Hello, I am working with the book and I have a question about rib anchor. In the exercice appendix at the end of the book, she says to stretchlie on your back, take a thorough exhale, then maintain that muscular tension and press the back of the ribcage on the floor. But in the stacksitting lesson, she says to contract the upper abs to rotate the lower ribcage down and in.
Is this contraction of upper abs she's referring to the thorough exhale thing ? When I take a thorough exhale, it activates my upper side abs and I feel braced around the lower part of my ribcage ; is maintaining these exhale muscles activated rib anchor ? Do I need to also press my ribcage backwards when I'm standing up ?
1 hour 28 min ago
07/26/2022 - 4:34am
Hello!
It’s great to hear that you are exploring the exercises in detail. Your questions about rib anchor are insightful and I’m happy to help clarify.
The rib anchor is a technique that involves stabilizing the ribcage to maintain good posture and spinal alignment. This technique helps in reducing excessive curvature and stress in the lower back.
Means, rib anchor describes the pivot of the rib cage around a horizontal axis at about breast height, bringing the lower border of the front of the rib cage in and down thus sending the back of the rib cage up and out. Since the back of the ribs are attached to the vertebrae, this pulls the curvy “necklace” of the lumbar spine into a flatter, longer arrangement.
To anchor your ribs you move your ribcage downwards and inwards. It is your inner oblique abdominal muscles that hold your chest (permanently) in this position. This is independent of whether you are lying or sitting or whether you are breathing in or out. You always need the same muscles (“upper abs”) to do this. Try making fists with your hands, placing them on your ribs just below your breasts and pushing your chest inwards. This is the position in which your chest wants to be permanently and for which you need your upper abs
I hope this helps clarify your queries
Thank you for your reply ! When I do this, it rounds my upper back and sends my pelvis forward :'( do you have any tips on how to isolate the internal obliques ?
"This is independent of whether you are breathing in or out. You always need the same muscles (“upper abs”) to do this."
This sentence made it click for me, I figured a way of engaging my upper abs that would be independant from breathing but would also pivot the bottom of my ribcage down, in and back. It's hard to maitain but it doesn't round my upper back or cause my pelvis to tuck. Will be working on strengthening my anchor, thank you !
1 hour 28 min ago
07/26/2022 - 4:34am
Hello, glad to hear that my explanations have helped you. Regarding the upper rounding: do your shoulder roll after you have set the rib anchor. However, at the beginning it is often the case that you fall out of the rib anchor again with the shoulder roll. If in doubt, simply place the rib anchor again after the shoulder roll. When you do the rib anchor, make sure that the whole area around your bottom remains relaxed, so not to tuck the pelvis.
Have a nice day