. Many times, enabling you to perform activities with less pain or dysfunction. With a strong core your posture improves. This is evidenced by that feeling of lengthening through the spine after a matwork or reformer class. Clients usually describe it as feeling taller or lighter after a Pilates session. Almost as though a load they did not know they were carrying was lifted from them. This can be felt after just one session so imagine how you will feel after 10 sessions.
Strong muscles are able to perform the task you require of them with less or no pain. When we stand better and or stronger our bodies require less energy to perform normal daily tasks hence improving our quality of life not just now but as we age.
Core Stability Is Built Into Every Pilates Exercise
Core stability in Pilates is built by many if not all the exercises since Pilates is actually a system of exercises which builds on each other helping you to get stronger as you move through the system in a systematic way.
How Soon Will You Notice a Difference?
The good news is that core strength changes do not take long to notice. Yes in 10 sessions you will feel a difference which is strong. However, before then you will start to notice the changes.
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