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Is Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back? NY Times
Is Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back?
by Lesley Powell
A very interesting article was in the NY Times last week. Core training needs to be 3-dimensional. Just training the abdominals is not enough. Especially with our culture being in so much flexion due to computers, cars, tv and the lack of exercise, people are really weak in their backs.
I just taught a Balanced Body University’s Pilates course this weekend. All the students were active professionals. Most were having trouble with extension in getting to the deep extensors of the back. When the deep extensors do not initiated the movement, the back shortens and for some, cause discomfort.
Another problem with abdominal training, is finding qualities of tone. To get to the deeper transverse abdominals, breath is essential. Once found, it has tremendous lightness. In teaching all clients from beginners to teachers, many are firing and compressing the rectus too strongly for the required action. For instance, the rectus abdominus assists in flexion of the spine in crunches and rollups. Many are unneccessarily firing the rectus with a simple pelvic tilts of the lower spine.
“Abdominals come in many flavors” Doris Pasteleur Hall
Training of the spine in different positions is essential for dynamic stabilization. How you organize your spine lying down is very different from sitting, standing, plank pose. Getting aware of where your spine is in space is important.
This simple exercise can be difficult. Many are firing the rectus which will lower the head down. Some have trouble keeping a head-tail connection. You will see the spine rotate and/or unleveled.
What the NY Times article is not addressing is how the training of the limbs in coordination with the core is important. Awareness of how the body moves is lacking in most training. We have constant pressure by clients of having a stronger workout. Many of these clients lack internal awareness of their bodies and training of deeper stabilizing muscles. Many of the deep stabilizing muscles will never have the feel as a bicep firing to lift a weight.
Learning good form is essential for proper conditioning and balance.
Improving rounded shoulders in your clients
by Lesley Powell
“I am looking for some advice- I have a client coming in with upper cross syndrome due to large breasts and poor posture. Can you talk about what exercises would be beneficial for this client?” Teacher
When trying to improve alignment, you need to observe what is tight and weak. Put yourself into the posture of your client. What joints/body parts feel shorten in space and muscle length? What muscles did you stop using in that posture?
Depending on your client;
- Stretching tight muscles can help the client get to the muscles needed to work.
- Strengthening the weak muscles can help release the tight muscles.
Upper Cross Syndrome is a client with a forward head and round shoulders.
Stretch
- Pec-major and minor. This could be pulling the shoulders forward
- Upper trapezius- Lifting the scapula up
- Levator Scapulae-Lifting the scapula up
- Sternocleidomastoid- Locking the head on the neck
- Scalenes- Pulling the head forward and rounding the back
- Subscapularis- affecting the shouder blades in having round shoulders
- Lats- Short, tight Lats could be rounding the back and bringing the scapula in downward rotation
- Mobility of the spine in all planes especially extension
- Work on mobility of the scapula such as arm circles
Strengthen
- strengthen back extensors of the neck & back
- MIddle & lower traps- helps with shoulder stability and placement
- Anterior serraus- helps with shoulder stability and placement
- Rhomboid- helps with shoulder stability and placement
- Rotator cuff- helps with shoulder stability and placement
- How are legs affecting posture
- Strengthen core especially in relationship to neutral spine and extension
SI Dysfunction
by Lesley Powell
“I have a training question for you. I have a client that has come to me with SI Joint problem. She is seeing a doctor who wants her to get an injection to diagnose it and at this point doesn’t know of any underlying cause for it.
I want to know what movements and exercises will be best for her. Should I work to strengthen the muscles around the SI joint? Also she is a fitness instructor who is pretty flexible & mobile in her joints. Is there anything I can do to bring some sort of stability to her ligaments/joints etc?” BBU Student
I have SI Dysfunction. I primarily got it from my dancing. Especially dancers and gymnasts are prone to this because of movements of extreme range such as splits, arabesques and attitudes can stretch the ligaments of the sacrum.
Lumbopelvic stability is essential and relieving for this condition. I have to work on this all the time. Pre-Pilates, BBU movement principles and/or Bartenieff Fundamentals(tm) are great to address this.
- Pelvic clock. Observe in 6-12 how both sides of the pelvis/sacrum is sequencing evenly on the floor. Sometimes the pelvis is rotated. The pelvic clock can educate your preferences of movement of the pelvis. Put attention to the sides not grounding as well.
- Pelvic floor, transverse abdominal & multifidus training
Thigh lift/toe taps/marching Look how they lift their legs. Many people are not gliding the thigh bone in the hip socket well. This will give the appearance of hip hiking or tightening around the femoral fold. 
Foam roll training is great for this.
It also addresses the stability of the legs. Other ideas on foam rolls- Bridging- getting the legs to do the work. Observe if the hips rise at the same time.
neutral bridging-pelvic shift forward
pelvic shift lateral-typewriter, figure 8’s, bridging with thigh lift - Sometimes mobility exercises such as full short spine are not great for my sacrum.
- Observe how they do foot work and standing. Is their weight on the outside of the foot. Training of the medial lines of the legs are also helpful.
Pregnancy & Pilates
by Lesley Powell, Director of Movements Afoot
Our clients, who did Pilates through their pregnancy, believed it help with a more comfortable pregnancy and the childbirth. The workout should be supportive of the changes that happen to the body in pregnancy. The goals of the workout should not be progressive in making new gains in strengthen, endurance and mobility. A client should have permission from her doctor about her exercise program.
