THE POWER OF A NEUTRAL SPINE AND CORE STRENGTH IN ACTION.
Here the natural forward curve of the lumbar spine/small of the back is maintained without splaying open the front ribs. My Pilates friend and teacher Lenize, says to think of your spine like a car seat (with a lumbar support shape), so when you lean back or forward, it's like hinging the car seat from the base. With the back, this means keeping the head, ribcage, and pelvis in alignment versus the head dropping or slumping in the waist region. Therefore the movement of the spine occurs at the level of the hips where the legs meet the pelvis.
This lean-back move is not as easy as it looks, especially as I took the photo of myself on time delay, which required much running to and fro to get into the position in time! If your back is healthy and stable, this exercise is a great way to build strength. How far can you lean back without straining the back or pouching the stomach outwards; aim to draw into your centre without hollowing;-). How long can you hold the position, then challenge it further by moving the arms out, up, or free range to some music? If you want more of a workout, hold some weights or tinned food and move your arms around while you keep the back motionless in neutral! Maybe you could apply this to unloading the dishwasher or pulling some weeds?
Maintaining the lumbar curve in this way means you are strengthening the core muscles of the spine(multifidus) and the deepest abdominals(transverse abdominis). Similarly, when you align the ribcage with the pelvis, this creates robust support for the other deep stabilizers of the trunk, your breathing muscles of the diaphragm, and the pelvic floor muscles that stabilize your pelvis.
Why is this important? Because organizing the back this way maximizes your ability to handle a load and brings ease to everyday movements.
What about the other abdominal muscles like the classic six-pack? Yes, they curl the body forward and that is useful, but not so much when lifting. I've never had a six-pack except in the fridge;-). Extremely low body fat and intense practice is required. On balance, they are superficial muscles.
Core muscles are deeper and work to stabilize the spine’s integrity. That means being strong to do the activities you both enjoy and need to do in life.
Waiver: The authors have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information herein. No patient should perform any of the suggested exercises without proper instruction from their doctor or qualified health provider. The authors disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects resulting from the suggested exercises, undetected errors, or the readers misunderstanding of this text.
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