This week we spoke with Jenny Martin, former pro snowboarder, dance studio owner, and current pilates master.
@jbirdpilates strengthening her core. Jenny offers virtual classes via Zoom 3-4 times a week. Visit her IG page for the schedule.
What is the core?
Our core is the entire midline of our body, from the top of your head down the center of your body, reaching all the way to the floor. It include the glutes, front and back abdominals and side body muscles. Pilates practice is focused on drawing in and squeezing that midline.
Why is core health so important?
The core muscles protect the organs underneath. After babies or weight gain, the muscles stretch and fall forward. This can leave the body vulnerable. To combat this, pilates aims to develop a mind/body awareness. For example, just by tucking your pelvis and squeezing your tummy in, you can start to strengthen the small, supportive muscles of the core. This strength can help reduce lower back pain and provide more mobility to the spine. Also, we are a forward focused culture, which compresses our ribs, and makes a nice, deep breath difficult.. By doing pilates, and working on lengthening the body, we start to re-align and stand taller. It develops a mind/body awareness that you can carry throughout your day.
What 4 exercises to you recommend to target the bikini zone?
Exercise 1 : Plank w/ leg extension. Click the image to see the full movement.
Exercise 2: Criss Cross Crunches. Click the image to see the full range of the movement
Exercise 3: Corkscrew for abs and obliques. Click the image to see the full range of movement.
Exercise 4: Last but not least, Boat Crunches. Click the image to see the full range of the movement.
For our pregnant, pre-post, and post-partum mamas out there, what can they do to prevent Diastasis recti?
During pregnancy, your belly and pelvis tilt forward. As the pregnancy progresses, and the center of gravity changes, a woman must get used to her new shape. During this time, a woman can build her strength up in the core body and pelvic floor, which can help to have a smoother delivery. Strengthening while growing will also pave the way for smoother recovery.
In addition, during pregnancy the abdominal muscles stretch and can separate. This leaves the body vulnerable. So strengthening the core as the pregnancy progresses is quite important. Learning how to draw those muscles back together will help protect the core. Little subtle movements can do this. You can recover and gain mobility back, and live pain free. These tiny movements help to rebuild the body.
Want to learn more about Jenny? Want to try a group Zoom class or private lesson? Visit her IG page here.
Watch our full IGTV conversation on the importance of core strength here.
Want to take a deep dive into the difficulty of picking out a swimsuit? Want to learn to practice self love? Join us for a virtual discussion about these topics on 7/15 at 7 pm EST.
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