Pregnancy demands a different design of the workout. The following concepts should be intertwined through the workout:
- After 3 months, lying supine is contraindicated for long periods of time.
- It is important that the workout does not push flexibility.
- Stability training is important for the pressures of the growing baby on the spine.
- Do not overheat a pregnant client.
The weight of the growing baby in the supine position puts pressure on vessels that bring the blood supply to the baby. Possible variations for Pilates repertory.
- Footwork on the reformer, one could add a prop to have the clients half sitting (like she is in a lounge chair).
- Use of the long box to do a modified Stomach massage.
- Variations of Chest Expansion, sitting on the box or reformer, to help train the back and arms like in pulling the straps, the hundreds.
Pregnancy produces hormones that bring a new flexibility to a woman. This is preparing her body for childbirth. The pelvis needs to open to allow the head of the baby to pass through. Overstretching can affect the ligaments. This could affect the stability of the body long term. Once ligaments are overstretched, they do not return to the original length. Ligaments are not like muscles. Flexibility will return back to prior condition before the pregnancy. What is helpful is stretching the lower back due to the weight of the baby pulling the pelvis forward.
- Mermaid on the reformer or on the tower.
- Side stretches over the barrel or step barrel are wonderful.
- Cat and camel
Stability training is important. A lot of women have problems with back pain and sciatic pain. The baby puts a lot of pressure on the organs, pelvis, spine and muscles of the the hips. The psoas and the back muscles get tight with the changes in the woman’s body. Remember stability is dynamic. Alignment is changing due to the pregnancy.
- Pelvic floor training is important. It is a route to get to the transverse abdominal training.
- Training the legs to help support the spine.
- Training of the back muscles. Quadruped Exercises are great.
Ideas for training:
- Wunda Chair – leg pumps, side stretch
- Side leg springs
- Physioball
Cancer and my movement practice: Pilates and Poledancing
by Marcy Schafler, a Pilates teacher in New Jersey
In December of 2006, I had a hysterectomy and subsequently found out I had uterine cancer. As I was finishing up my treatment, a routine mammogram unfortunately led to the discovery that I had breast cancer. I went through my training at Movements Afoot to become a teacher two years ago.
Writing about how Pilates and movement have helped through my recovery is not easy. Not because I find it emotional, but because I had to think how it helped me. Then I realized that is because of Pilates that I sailed through my treatments and recovery. The only time I stopped moving was during the 6-week period after my abdominal surgery.
I also began doing pole classes about 6 weeks out from my last abdominal surgery. The pole classes keep me moving and let me feel some sensuality even through operations and treatments which seem to nullify the sexual side of women going through treatments of cancer.
One of the things that I have become perpetually working on now is my flexibility. I have found that with the surgeries causing scar tissue, radiation and menopause the need to stay flexible is what enables me to have strength.
Continually doing some type of movement has helped me with my strength both physically and mentally. And, I thank Lesley, Sue and Doris at Movements Afoot for my support and invaluable knowledge they always share.
Movement for Women after Surgeries of Breast and Torso
by Lesley Powell, Director of Movements Afoot
One of my top teachers, Doris Pasteleur Hall, had gone through many surgeries for her breast cancer. Doris is very articulate about how her body changed and the process of getting back to shape. I had a woman client with similar surgeries, to the breast and abdominals. She kept getting injured with back, hip and foot pain. I learned a lot from Doris’ experience in how to train clients with similar issues.
Scar tissue and the affects of the drugs, chemo and radiation has affects on the body’s movement. I went back to basics, retraining of the pelvic floor, multifidus and abdominals. I also worked on a gentle range of motion, but I didn’t push range. Remember, when a muscles thinks that it is going to be overstretch, it will contract to protect itself. Scar tissues brings a different quality of tone/flexibility.
Also Doris and those women, who work with a massage therapist specializing in scar tissue, made more progress in fitness and relief from discomfort.
BalancedBody Univesity will rock PILATES
by Lesley Powell, Director of Movements Afoot
Why I love Pilates!
Lesley Powell, director of Movements Afoot
I appreciate Pilates more today than 20 years ago. My body is changing with menopause. As a dancer, I was hypermobile. My sacrum goes out of whack and my body compensates for this. Dancers typically overstretch which creates ligament laxity. Once a ligament is stretched, it will not return to its original length. That is why people with sprained ankles are proned to hurting their ankles again.
Hitting my 40’s and perimenopause, my flexibility is changing. One side feels very flexible and the other, very tight. Pilates has given me back the stability my spine needs with working on flexiblity as I strengthen. I feel balance after my Pilates workout.
Some of my other clients have problems when they overstretch without any stability training. Pilates uniquely works on stability/mobility at the same time. For the hypermobile, it creates a foundation. For the tight client, it brings the joints back to a normal range of motion.
I regularly take reformer classes at my studio. It is a beginner/intermediate class taught by Molly Wilson. Even a beginner Pilates Class is a great workout. I feel absolutely great after the class.
I still do a yoga practice. Sometimes the overstretching in a yoga class puts my muscles in spasm. I have learn to bring the Pilates principles of stability in my yoga practice.
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