Understanding Your Powerhouse

Hello, everyone. My name is Aluchosa. Welcome today. What I would like to talk to you about is the powerhouse. What is the powerhouse? And also I want to share some exercises with you that you can activate your whole powerhouse. But before we do that I want to make sure that we start on the right track meaning we we start thinking the same way.

So What is classical Pilates? Well, the way I see it or the way I understand classical Pilates, it's a Functional resistance training program, which is guided by the breath and the emphasis is on the articulation of the spine. Why is it functional? Well, the idea is that through Pilates, you want to learn how to move as efficiently as possible. Now Why is it a resistance training program? Just like any other resistance training program, you add overload to the body. Through springs, magic circles, your own body weights, or also small dumbbells. Joseph Pilates emphasized the importance of breath and how we were supposed to move through space, you know, and with our breath, which means, you know, in the effort, we usually inhale.

And on the release, we excel. Now articulation of the spot is such an important part of the classical Pilates practice. Because the idea is planes of action, planes of movement. So now that we've established what Pilates is, let's talk about powerhouse. What is the powerhouse?

Well, the powerhouse Some people can refer to it as the core as your ab abdominal muscles. There's various interpretations of the powerhouse personally for myself What the powerhouse is, is all the stabilizer muscles of the trunk and the muscles that connect the limbs to the center. There's intrinsic muscles, stabilizer muscles that are along the spine. And I'm sure some of you guys have heard of Motifidite, which is one of the many intrins, intrinsic muscles. Now we have the extrinsic muscles, which these are the bigger muscles that basically connect the head, the ribcage, the pelvis, to the spine.

So we're we're gonna Talk about this, and we're gonna break it down. Right? I like to break down my powerhouse in three sections. The upper powerhouse, the middle powerhouse, and then we have the lower powerhouse. So Let's talk from the ground up.

What is the lower powerhouse? Well, the lower powerhouse is obviously the muscles that connect the legs, the pelvis to the spine. So let's start with the adductors. Adductors are these muscles that are in between the legs. Then we have the hamstrings behind the legs, these muscles right here. Right.

And then we have the outward rotators and the bottom fibers of the gluteus maximus. So this muscle, this part of the fibers, and also the very deep rotators of the hip. We have the pelvic floor. And last, but not least, we have the SOWAS. So I'm gonna give you a few exercises to activate those that lower powerhouse.

So when you do a teaser or an up stretch or many of the closing exercises on the Cadillac, those muscles activate. It is very important, especially when you do a teaser or a lot of the mat exercises that you have that lower powerhouse connection. Now, let's go to the middle powerhouse. What is the middle powerhouse? Most of us, yes, the first thing we think of is the 6 pack. Yes. The erectus.

Then there's we all talk about the transfers of dominance, right, the obliques, external, like, and internal obliques, the QL, which is, you know, sometimes we forget that that they're they're that those muscles are very important for stability. Also, we have the erectors, the muscles that go along the spine all the way up to your neck, to your head, the connecting to your head. And, That's pretty much your middle powerhouse. The upper powerhouse, which I think is the key to many of the reformer exercises, especially when you're using your upper body. That those muscles are. Let's start from outward in because I think we forget how important the lateral rotators of the shoulders are.

So we have the outward rotators of this of the shoulder. Then we have your serratus anterior, which it is such an important part of your practice Those muscles are so important in your practice because they are what connects the arms directly. Think of that as like the deepest muscle of your arm or your shoulder complex, if you will. Yeah. So these muscles are important. Unfortunately, a lot of times in the classical system, we cue the shoulders either to retract or drop down. When you do something like that, it sort of negates those muscles.

It sort of turns those muscles off. So, therefore, a lot of times, it's hard to connect with the upper powerhouse. Now, last but not least, is your diaphragm. And since we already talked about how important breath is in your polytics practice, the diaphragm comes into play when you're moving. I like to add also the muscles between the rib cage because also those not only assist you on breath, but also help you articulate and do trunk flexion exercises. So now that we've cleared that up, why don't we start by working the lower powerhouse?

So let's talk about the lower powerhouse. What I how I like to exercise the lower powerhouse or how I like to connect with a lower powerhouse is through my favorite little piece of apparatus that is it looks so insignificant, but yet so power powerful. So The toe exerciser, it's something that I always use, especially for a beginner student. Because as I said earlier, external resistance will make an adaptation in your muscular structure. So it's it's important to overload the body so you can make a change so you can transform the body.

So you can you know, have the muscles work against something. Ideas are great. Intellectual ideas are great. But I think the physicality because after all, it is a resistance training program. Physicality is the key to changing a body.

