Ripple
If you have done Pilates, you are aware of how important the lower abs are to proper posture, as well as in alleviating and preventing lower back pain. To understand where these muscles are, stand up straight and place your hands between your belly button and your pubic bone. Flex these muscles, scooping your pelvis forward. Relax the muscles, releasing the pelvis. Now, flex these muscles and at the same time tighten your glutes. Notice how this aids in pushing your pelvis forward and up. Practice tightening and releasing both of these sets of muscles. This is called a ‘Pelvic Drop’ and is, by itself, a common move in North African as well and Roma belly dance.
Next, practice flexing and releasing only the glutes and notice the difference. When just the glutes are flexed, your pelvis moves forward and back, while when both the lower abs and the glutes are flexed, the pelvis moves up and down.
Let’s put these movements together and smooth them out to create the ‘Ripple.’ Standing straight with knees slightly bent and feet parallel, about shoulder-width apart. Flex the glutes to push the pelvis forward. Keeping the glutes flexed, squeeze the lower abs to bring the pelvis up. Imagine your pelvis is a bowl and you are scooping up ice cream with it. Pull in the upper abs to scoop in even more. Finally, release the abs and glutes to return to the starting position. Smooth these points out into a sexy ripple. And since we were just talking about dessert…why not reward your hard work with a little something to put some more sand in your figure’s hour glass?