Pilates, a previously ignored and underrated exercise, has exploded in popularity. It’s now responsible for many a TikTok trend, from wall Pilates to Power Pilates and more. But, walk into a class completely unprepared and you’ll lose more than just your grip on the reformer. So, before you book that class, read this list of essential Pilates lingo explained simply.
Why is it important to know Pilates lingo?
The movements are so tiny and the weights so light… how can it possibly be effective, right? Well, here’s the thing: You don’t always need to be lifting huge chunks of metal with a full range of motion to build strength and muscle tone. If you’re new to Pilates, though, you may find you struggle to keep up because the teacher is speaking a foreign language, a.k.a. using Pilates lingo. Pilates language is specific, and each move is informed by tiny targeted tweaks to the interior muscles that give off major gains. Use this guide to decode some of those common, yet totally weird, Pilates phrases.
Pilates Basics, Explained
Powerhouse: The physical centre of your body. Coined by Joseph Pilates, this encompasses everything from your lower ribs down to your glutes and hips.
Navel to spine: When your instructor invokes this phrase, think about tucking your belly button in and up (more on this below), to activate your deep core muscles.
Neutral spine: This is the default, healthy position for your back. It’s when your neck, middle, and lower back curves are all perfectly balanced and in their natural alignment.
Imprinting: Less like a Renesmee sitch, more like pressing your lower back firmly into the mat – no gaps between your back and the floor.
READ MORE: Which Is Better: Yoga or Pilates?
Important Pilates Instructions, Decoded
“Scoop your abs”
May sound like: “Tilt your pelvis”
What it actually means: Pull your tummy muscles in towards your spine and simultaneously up towards your chest. This feels like sucking in your navel and directing it upwards, like an ice cream scoop.
The “scoop” helps lengthen your waist and stabilise your core during movements, which makes it stronger. Pilates is all about moving well to prevent injury.
“Articulate your spine”
May sound like: Move vertebra by vertebra
What it actually means: Rolling or unrolling your spine mindfully, either from standing. If you’re rolling forward towards the ground or sitting upright, you’re rolling with control using your back.
The idea is to move slowly, little by little, and with control. Moving this way increases flexibility in your back. Think of it as standing up incrementally, each vertebra in your spine moving one by one.
“Lengthen through the crown of your head”
May sound like: Lengthen through your spine
What it actually means: Sit or stand as tall as you possibly can. So no out-of-body experience then.
“Soften your elbows”
Also: “Soften your knees”
What it actually means: Whether it’s your elbows or knees that are getting the “softening” treatment, you don’t need Ingram’s to do it. All it means is that you shouldn’t lock the joint.
READ MORE: 7 Proven Pilates Benefits And The Best Apps To Download
“Fire your glutes”
May sound like: Engage your glutes.
What it actually means: If your Pilates teacher gives you this instruction, all you’re doing is activating your butt muscles as you prepare to move. Case in point: If you’re lying on your back, about to go into bridge pose, squeeze your bum before you lift your hips.
“Wrap your thighs”
What it actually means: With your legs together, rotate your thighs outwards very slightly, as you simultaneously squeeze the backs of your inner thighs together. No contact plastic required.
“Bring your wings down”
What it actually means: No, this is not proof that Pilates is some woo-woo practice created for fairies. It’s not referring to actual wings. Simply pull your shoulders down and back, away from your ears. Your neck feels better already, right?
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“Open your chest”
May sound like: Chest wide.
What it actually means: “Scalpel!” No, not really. Just pull your shoulders back and breathe more deeply so your chest expands. But don’t overdo it by poking out your pelvis. This is chest-only.
“Knit your ribs”
May sound like: Draw the ribs in
What it actually means: As much as a rib-shaped tea cosy would make an interesting talking point at your next brunch, what you want to do here is pull your front ribs, just below your chest bone, closer together. You’ll feel your upper abs engage. It also stabilises your spine. Pilates is especially good for those with back pain.
“Pull towards your midline”
What it actually means: It sounds like something out of Olympic rowing, but the ‘midline’ is actually an anatomical term for an invisible line down the centre of your body that divides left from right.
If you hear this phrase in your Pilates class, you’re probably pulling your leg towards your other leg. It’s a reminder to keep each side balanced, so every hemisphere is working equally.
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“Ground your feet”
May sound like: Anchor your hips.
What it actually means: Imagine yourself standing normally, and someone bumps into you. You’ll probably stumble, because your weight was more on one foot than the other, and you were actually kind of leaning on the side of that foot. Now imagine standing with your feet firmly planted. That’s grounding. No pushover now, are you?
“Hinge from your hip”
May sound like: Break in the hip
What it actually means: Bend forward at the hip joint, without rounding your back or bending your knees. Think of a laptop – the screen is the top half of your body, the keyboard is the lower half. Neither bends when you close the laptop. Hinge, don’t bend.
Try These Pilates Classes
1. This 45-minute Pilates Class With Kedibone Matlala Is A Great Home Workout With No Equipment
2. Beginners’ Pilates Workout With A Stretchy Band
3. 45-Minute Pilates Home Workout With The Movement Lab Using A Chair And Water Bottles
This article has been adapted from the Best of Women’s Health Big Book of Pilates and has been updated.