So or transforming a body. Let's that's more specific. So let's talk about how we are going to connect with a lower powerhouse. Remember, we talked about what the lower powerhouse, which was in earth ties, hamstrings, rotators at the hips, bottom pockets of the glutes, pelvic floor, and the psoas. So the psoas is a very cool muscle. It's almost like the the I like to compare it to the serratus anterior those muscles are also a very deep muscles that connect the body to the center. So Having said that, the first thing I like to do is place the feet sort of in a natural position. Now sometimes you know, depending on the level of the student. Yes.

You might need a lift. So if the body is too tight, the exercise can adapt to the body. Obviously, our goal is to be able to sit on the floor in a ninety degree angle. But because sometimes you have to work with a specific body, not everybody is as specs as flexible as is we plan or or or as we plan the lesson. So we have to adapt accordingly. I like to use a chair, a box, sometimes the edge of the reformer, depending on the flexibility.

I might also use the edge of the catalog. So the legs are really 25 degrees, you know, from a neutral position, and that's still going to activate the outward rotators of the hip. So having said that, the first thing I queued is rotating the leg from the hip and I don't make a big deal about it at first. I just allow them to just experience the movement. Right? And the queuing is make sure you rotate from the hip bone. So it's like a lock and a key.

The lock is your pelvis and the key is your leg bone. So that leg bone turns outward. Yes. Laterally outward. Right. So just that, again, making sure that the foot is aligned with the ankle, with the knee, and the hips. So it just becomes one structure moving as one unit, right?

6 to 8 repetitions, then I go to the other side. And again, it's just I'm allowing the body to experience the movement. I don't wanna give them so much information that they are sober, woman. They don't know how to process. So just move. I think it's movement is so important.

Now as you can see, my left, my my right foot is doing its own thing. Ideally, you wanna make sure that your toes are sort of elevating, floating up into the air as you do the exercise. Yep. So once they understand that mechanic, then I activate both legs at the same time. And again, I don't ask. I don't I I try them I tried for the student to start activating their own personal experience.

Once they understand the movement, once they understand the mechanics, then I start queuing them, bring the inner thighs outward. Or wrap the glutes outward and guess what? Just out of nowhere the lower power house starts activating the the soas you start feeling. And all of a sudden, you have this wrap, which it's a queue we use constantly in the classical system, in the classical Pilates system. So That is my first exercise.

Now there could be some overdeveloped hip flexors. So I might start the body in this position because that right away is going to activate that whole back line in the body. And turn off the front part of the body. And it's the same choreography. Yes. And again, I allow the body to find its way.

Yes. Allow the body to experience the movement. And then once, you know, you see that they understand the mechanics, then you can step in and start queuing. Yeah. The same thing. You do the same thing on the other side.

And always make sure that the either they don't sickle, right, or they let the your their feet sort of just go anywhere. You want to make sure that you hit you keep a consistent line happening as they rotate out. And why is this so important? Because once you have that connection, you can queue your student to activate that rep. So when they have to lift those legs up, it's no longer in the hip flexes. Now you have your inner thighs, your hamstrings, your glutes, your lower pelvic, your pelvic for, and the psoas.

Great. Now let's move on. Now we're going to move to the upper powerhouse. So This is another you know what? Who am I kidding? I love every single apparatus in this studio, but definitely I I also like to use this piece of equipment to introduce the upper powerhouse. This is referred to as the baby chair, the armchair.

And again, it is an amazing piece of equipment, and I really suggest everyone to have one of these in their studio. So let's talk about the upper powerhouse, right? We talked about the lateral rotators of the shoulder, the serrated anterior, the the diaphragm and as well as your inter custom muscles, the muscles between the rib cage that help you with your breathing. I like to start in a boxing position. And the first thing we want to do, we want to work on the outward rotation of the shoulder so we can activate the lateral rotors.

Very similar to the way we were working the legs or the hips. So first, we extend out arms shoulder width apart, then from the shoulders, just like the key visual that I gave you earlier, Now this time, the lock is your scapula, and the key is your arm bone. You're humorous from that from that idea, from that concept, I want you to think of turning the lock outward. Yes. Laterally. So you connect with your the outward rotators of the shoulder. Once you have that, ask the student to keep that connection, and then from the elbows and wrist, turn the palms down and you return back into the boxing position.

Let's do that again. You extend out you asked the student to turn the lock, turn the key on the lock. Yes. So right there, I'm really feeling my shoulder rotators working. Now let me roll up the sleeves so you guys can really see this connection.

Because it's such an important part of our practice. We need that, especially when we have to do, elephant up stretch, long stretch. Those muscles are essential. From this position, once I have that outward rotation of the shoulders, then we start activating the ceratus anterior. Remember, the ceratus anterior is referred to as the boxing muscle.

