Meet Your Multifidi
From The Trainers at NYC’s Nimble Fitness

This week, we’d like to introduce you to your multifidi, the small muscles that sit on either side of your spine and work to stabilize it. They are what we call “postural” muscles—muscles that control the stability of the spine while your extremities move and do work. The multifidi are part of the deep-layer “core” group of muscles (along with the pelvic floor, transversus abdominus, and the diaphragm, among others). Learning to activate and work these muscles is essential for building and maintaining overall strength.

The Exercise: (Keep in mind that this exercise is for pre-and post-natal women but for slightly different reasons.) Start lying on your back on a mat with your pelvis in a neutral position and your knees bent with feet flat. Begin by inhaling, then exhale and contract your navel toward your spine. Maintain that contraction while sliding one foot slowly away from you along the floor. Alternate legs and go slow enough that you do not move your pelvis/lower back at all. This exercise is great for your beginning training program, pre- or post-pregnancy, or to get your deep abdominals ready for more demanding exercises.

For more info and a video demonstration of this exercise, please go to www.nimblefitness.com