Do You Speak Pilates? Part 1 - A Guide to Abs, Powerhouses & Other Mystical Instructions

If you’ve ever been in a Pilates class and thought, Wait… am I in an exercise class or a foreign-language course?' - welcome! Pilates teachers all speak their own dialect where simple movements are described with a mash-up of anatomy, fashion advice, food references, and sometimes just… whimsy.

In this series of learning to speak Pilates, our first episode is your phrasebook for the mysterious art of the 'abdominal connection'. So let's have a look at some very common - if not popular... expressions for this oh-so-important, in fact even foundational principle of Pilates.

'Navel to spine!'

The all-time classic. Like your belly button is sending a postcard to your vertebrae. What actually happens: you draw your abdominal wall inward and wonder if you might accidentally poke out the back of your T-shirt.

'Engage your powerhouse.'

Sounds like you’re firing up a small nuclear reactor. In reality, it’s your abs, back, glutes, and pelvic floor all working together in harmony. Less 'Iron Man suit,' more core muscles politely cooperating.

'Zip up from pubic bone to sternum.'

Imagine shimmying into your tightest jeans after pizza night. Yep - that’s the vibe. But instead of a zipper, it’s your deep abdominals lengthening upward like a magical elevator of support.

'Center.'

Sounds like a meditation retreat. No gong, no incense - just a reminder not to wiggle like a pool noodle. Translation: get stable in your middle so the rest of you can move with control.

'Narrow the waist.'

Pilates or a vintage corset ad? Hard to say. No boning or lace required, though... This just means hugging your abdominals in toward the midline like you’re tightening an invisible belt made of muscle.

'Pull the hip bones toward each other.'

Now we’re in geometry class. Don’t panic - you’re not expected to shift your pelvis like tectonic plates. What’s really happening: you’re engaging the deep low abdominals (hello, transversus) so it feels as though your hip points are magnetically sliding closer together. Spoiler: they don’t actually move, but your core does get a whole lot more stable.

Other honorable mentions:

• “Hollow the belly.” (Is this Halloween prep?)

• “Corset your waist.” (Suddenly Pilates is Project Runway.)

• “Scoop your abs.” (Preferably raspberry ripple, please.)

• “Wrap from the inside out.” (Like a burrito. Sadly, no guacamole...)

So what’s actually happening - and why it matters

All these metaphors are different ways of asking you to turn on your deep core muscles. The hero here is the transversus abdominis - your body’s natural corset (that's why referring to 'Tightening your Corset' is one my favourite expressions!). Along with the oblique muscles, pelvic floor and diaphragm, it stabilizes your spine, supports your organs, and helps you move with control instead of wobble.

But here’s the magic: it’s not just a Pilates party trick. Being able to activate your core like this helps in real life too. Examples:

• Rolling like a ball in class - you won’t tumble like a loose cannonball.

• Lifting groceries or kids - your back stays safe and your spine supported.

• Sitting at a desk - hello, better posture and less slumping.

• Balancing in single-leg exercises - no wobbly flamingo vibes.

• Laughing at this blog post - yes, even laughter engages those same muscles!

In short: when your core knows how to “zip, scoop, hollow, and magnetize,” everything else you do - on the mat and off - becomes stronger, safer, and a whole lot smoother.

And there you have it...

Whether you’re scooping, zipping, narrowing, hollowing, or magnetizing your hip bones, every cue is really Pilates-speak for the same thing: “Hey friend, could you please turn your core on?”

And that’s just the start. Once you’ve cracked the code of the 'abdominal dialect,' you’re well on your way to becoming fluent in Pilates. Stay tuned - there are plenty more phrases to translate.