So anytime that we bring the arms forward, you wanna bring the scapulas with you to create stronger powerful actions. So we do that. We ask the student to protract and retract. The idea is that you want to make sure that the back of the neck and the spine are in alignment with the chair. Once they understand that movement, then you can add the articulation of the spine. And right there, right away, the student is gonna connect to what, to the middle powerhouse You don't even have to say anything. And of course, you're also activating the little muscles along the spine. Which are so important in our everyday action.

So here we go. We press those arms forward. Then we activate the lateral rotators by turning the key. Once we have that connection, then we brace the scapulas to the front of the body. And with the exhale, we activate that diaphragm and push the arms forwards. So the scapulas wrap from underneath the armpits, not from the traps.

And you bring the abdominals into the chair to connect with the middle powerhouse. Not only is that so important to find the powerhouse altogether, but also it helps define what the primary curvature is, what the c curve is. Here we go again. We extend those arms forward. We have that outward rotation with your shoulders. We wrap the scapulas to the front of the body, and we Expel the air out as we peel the spine off the floor without letting the chair go with you.

If you don't use your lower power south house in middle powerhouse, the chair will go with you. So the idea is that you want to make sure that your abdominals are connecting to the chair and lengthening that lower back because that is the safest way to work the spine meaning when you are in a seeker when you are in a primary curvature The idea is that the neck is long. Your serve your thoracic spine is rounded. Your lower back or your lumbar spine is elongated. And then you have the curvature, the primary curvature of your sacrum and coxic or tailbone. So here we go. Let's try that again with all that in mind. We'll just flow forward, rotate outward, wrap the scapulas to the front of the rider with a big inhale, and then exhale, you scoop the abdominals.

You empty the lungs out, out, out, and then you return back one vertebra at a time. You're still connecting to the serratus anterior. So don't try not to let the shoulders go back. This is the powerhouse right there, and you roll back up into a nice elongated spine. Excellent.

So now let's talk about working The little muscles along this point, which usually short blocks, it's probably one of the most ideal places to do that. But also this piece of equipment is amazing. Let's start with side bend. Yeah. So from this position, now we no longer are in a boxing position. Now we're just gonna drop the elbows down. We're gonna place your, your palms facing forward.

And the reason for that, that position is the most natural position for the arm when is in front of your shoulders. So as you notice, I can just really extend out and connect with the myeloidis anterior, but that's not the exercise The exercise is to reach one arm right next to the ear over the head. So you wanna keep your hand over the shoulder. And the other hand, it's gonna go onto the waist. What are we working here? We're working the lateral flection of the body, keeping that right arm next to the ear, and we lengthen the body.

And again, trying to make sure that your spine is nice and long on the baby chair, on the arm chair. And we do exactly the same thing there. So we're activating your intrinsic muscles of the spine, right, your intrinsic muscles of the spine. So you're activating the powerhouse. And obviously, you know, it's more the bigger muscles, like your obliques, and your QL, they're also being worked in in this in this exercise.

So let's do that again. So the idea, again, we want to make sure that there is constant resistance happening in the arm and the back of the neck is nice and long. And from that position, you reach alone, sometimes I like to add a twist to the right to sort of have the counter balance of the trunk. Sort of it recreating the roll down with one arm on the Cadillac. So you look over and then you link it. Now making sure that your whole spine is up against a chair you return back to your neutral position.

Now another one of my favorite exercises, which is the twist, but which by the way, all these exercises sort of set you up for the beginner system Yeah. The side bend, which we just did, right, it prepares you for what side to side on the short box? Now the twist which I actually like to use this experience and cue it on the show button for the twist So one of the things that I usually like to cue on the shore box, which actually you can really feel the connection here on the baby chair is wrapping your serratus to the front of the body. Because what happens a lot of times, we tend to work our shoulder girdle in this shape. Which really turns off a lot of the shoulder complex muscles, especially your pectoral muscles, and your cerritus anterior.

So there is that connection. From here, you return back to center. You bring that arm in. And you switch to the other side. So the make sure that the movement is very compact especially because you are working with a very delicate structure, the shoulder complex.

So when you lift the arms, the, when you lift the arm up, make sure you're sort of thinking of shaving the side of the head with that hand and you lift up, up, up, up. Now another cue that I like to use in this exercise is wrap the scapula to the front of the body. That is a very powerful action because it's not just about your arm anymore. It's really about finding that whole powerhouse connection. So when you have to do exercises that are more complex and you truly have to use that lower powerhouse, it is not a big deal.

It becomes such an easy experience. And it's fun. Pilates should be fun. When you activate the whole system, yes, then everything just works effortlessly. And that's the whole point of Pilates is that we're trying. We're no.

We're not trying. We're teaching the body to move effortlessly through space. I hope this inspired you and we'll see you soon.