Core muscle activation during Pilates exercises on the Wunda chair.

OBJETIVES: The Pilates method, developed by Joseph Pilates (1886-1967), has been widely used to improve trunk stability, muscle flexibility and strength, physical fitness, and body awareness. To measure the electromyography of four trunk muscles during three Pilates exercises carried out of the wunda chair. DESING: cross-section study. METHODS: Sixteen women participated in this study with a height and body weight of 1.64 ± 0.04 m and 58.7 ± 7.4 kg, respectively, and a mean age of 27.6 ± 3.7 years. Rectus abdominis (RA), internal oblique (IO), longissimus (LO), and multifidus (MU) muscles was evaluated by electromyographic (EMG) tests activity during three Pilates exercises: going up front (GF), mountain climb (MC), and swan (SW). EMG was normalized and expressed in the time domain, by the RMS. RESULTS: The highest EMG values concerning the four muscles were observed for the MC exercise, followed by GF and SW (ANOVA: p = 0.0001, p = 0.04, p = 0.0002, and p = 0.0013, respectively). Our results show that the three Pilates exercises could recruit all the muscles, with a moderate activity intensity. The ANOVA; p < 0.05 showed significant difference between the muscles, concerning SW (p = 0.0002). CONCLUSION: Our results show that the three Pilates exercises could recruit all the muscles, with a moderate activity intensity.

Electromyographic evaluation of trunk core muscles during Pilates exercise on different supporting bases.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the rectus abdominis (RA) and internal oblique (IO) muscles during Pilates exercise on different trunk supporting bases. METHODS: Sixteen female Pilates practitioners participated in the study. EMG of the RA and OI muscles was evaluated during the double leg stretch (DLS) exercise on three different supporting bases - mat, long box, and short box. Trunk stability varies according to the size and type of the base. To normalize the data, the RMS value (EMG) obtained during the DLS exercise was divided by the RMS value from the torque test - the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) - and multiplied by 100 (%MVIC). One-way repeated-measured analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni tests were used to compare data concerning the supporting bases and Student t-test regarding the muscles (p < 0.05). RESULTS: The comparison among the bases involving each muscle - RA or IO (p < 0.05) - showed significant difference (%MVIC) between the mat and the short box. No significant difference was observed between the muscles concerning the exercise on the mat (p = 0.9266), on the long box (p = 0.5113) and on the short box (p = 0.2972). CONCLUSION: The short box increased the activity of the rectus abdominis and internal oblique muscles during exercise. The DLS exercise was able to challenge the stability of the trunk and thus recruit its stabilizer and mobilizer muscles at the same intensity.

Neuromuscular efficiency of the multifidus muscle in pilates practitioners and non-practitioners.

BACKGROUND: Pilates exercises help stabilize the vertebral segments by recruiting the abdominal and spinal muscles. Pilates training may increase joint stability and improve neuromuscular efficiency (NME). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate NME of the multifidus (MU) muscle through electromyography (EMG) analysis and torque test, applied to practitioners and non-practitioners of Pilates. METHODS: Participants included thirty women: Pilates practitioners (n = 15) and non-practitioners (n = 15). They were tested for trunk extension. Their right and left MU muscles were submitted to EMG to estimate NME. Results concerning torque, EMG, and NME from all participants were compared. RESULTS: Statistical analysis concerning isometric torque peak (p = 0.0275) and NME (p = 0.0062) showed significant difference (Student t test; p < 0.05) between practitioners and control. No significant difference (p = 0.3387) in EMG was observed. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest Pilates exercises is effective in training spinal muscles to improve NME in women.