To find this position, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet one foot apart.  Place a pillow between the knees to maintain proper pelvic alignment.  You should feel a lengthening from the top of the head, down to the base of the spine.  Make sure that both hip bones and pubic bone are level.

Landmarks for neutral spine are:

• T8 vertebrae and pelvic plate (tail bone)  - posterior placement

• xyphoid notch and pubic bone - anterior placement.

Once you have found this position, you are ready to incorporate diaphragmatic breathing with pelvic floor work.

Strengthening the abdominals with sit-ups or spinal curls

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the ground (one foot apart).  Put a cushion between your knees (not to squeeze but to stabilize your pelvis).  Place hands behind your head or on the top of your thighs.

Breathe in to prepare and as you breathe out draw the navel to the spine and life your shoulders off the floor/or walk your fingers up your thighs toward your knees letter your head and shoulders curl off the floor.  As you lift higher, keep navel pressed to the spine.  If the navel starts to pop out you have lifted to high.

Hold this lifted position and take a breath in, and then slowly roll down, returning to neutral spine.  Do 10 of these.

Remember your pelvic floor and diaphragmatic breath as these are essential for core work.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Place a small, flat pillow behind your head.
• Allow the floor to support you and lengthen your spine.
• Place your hands gently on the side of your lower ribcage.
• Breathe in, allowing your breath to expand your lungs, ribs and back, filling your sides like a bellows. Your fingers should separate on either side of your ribcage.
• As you breathe out – as full and complete as possible – allow your ribs to close down and together.
• Place a light ball on your abdominals at the level of your navel as you do this breathing exercise. The ball should remain on your belly, raising only slightly as you take air in and dropping as you exhale.
• Repeat this exercise 8 to 10 times.

Remember:
With this exercise, don’t deliberately blow up or bear down on your lower abdominals. This will be counterproductive since you won’t be tightening the muscles you’re attempting tone; instead, you’re exposing your lower back to the potential for injury.