Skip to main content

The Pelvic Tilt

The pelvic tilt is an important exercise. As a pre/postnatal trainer I teach clients how to do a proper pelvic tilt for core and pelvic floor strengthening,  If you review the headlift in the ab rehab program you will recall that executing a proper pelvic tilt is a prerequisite of the exercise, as shortens the recti at the lowest point.

The pelvic tilt is not achieved with the hips; rather, through the abdominals with a visualization. Remember, this is the foundation of the headlift as it is the first 3 steps of the headlift. Here is how to perform the pelvic tilt in a back lying position:
    1. Expand the belly to 1st floor
    2. Bring JUST the transverse to spine (5th floor). Don’t use pelvis or back to do it
    3. Now HOLD IT THERE as you visualize the belly button zipping up the spine under the ribs. (Spine is zipper and belly button is pull on zipper)
When the pelvic tilt is properly engaged the  lower back will press gently into the floor; again, without assistance from flexion at the hip. Once this can be achieved in a supine position it can then also be performed in a seated position. Add this exercise to your program as a modified Elevator to assist in closing the lowest point of a diastasis.

My experience is that the diastasis closes from the top down. I know that Samantha has at least one client who closed her lowest point of diastasis first, but the closure most often seems to happen from top to bottom. The lower connective tissue which is often the weakest strengthens tremendously in those first weeks of contractions and elevators.

The headlift helps to target lower abdominals with the pelvic tilt and the double splinting. If you are like myself and have the largest separation remaining at the lowest point I recommend adding seated pelvic tilts elevator-style to your program in week 9. So here's how it is executed in the seated position:

PELVIC TILTS ELEVATOR:

Sit tall on a chair or crossed legged on the floor with your back against the wall. 
Do a belly breath by inhaling through the nose and filling your belly up with air. 
Exhale and bring your belly to 5th floor. 
Visualize the belly button zipping up the spine under the ribs. (Spine is zipper and belly button is pull on zipper) 
Hold it there for 30 seconds. Count out loud so you are breathing.
Do 10 little squeezes from from 5th to 6th floor (inner to outer spine)
Finish with a breath


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I don’t have a Diastasis- Why is my abdomen still distended postpartum?

I get asked this question all the time! Here is my answer: Research has shown that 100% of pregnant women will develop some degree of diastasis recti. A diastasis is a lateral separation in the abdominal wall between the recti or “six pack”, due to a stretching of the midline connective tissue or “linea alba”. Although some diastasis will heal postpartum, in many cases a separation will remain without restorative exercise. Distention from DR will present as a doming in the midline. Women who heal a diastasis spontaneously or through restorative exercise may still find that their abdomens are distended, particularly after a meal and/or at the end of the day. If there is no diastasis, why is this? This abdominal distention does not occur in the midline, but rather across the entire abdominal wall. This is due to a weakened hypotonic TVA- transverse abdominis muscle. The TVA is the deepest anterior abdominal muscle, wrapping around the midsection like a girdle, with a left an...
2 comments
Read more

New Website & BodyRock TV Articles

I have been MIA building a website to launch for momentum into 2011. It is part of my "big push" master plan which, according to my wellness approach, applies to every area of my life- from workouts, nutrition, family, business.... I declare 2011 the Year of the Hard Body in every way! I just surfed onto my website dashboard to see that I have over 2000 webpage views, mostly referred from this blog and BodyRock TV ! Amazing! If you wouldn't mind taking a moment to complete my website feedback form when you are there I would greatly appreciate it! Further to, I have emailed with Zuzana from BodyRock about contribuing pre & postnatal information for adapting her workouts. I have written 2 articles "Prenatal BodyRocking" and "Postnatal BodyRocking" which I hope will appear on her website soon! I am gaining momentum heading into 2011! I have a modified raw food 7 day cleanse planned, as well as new fitness goals for myself. 2010 was the Year of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Teaching!

I love teaching. It is one of my passions and I am working towards incorporating more of it into my professional repertoire. As a personal trainer I teach 1-on-1 all day every day. When I present to groups, I reach more people at the same time. Since 2006 I have been giving talks at the Running Room to clinics of all distances. I love educating runners about core, effective cross training, incontinence, and the importance of training smart. Knowing they all want to be uninjured and still running in 10 years, they are a captive audience and I am always very well received. My runners give me great feedback, they love my talks, and the instructors keep inviting me back. I think my genuine enthusiasm comes through, and is a tremendous strength of mine when teaching. In 2014 I designed a Trainer Trainer Workshop to educate other fitness professionals on Diastasis Recti, pelvic floor wellness, and safely training the pre and postnatal demographic. It's a 4 hour presentation that I...
2 comments
Read more