To Control Your Center of Gravity - Strengthening Core Muscles



By Kate Feinberg Robins

To find your center is to control your center of gravity.

The most literal meaning of "finding your center" in ballet and capoeira is to physically control your center of gravity by developing and using strong core muscles. Many of the pains, imbalances, and physical vulnerabilities that we experience in our everyday lives can be addressed by strengthening our abdominal, back, oblique, and hip muscles.

Lower back pain is what first drew me to Pilates. Many years after I had stopped training ballet professionally, I took a Pilates class and realized that my back pain was due to weak abdominals. I began to practice Pilates daily, which got my core muscles into shape and all but eliminated my back pain. I continued with low-impact Pilates throughout my pregnancy and post-partum, strengthening and rebuilding my core muscles in correct alignment after the bodily trauma of pregnancy and childbirth.

If you'd like guidance in figuring out which of your core muscles you need to strengthen and finding exercises that work for you, check out Find Your Center's online courses and chat with your instructor in the discussion forum.
Location: Redlands, CA, USA

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