Pilates builds core, abdominal and back strength. These are essential components for martial artists to hone their craft and prevent injuries. Shoulders and hamstrings are among the areas prone to injuries for martial artists. Injuries usually occur because the body, muscles and bones are not held in proper alignment and as a result many self-inflicted…
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With the the winter season here and ahead of us thoughts of summer are on the mind and outdoor activities. Everything from swimming, hiking, kayaking and racquet sports like tennis and pickleball are growing in popularity. Pilates can help with many things such as injury prevention, improvement of muscle control and flexibility. Sports like tennis…
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Shows like “So you think you can dance?” demonstrate just how much physical work, strength, endurance, coordination, balance, power, flexibility and more is required to dance effortlessly. Dancing is a sport. Like with any sport training is required, not just in the sport itself but also outside the sport, cross training including strength, stability and…
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Ballroom dancing has grown in popularity in the past years. Ballroom dancing is no longer just a leisure activity older people or your grandparents used to casually waltz around the dance floor. Shows like “Dancing with the Stars” demonstrate just how much physical work, strength, endurance, coordination, balance, power, flexibility and more is required to…
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Every winter a new activity is created for many of us, shoveling snow. You may not consider it as a physical activity but it is a very physical activity and depending on the consistency and/ or amount of the snow, more or less so. Either way, it’s a physical activity and needs to be treated…
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Curling is another very common sport played through the cold months in Canada. The sport of curling originated in Scotland in the sixteenth century. It is a common way for Canadians to take advantage and enjoy the winter months. Of the 1.5 million curlers worldwide, 80% are Canadian. Curling is a sport that is adaptable…
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For those that hate the winter and feel like it drags on and on, getting out and enjoying the season is the best way to make it go by quicker. If you’ve never tried any winter sports or activities, snowshoeing is a great winter activity to start off with. It’s as easy as walking. A…
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Snowboarding has been slowly growing since it was invented in 1965 reaching a peak in the 1990s. Consistently increasing in popularity since. Over half of the snowboarders are aged 7-17 and 25% are women. One out of every eight snowboarders is between the ages of 25-44. (18-30 years are the largest group) People are taking…
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All muscles perform an action. All movements we perform throughout our day are made up of a combination of these individual actions performed by our muscles. As a result, more than one muscle is involved in any one movement. So it is reasonable to expect that training for a particular sport or activity involving many…
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Cross country skiing is not only a great way of enjoying the outdoors in the winter but also a nice full body workout. There are three main muscle groups used when cross country skiing, upper body, core and legs. We’ll look at how to use Pilates for cross country skiing training. Ways to use Pilates…
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