Exercise #1441

Flat Back- Imprinting

1 min - Exercise
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Description

Imprinting is a technique attributed to "First Generation Teacher" Eve Gentry. It is a technique that focuses on the movement of the bones rather than the muscles. The concept of Imprinting is often used to help lengthen the spine along the mat such that there is no space between your body and the mat. This technique is most closely associated with the Classical Style of Pilates.
What You'll Need: Mat

About This Video

Dec 28, 2009
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Transcript

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Flat back is a position in which all of the bones of the spine are on the mat. So from a lack, a relaxed position, one would pull the abdominals downward and upward to, to get a sense of no space between the bones of the spine and the mat underneath them so that we couldn't put any light through or any tangible, solid through at all.

Comments

Nice!
Thanks!!
2 people like this.
Hi Meredith, is this without tilting the pelvis? So in neutral pelvis and using the belly as much as you can to lengthen spine to mat without tilting pelvis? Thank you for your reply.
Hi Floor,
In this video I am speaking of imprinting which in this case involves taking the pelvis into a posterior rotation in order to get the bones of the lower back to lay flat on the mat.  The pelvis is in turn taken out of neutral alignment.  Please let me know if that helps and if you have any other questions!
1 person likes this.
Hi! What difference there is between imprint and tuck? Thanks
Gaspar a tuck in the pelvis is when the pubic bone is higher in space relative to the front hip bones.  Sometimes tucking the pelvis is used to "imprint" or flatten the spine when lying supine.  The word tuck can also be applied in other movements in reference to the direction of the pelvis.  Hope that is helpful...please let me know if you have any further questions!
Thank you very much Meredith, but can you imprint without tuck just pushing the lower back against the floor? or is compulsory to tuck in order to imprint? 
Hi Gaspar ,
It is not compulsory to tuck in order to imprint but it may be necessary for those with a tighter lumbar spine. In a perfect world, when the spine is taken into flexion the lower back will respond and imprint to the mat from a neutral pelvis. However, if the low back extensors are tight this may not be possible so it may be necessary to slightly tuck the pelvis in order to imprint the spine. Let me know if that makes sense to you!
2 people like this.
Oh thanks Meredith, you help me a lot, I try to keep neutral pelvis in order to no compress the spine, but I'd not considered the different kinds of spines, and we are no always in a perfect world! I mostly teach groups and is so difficult to teach in general for maximal safety. Any advice? Thanks
Gaspar I'm wondering which type of movements you are asking about.  In many, the goal is to keep the spine in neutral. If we are speaking about abdominal work specifically (like the hundred etc) then it is important that the low back is supported against the floor when the chest is lifted up.  Can you tell me which specifically you are asking about?
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