Centering & The Pelvic Floor Muscle
Centering & The Pelvic Floor Muscle
By Sara Stafford for The Pilates Hut
A step-by-step breakdown of one of the fundamental principles of pilates to improve your technique and get the most from your in-class and at-home practice.
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WHAT?
Centering or activating ‘the powerhouse’ (as Joseph Pilates called it) is all about finding core stability; support from within. It is an essential aspect of pilates methodology. Centering takes time to master but it’s worth the effort; most movement in pilates originates here.
The pelvic floor muscle (PFM) is one of the key muscles involved in centering (the others are the deep abdominals and the shoulder girdle). It is a layer of muscle which connects the pubis bone to the tail bone and sitting bones, supporting the pelvic organs; think of it as a hammock.
WHY?
By learning to isolate and contract our pelvic floor muscle we connect the muscles of the pelvis with the transverse abdominals. Understanding this feeling is central to pilates. The goal is to maintain our connection at 20% throughout our movements, challenging and strengthening the powerhouse further. Without this connection queued and connected we are just attending a movement class.
HOW?
To learn how to activate the connection outlined above, try this exercise:
Start by lying on your back with your spine in neutral (you could also try standing or sitting) and placing your fingertips just inside of your hip bones. Press firmly enough that you will feel the muscles when they contract.
Ladies, imagine that your vagina is a clock face: pubis 12 o’clock; tailbone 6 o’clock; the lateral walls at 3 and 9. Concentrate on drawing the 12 towards the 6 and the 6 towards the 12, and then gently lift, bringing the 3 and 9 to the centre.
It might also be helpful to think of drawing the 12, 6, 3 and 9 together like a drawstring bag, pulling the entire pelvic floor in and up.
Gentlemen, you should visualise gently drawing your testicles up and forward into your abdomen; ‘bring the boys home’.
Maintain your pilates breathing throughout. When we add movement, breathe out on the effort; this is where the connection is strongest.
In this position, try to focus on the PFM. If you feel your butt muscles activate or any movement in your legs, spine or pelvis you are not isolating the correct muscle.
Be aware of your body; can you notice the very gentle, deep tension you are creating within your abdomen? It may be hard to feel at first but - with time - it will get stronger.
WHEN?
An excellent move for practising your 20% connection is the hip twist:
Sitting with both feet on the floor and your weight supported on your forearms, raise one knee at a time to tabletop. From here you can either keep your knees bent or straighten your legs. Tilt your pelvis as you activate your PFM connection. Now, circle your legs in either direction focusing on keeping your connection at 20% and minimising movement in the abdominals and spine. This move is excellent for core and oblique work.
Eventually you’ll have enough strength to use more advanced classic positions, like the teaser, to practise your 20%. We’ve been working on this tricky little move in classes since the New Year. About half of us can do a full teaser now... and the rest are getting there, one connection at a time!
