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Pilates Exercise Photos & Instructions - Breathing
& Hollowing
THE HOLLOW & THE BULGE
Purpose
Pilates teaches you how to use the deepest abdominal muscles, the
transverse. This is like a corset. The transverse is the muscle
that will pull the belly contents in. The breath is the best way
to train this muscle. The hollowing is the transverse abdominals
deflating the belly in. Bad version, the bulge, is pushing the abdominal
out. The hollow must initiate in every Pilates exercise first. There
is no pouching the belly out in Pilates.
To start
Lie on the back with your legs bend. The hands are placed one inch
below the navel on both sides.
The Hollowing
- Inhale into the lower back ribs. Use the breath to widen the
back ribs on the floor.
- Count out loud 8 counts the exhale as the belly deflates. Each
count the belly should sink deeper towards the sacrum. This is
the hollow.
- Repeat two more sets
The inhale will be shorter than the exhale in this exercise. Your
goal is to increase the counts and simultaneously hollow the abdominals
deeper with each count.
Practice this hollowing in sitting, on all fours and standing.
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