Hello :)
I feel confused about inner corset and I hope I can receive some help with it.
From what I have understood, the inner corset movement involves rib anchor, which is a tucking of the ribs that results in the lower border of the ribcage to become flush with the rest of the abdomen.
But I have also seen that the action of inner corset done properly ends up creating a protrusion of the ribcage (the book says like a greyhound) as the transversus abdominis sucks in and the contours of the ribcage become more pronounced ; doesn't that cancel the rib anchor ?
It feels very confusing as it looks like the instructions for these two things are opposite, yet they are supposed to be used simultaneously and work with one another.
Are the internal obliques supposed to create some sort of resistance to the lifting of the ribcage up and away from the hips ? I don't understand how I can make the contours of the lower border of my ribcage flush and pronounced at the same time. Could you offer some insight ?
Thank you for all the great work and support.
1 day 1 hour ago
07/26/2022 - 4:34am
Dear Sally,
thanks for reaching out. Rib anchor is a rotation or tilting of the rib cage. While inner corset is a lifting without tilting or rotating it. Now, when you engage the inner corset the rib cage is not intentionally sticking out or forward. It will slightly expand, but evenly. Not through a bending of the spine or a tilting/rotating. This is probably because most of the time we inhale when we do the rib anchor, but also because the volume of stuff in our lower torso gets pushed up and expands our rib cage.
The whole reason for doing rib anchor is for how it flattens out a sway in the back. We focus on the front only so we can learn the movement easily (putting our forearm or fingers on the lower ribs in front and pressing down and back). But it's o.k. for the front to become more contoured like a greyhound as you elongate with inner corset as long as the sway in back doesn't reappear.
Warmly,
Johanna
3 weeks 2 days ago
01/29/2022 - 10:42am
Hello Johanna, thank you for your reply, it made things a lot clearer !
When I do rib anchor, I find it difficult to do the rotation without engaging rectus abdominis (which in turn tucks my pelvis) ; so what I do instead is that I "drop" my ribcage by relaxing my long back muscles completely, then I maintain my ribcage in this new position by squeezing my waist muscles, as in forcing a very deep exhale ; could you confirm to me if this is an ok way to do it please ?
1 day 1 hour ago
07/26/2022 - 4:34am
Hello Sally,
To do the rib anchor you can put your hands or forearm on the lower border of your rib cage and gently push it in and down. Imagine your rib cage is a big oval and you are rotating it forward. The front of the rib cage comes down. Over time you will delevop enough strength to hold it in place. In the beginning it is often easier to do the rib anchor while exhaling. Just exhale and very slowly and gently rotate your rib cage/ push your rib cage with your hands or forearm down and in. Take care to relax your belly muscles while doing so and not to tuck the pelvis. The only thing that moves is your rib cage. Hope that helped you.
Warmly,
Johanna