Building Core Strength: Pilates Exercises for a Stronger Centre

When we think about fitness and health, the term “core muscles” frequently comes up. But what exactly are the core muscles, and why are they so vital to our overall well-being?

Core strength is the foundation of a healthy body. A strong core improves posture, reduces back pain, and enhances overall physical performance. Pilates is an excellent way to build core strength because it focuses on controlled movements, breathing, and alignment.

Let’s delve into the importance of these muscles and the benefits they provide.

Pilates is often associated with strengthening your core because of its ability to strengthen your centring muscles through low-impact exercises. What we mean by ‘core’ is the group of muscles that help keep your body upright and centre your body. These muscles are vital to keeping us moving with ease.

What actually is your ‘core’?

Your core is made up of a group of muscles that centre your body. They include the:

The erector spinae are a group of muscles that run up the back from the hips. These muscles can adjust your posture, allowing you to bend forward, bend backward, or stand up straight. They also play a role in helping you bend to the side.

The multifidus muscles are a group of thick muscles that run alongside the spine. They keep the spine stable while you move.

You have two types of oblique muscles: internal and external obliques. The outer oblique muscles start midway down your ribcage and stretch to your hips on each side of your body. The internal obliques are nestled underneath them. These abdominal muscles allow you to twist your core and help you bend to the side.

The rectus abdominus muscle is the muscle people are usually referring to when they mention “abs.” This is the muscle that forms a “six-pack” at the front of your core. The rectus abdominis muscle starts midway down your ribs and stretches down the front of your body to your pelvic bone. This muscle allows you to bend forward and curl up. It also helps with breathing and using the bathroom.

The transverse abdominis is a sheet-like muscle that covers the front of the body. It runs from the rib cage down to the pelvis. This is the muscle that allows you to suck your belly button in toward your spine.

What does your core do?

Your core muscles are essential for a variety of vital functions that contribute to your overall health and physical performance. Here are the three primary roles your core muscles play:

Breathing
One of the core muscles' crucial functions is aiding in breathing by generating intra-abdominal pressure.

This process involves the diaphragm, which contracts and flattens during inhalation, increasing the space in the chest cavity and allowing the lungs to expand.

The transverse abdominis and pelvic floor muscles also engage to create a stable base, enhancing the efficiency of this pressure. The pressure created by the core muscles provides natural stability around the spine. This stability is crucial for maintaining proper alignment and reducing the risk of injuries, especially during physical activities. By supporting the spine, the core muscles help distribute forces evenly across the body, protecting the vertebrae and intervertebral discs from excessive stress.

Postural control
Postural control is another critical function of the core muscles. Good posture depends on the balanced activation between the flexor muscles (located on the front of your body) and the extensor muscles (located on the back of your body).

Flexor Muscles: Include the rectus abdominis and internal and external obliques, which help in bending forward and stabilizing the torso.

Extensor Muscles: Include the erector spinae and other muscles along the spine, which assist in extending the back and maintaining an upright posture.

This balance is essential for preventing muscle imbalances, which can lead to poor posture, discomfort, and potential injuries. A strong core ensures that both sets of muscles work together, supporting an aligned and healthy posture.

Pelvic control and Muscle Coordination
The core muscles also play a significant role in controlling the pelvis, which directly impacts how you manage the flexor and extensor muscles. Proper pelvic alignment is essential for efficient movement and stability.

Anterior Pelvic Tilt: When the front of the pelvis drops and the back rises, often due to tight hip flexors and weak abdominal muscles.

Posterior Pelvic Tilt: When the front of the pelvis rises and the back drops, usually due to tight hamstrings and gluteal muscles.

Maintaining neutral pelvic alignment requires the coordinated effort of the core muscles. This alignment is crucial for activities such as walking, running, and lifting, as it ensures that the forces generated by these movements are properly absorbed and distributed, reducing the risk of injury and improving overall performance.

Pilates Exercises for a stronger core:

Pilates has also become strongly linked with the ‘core’ because of its ability to strengthen the centering muscles through exercise and movements, although Joseph Pilates never used the term. He focused on whole body health and complete coordination of body, mind and spirit - for which we need our core!

Here are 3 exercises to give a try that focus on strengthening your core:

Single & Double Leg Lifts

Lie on your back, knees bent with your feet in line with your hips

Breathe out and draw your stomach in towards your spine to engage your core
As you do this, lift one left off the mat towards the ceiling to a table top position where your knee is in line with your hip
Engage your core to stabilise your pelvis, keeping a neutral position
Lower the leg back down with control
Alternate between both legs for 8-12 repetitions
Double Leg Lifts:
Begin in the same starting position
Lift one leg into table top position, lift other leg to join
Lower one leg, then the other
Repeat 8-12 times, alternating the starting leg

2. Ab & Oblique Curl Up

Ab Curl:

Lie on your back, knees bent with your feet in line with your hips
Bring your hands behind your head
Take a breath in through the nose, as you exhale draw the belly button in
Allow the head and shoulders to start to curl and lift off the mat
Breathe out, roll back down to the mat to beginning position
Repeat 8-10 times

Oblique Curl:
Repeat the above, lifting head and shoulders off the mat
In the curl, moving your spine head and chest towards one side focusing on your oblique muscles
Return to centre, exhale and rotate over to the other side
Repeat 8-10 times

3. Cat Paws

Come into a Four Point Kneeling Position.

Take a breath in through the nose
As you breathe out, peel one hand off the floor, allowing the elbow to bend, like a cat paw
Keep your shoulders and pelvis aligned
Repeat 8-10, alternating between both hands

By strengthening your core, you will achieve better distribution of effort across your body allowing you to function better and more efficiently.

Yellow Pilates

At Yellow Pilates, we follow how Joseph Pilates originally intended the method to be. We incorporate exercises that use the help strengthen your core muscles and achieve balance throughout the body.

Why not come and try a mat class of Pilates at our Glasgow City Centre Studio or 1-to-1 session with Yellow Pilates Founder & Expert Instructor Michelle?

Learn more