Pilates Glossary

Like other popular niche forms of exercise and fitness disciplines, Pilates seems to have a language all of its own. If you are not yet completely familiar with the jargon of Pilates, don't fret. Learning to speak like a Pilates pro is easier than you think.

Simply take a few moments to review these Pilates terms. Since Pilates works closely with strengthening and conditioning the whole body, you will probably come to hear many terms that have to do with muscle contraction and different muscle groups.

Becoming a regular practitioner of Pilates means that you will come to understand your body on a deeper level. Ideally, you will develop an awareness of your body and how it works. You will come to learn more about the human anatomy, including the name of various body parts and different Pilates positions.

Even if you do not have a background or even much basic knowledge of human anatomy, you will find that learning Pilates will also help teach you many of the basics about your body that you may not have learned while in school.

Here are some of the terms you may hear in your Pilates class, and what they mean. First, there are many terms that contrast each other, and getting to know them is a great first step. For instance the terms abduction and adduction are commonly used throughout the program.

Abduction

Abduction refers to the contraction of a muscle that occurs in the middle of your body. You will probably hear your instructor refer to abduction while you are conditioning the midline.

Adduction

Another popular term you may hear is adduction. Unlike an abduction, which refers to a movement that draws away from your middle, an adduction is a contraction that draws toward your midline.

Concentric and eccentric are two commonplace words that are used in Pilates as well as many other forms of exercise.

Concentric

In concentric exercises, the muscle is shortened, and by the same token, eccentric exercises lengthen the muscle.

Eccentric

Another term you may hear may sound a bit confusing at first. Eccentric is a Pilates term that refers to lengthening the muscle. Of course, eccentric has another meaning altogether, but while you are practicing Pilates it means that you will be lengthening the muscle during a movement.

Extension

Another popular Pilates term is extension. Extension means that you will be straightening out a limb while using your muscles. Concentric, on the other hand, means that you will be shortening the muscle.

Flexion

Flexion is a related term that refers to the fact that you will be bending the limb with the use of your muscles. Finally, hyperextension means that you will be straightening your limb, but this time you will be stretching it out beyond your normal range of movement and motion.

Next, you’ll want to know some of the terms behind the positions that you should be in to perform the Pilates exercises. While a good Pilates instructor will give you step-by-step instructions, you should know some of the terminology that goes with the motions.

Supine

A ‘supine’ position denotes that you are lying on your back with your head facing upwards.

Prone

Another term you may hear is prone. Prone means that you will be laying face down on your front. The opposite of prone is supine, a move that means that you will be lying on your back, face up.

Neutral Spine

You will probably hear your pilates instructor refer to a neutral spine. Keeping a neutral spine means that you are maintaining the natural curve of your spine while in the midst of a movement, instead of pressing it against the floor or flattening it out.

Anatomy Of Spine

You’re also going to want to know some of the parts of the anatomy in which pilates focuses on. The more that you know about your body, the more accurately you can focus your energies on the parts that you’re working out.

The spine is the basis for all pilates, and it is made up of 33 different vertebrae. Understanding the spine is of utmost importance in order to attain proper balance and focus.

There are different groups of the vertebrae, and we’ll begin with the top of the spine and work our way down.

At the top of the spine, you’ll find the seven vertebrae that make up the cervical region. Coincidentally, most activities that involve the neck may use the term cervical to denote the area of exercise.
Next comes the thoracic vertebrae; they are the part of the spine that connects to the rib cage.
Below the thoracic vertebrae are the lumbars, which are larger vertebrae that support the lower back. After the lumbars, the sacrum vertebrae are found.

These five vertebrae are located around the top of the pelvis, and reach the tailbone at their end. An understanding of the bones in the back is key to getting the most out of your pilates workout.

Powerhouse

In addition to understanding the vertebrae, the ‘powerhouse’ is a term that you’re going to want to learn. It is the term that Joseph Pilates coined in order to refer to the most crucial area of the body that pilates strengthens. The powerhouse is defined as the torso area that includes the muscles of the abdomen, the pelvic region, the lower back, and the buttocks.

Other Terms

Bicep: the large upper arm muscle that flexes the forearm.
Cervical: having to do with the neck; the cervical vertebrae are the top seven bones in the spinal column supporting the neck and head.
Coccyx: the tailbone.
Hyperextension: straightening out the limb beyond its normal range of motion.
Quadriceps: the large extensor muscle at the front of the thigh.
Rectus Abdominus: the section of muscles running down the stomach that, when toned, give you those flat washboard abs.
Rotation: twisting around a central axis.
Sacrum: the five vertebrae above the tailbone and at the top of the pelvis, usually fused together into a triangular bone.
Scapulae: shoulder blades.

Now that you’ve got a basic idea of the terms that are related to pilates, you can be more confident the next time you engage yourself in the activity. Whether at a fitness center or at home exercising yourself, a greater understanding of the activities can have numerous positive benefits.