Why Pilates is beneficial to runners
Good Morning CheeziJoggers and welcome to Week 8, our penultimate week!
Most of us regularly attend a PACE.Pilates class with Ros and Gilly but did you know that there is evidence to show that Pilates can benefit us with our running too?
Pilates, developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s, features exercises to improve core stability and encourage healthy posture. The three fundamentals are the ABCs, A for alignment, B for breathing and C for core stability.
So, how can Pilates benefit you as a runner?
Increase core strength
By doing Pilates you can increase your core strength. Core strength is not just about abs but actually encompasses your entire torso including hips, back, shoulders, neck and abdominals. By strengthening the muscles in your torso, your body becomes more balanced allowing your core, which acts as a stabilizer, to have better control and maximize the forces you produce when active.
Correct postural imbalance which helps to reduce the risk of injury
Pilates encourages proper movement patterns and teaches correct posture. Core stability protects the spine and surrounding muscles from injury. Pilates can identify weaknesses that inhibit your gait enabling you to focus on exercises that are beneficial to you. By strengthening your muscles, you will help maintain a better running posture.
Improved endurance and speed
A strong and balanced body helps you to maintain a proper form as you get tired. Pilates helps to loosen your hips, legs and back which will help with your running technique, keeping your psoas (abdominal muscles that connect your spinal column to your femur) flexible as well as powerful.
Quicker recovery time
As Pilates increases joint mobility this in turn decreases your recovery times. A regular Pilates routine results in your muscles being in better condition so you feel less tired and sore after a run.
Breath control
Breathing promotes the circulation of oxygen around our body and to our brain which optimizes our body functions; this easily translates to running. Pilates teaches you to breathe more deeply and efficiently by filling the lower lobes of your lungs more fully and promoting the use of your respiratory muscles and ribcage for maximum oxygen intake.
If Pilates is new to you, why not try a class with Ros & Gilly and see the benefits for yourself. Head over to the PACE.Pilates website HERE for more information.
You can download the official C25K app via the NHS website by clicking HERE where you will find all the information you need together with hints, tips and stretching advice.
It can be fitted in and around your family/lifestyle and takes approximately 30/35 minutes three times a week.
For further information, please contact us at cheezifitzoom@gmail.com