Foundations: Maintain Alignment

Quick Intro: Diagonal Press

The atomistic and mechanical view of the muscular system as a series of pulleys and levers is long gone.  It has never been a way that Pilates has looked at the body, rather, this view belongs much more to the fitness and personal training industry.

This view has long been replaced by a way of looking at the body that is more of a global system of interconnections that run throughout the body in “trains” in which muscles are interconnected in lines (trains) by connective tissue called fascia.

What’s it good for? ⁠

🌟 This exercise is a safe way to understand how these muscle “trains” create continuous line throughout the body: this is a diagonal sling (Anterior and Posterior Slings).
🌟 These slings are responsible for helping us to maintain our dynamic alignment in movement.

A quick “how to”…

Diagonal Press

🌟 Lie on your back with both feet on the floor, feeling equal through your feet.  Feel balance through equal weight on both sides of your pelvis
🌟 Engage your abdominals (fingertip abdominals here) and lift one foot off the floor, keeping your spine quiet.
🌟 Reach across your body with the opposite hand and press your hand n the inside of your knee.
🌟 Press your hand into your knee and your knee into your hand.  You will feel a diagonal activation running across the front of your body like a sash.  This is known as the “Anterior Oblique Sling”.
🌟 Now, press your free hand and foot into the floor.  You’ll now feel a diagonal sensation running across your back.  This is known as the “Posterior Oblique Sling”.

Hints & Tips:

🌟 Imagine a sash running across the front and around the back of your body.
🌟 Try to detect if the “sash” is running between the shoulder and hip that are pressing together, or is it running the opposite way?

Any Questions?

Ask away – I love to help!  Click here for the Contact Page 🙂 – or leave a comment at the bottom of the post – see you there…