4. Pelvic Floor Engagement
The aim here is to engage the Pelvic Floor, by drawing the Pelvic Floor up approximately 40 per cent, without squeezing the glutes. (If unsure how to do this, imagine you want to go to the toilet but are unable to go so you tighten your internal muscles).
Pelvic tilt leading to a shoulder bridge is a good Pilates exercise for training the pelvic floor to become more efficient. Especially if we add a pillow/block/or Bender Ball in between the knees to gently squeeze whilst we engage the Pelvic Floor.
5. Shoulder Stabilisation
Shoulder positioning is just as important in your posture as your Pelvis. We need to work on stabilising the shoulders, keeping them in a neutral position whether standing, lying down lying on your back or your front, on all fours or in the side positon. Many of the Pilates exercises for shoulders help to alleviate stiffness, keep the joint supple, mobile and strong.
Shoulder Stabilisation can be done in the standing warm up with exercises such as toy solder, cork screw, dumb waiter.
Or Lying down in set up position, drop the shoulders into the mat hands at the side.
Engaging Pelvic floor whilst in the shoulder bridge.
Dumbwaiter exercise to stabilise shoulders.