Foundations: Deep Abdominal Activation
Quick Intro: Michelle Larsson’s “The Pregnant Cat”
This exercise can help you to connect to your abdominal muscles. It’s a safe exercise to get stronger before starting more challenging exercises!
Notice the sensations and connections as you pull in your abdominals and become familiar with the as these sensations will help you in later exercises.
Imagine you are a pregnant cat pulling up your kittens on the exhale. Try to separate your your soft bits from your bony bits: don’t allow your spine to move as you exhale and pull in your abdominals.
What’s it good for?
🌟 Becoming aware of how our abdominals react in different positions in relation to gravity.
🌟 Strengthens very weak abdominal muscles in a very safe way.
🌟 Teaches us to separate abdominal activation from bending our spine – we’re learning “precision” and “control” which are two Principles of Pilates.
🌟 Not an intention of the exercise, but it helps increase mobility and strengthen our wrists.
A quick “how to”…
🌟 In a kneeling position, bring your wrists directly under your shoulders and knees directly under your pelvis.
🌟 Place your fingertips on the two bony prominences at the back of your pelvis near the top center.
🌟 Place the palms of your hands along the two ridges of muscle that go up and down each side of your spine.
🌟 Pull in your abdominals (to help maintain alignment).
🌟 Hinge forward from your ankles and feel those little muscles turn on and off as they stabilise your spine!
🌟 Don’t fall forward on your face! Press your toes into the mat to support yourself!
Hints & Tips:
🌟 It’s subtle, so if you don’t feel the movement first time, don’t despair and don’t belabour it, but do keep on trying on subsequent days and it will happen!
🌟 Pull in your abdominals to help stop any bending of the hips.
🌟 Focus on hinging at the ankles only…
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…
