Herniabible Pilates Exercises: Neutral Position

Herniabible Pilates Exercises

1. Neutral Position

Neutral - correct

Lie on your back with your knees up. Practise pressing the small of your back into the floor, then practise arching your back a little. Now find a neutral position somewhere between the two. Your hipbone and pubic bone should be level so that you can imagine balancing a cup of tea on your tummy without it spilling. There should be a small gap under your back.
Now practise lateral thoracic breathing. This is done as follows: keeping your imaginary cup of tea in place, breathe in with your hands on your rib cage, and feel your ribs move up and out. Now exhale, pulling your ribs together and your tummy down. Keep your bottom and the front of your hips relaxed. This breathing engages your transverse abdominal muscles, also known as your core muscles.
Your transverse abdominal muscles are very important for preventing hernias. To feel these muscles work, tuck your fingers inside your hip-bone and cough (maintaining the neutral position). You will feel the muscles contract. Your transverse abdominals also contract automatically when you pull up your pelvic floor, for example when you want to stop yourself from urinating.

Wrong: back too flat

Wrong: back too hollow