Ah, neutral pelvis, that Holy Grail of body awareness when we finally realize that pelvic tilt has such profound consequences!  When we begin to pay attention to our posture first in the Asana class, then in our daily lives, neutral pelvis is often a mysterious and elusive concept that once grasped opens the door to unlimited potential.  It is all in the pelvic tilt!

Neutral pelvis allows us to have access to the true deep core muscles (as opposed to the superficial ones), it creates a sense of tone and lift of the pelvic floor, it frees the diaphragm for better function so breathing is easier, it relieves discomfort in the low back and decompresses vital digestive organs therefore restoring metabolism to a healthy simmer.  I have a great video you can watch on how to find neutral pelvis in your body: Moving from the Core. 

Once you become comfortable with the concepts of neutral pelvis and imprinting of the low back from the core, it is time for a little subtlety.  The truth is that there is actually a lot of wiggle room (literally) in both positions to allow you an even deeper exploration.  Here is an exercise you can do: lie on your back, imprint your spine and step the legs up into table top position, with knees over hips and shins lifted parallel to the floor.  Then begin to gradually transition from imprinted into neutral by small increments, listening carefully to sensations in your transverse abdominis (deep belly muscles above your pubis and between hip points).  Notice the precise angle at which the low belly has the most tone - it may be a few degrees closer to neutral, a few degrees closer to imprinted, anywhere in between, or even a few degrees past neutral.  As long as the low back does not over arch, it is all safe territory to explore.  You may be surprised how just a few degrees make a lot of difference in the amount of engagement you get from your transverse!  Then, once you hone in to the position that feels the most challenging that day, you can do whatever exercises you usually do.

The same technique can be used in plank or down dog, or any position or movement that is conducive to such exploration.  By creating variety in the "safe zone" between neutral and imprinted pelvis, you can become a lot stronger than you ever thought possible.  It can teach you that things are adjustable and can grow with you, that you can continue to adapt and change your practice as your needs and awareness change.  Think of this as having your deep core muscles not so much "on" or "off", but on a "dimmer switch", and see where this takes you!

For more information on Neutral Pelvis, read my other article: What is Neutral Pelvis and Why you Should Care


Namaste!