Is Pilates a good form of sports conditioning?

Pilates can be found in gyms on a fitness class schedule. Pilates can be found in physiotherapy clinics to help with rehabilitation. There are also studios dedicated to the practice of Pilates. But can Pilates be used as a form of sports conditioning?

Off Season Sports Conditioning with Pilates

Just because the weather has gotten cooler, the sun is setting earlier and we’re wearing warmer clothes, it doesn’t mean we can still think about spring and summer sports.  Sports such as running, cycling, tennis, baseball, golf, sailing, swimming and more.

The most enjoyable way to cross train during the off season is to pick up a complimentary sport during the off season.  For example, snow shoeing for walking and / or hiking in the summer and fall.  Skating, hockey, skate cross country skiing for roller blading in the summer.  Cross country skiing for running in the summer.  Snowboarding for surfing and skate boarding in the summer.  The list goes on. 

It’s not always possible to pick up and learn a new sport and not all sports or seasons are for everyone.  Other ways of cross training is to participate in  some sort of physical activity. For example, a fitness class (zumba, yoga, pilates, bootcamps etc.), weight training, a dance class during the off season.  Deciding exactly what is for you requires some time, energy and patience.  Trying different classes and in the process of shopping around, finding what works for you, you will be getting some exercise.  

Cross Training with Pilates

What does Pilates have to offer in terms of cross training during the winter for summer, spring and fall activities?  The movements in Pilates are very functional, especially on the reformer.  Pilates works on muscular endurance and toning muscles.  Pilates works on stabilizing the joints so working on deeper, smaller muscles.  It is also very low impact.  As a result, the risk of injury from doing Pilates is very low.  Stretching in a controlled support is also a large component of Pilates.  This is great for stretching out tight areas, in particular the hamstrings, hip flexors, lower back, neck and chest, all areas that can get quite tight throughout various sports like running, walking, cycling. 

Pilates works on balance by working on core stability as well as through exercises that challenge balance.  Increased balance will make activities such as skateboarding, surfing, roller blading, golf (skating, snowboarding for the winter) more enjoyable.  Reformer work is great for the entire body but also the upper body, working the mid back, chest, rotator cuff all areas used in sports like swimming, golf, tennis (and other racket sports), rowing, padding, dragon boat racing (cross country skiing, hockey in the winter).  Abdominal, all layers of the abdominals, (rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques) strength and endurance are trained a lot in Pilates.  An awareness of the body is also trained through Pilates in particular firing patterns of muscles.  Particularly what order to engage muscles.  For example, learning to rotate the torso using the obliques rather than muscles in the upper body enhances performance in sports that require rotation of the torso, golf, tennis (racket sports), baseball (hockey in the winter).  

Preseason Sports Conditioning with Pilates

Winter is just around the corner which means, winter sports, skiing, skating, hockey, snowboarding, snowshoeing.   It’s all fun and games until someone gets injuries.  Some of the areas to work on are balance, coordination, agility, reaction time (hockey), flexibility, stability.  Stability and balance come into place for many if not all the winter sports mentioned.  With the ice and snow, there is less friction and more possibility of slippage and accidents.  Increased stability in the core (pelvic) region will help with balance on icy surfaces.  Coordination comes into place when playing sports, such as hockey, ringette.  Hand and eye coordination are particularly important.  Agility and reaction time come into play not only while playing sports but also during other sports like skiing (alpine and cross country).  

The areas that get the most use are the lower body, legs, and the ‘core’ region, abdominals, pelvic floor and back muscles. The upper body is also important in the winter through activities like hockey, ringette, skiing both alpine and cross country.  The “core” region (abdominals, pelvic floor and lower back) are important for balance and stability both areas of fitness that play a big role in the winter both in sports and just walking on the ice.  Maintaining balance while skating, skiing, snowboarding and just walking on the ice and snow.   Leg muscles are used throughout during the winter, whether it’s skating, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing even just walking in the snow can be work after a fresh snowfall.  These are all areas that can be conditioning before the winter season hits and during with Pilates.  

Lower Body Conditioning with Pilates     

Lower body: legs – quadriceps, hamstrings, abductors (gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, piriformis), adductors (inner thighs), calves, gluteus maximus 

Reformer work is great for working the lower body in particular the quadriceps through footwork, lying on the reformer.  Work with feet in the straps helps work on stability in the core region while working the adductors, glutes and all smaller deeper muscles in legs.  Standing on the reformer doing side splits works the abductors as well as the core region for balance and stability.  There are many other ways to work the legs on the reformer.  Matwork exercises along with modifications using the ball and foam roller may be done to work the legs in particular the hamstrings and glutes and abductors.

Upper Body Conditioning with Pilates

Upper body: arms-biceps, triceps; shoulder-deltoids, chest-pectoralis major and minor

The reformer has many exercises that work the upper body, arms, back and chest.  Back rowing exercises work the muscles in the mid and upper back.  Front rowing exercises work the chest, deltoids and arms (biceps and triceps).  There are many rotator cuff exercises.  Exercises on the mat are good for working stabilizers in the scapular and shoulder region.

“Core” (abdominals, pelvic floor, back): abdominals, transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, back extensors

Matwork and reformer are both great ways to work the core region, abdominals, back and pelvic floor.  Many of the matwork exercise focus on the abdominals, such as the hundred, single leg stretch, scissors, rolling like a ball and more.  The back and muscles running along the spine may also be worked on the mat through back extensions and variations.  The pelvic floor is used throughout while breathing through gentle contractions of the pelvic floor on the exhale.  Reformer work is also good for challenging the ‘core’ muscles not just through exercises specifically targeting the ‘core’ muscles but also challenging the ‘core’ muscles to stabilize the pelvic region and support the lower back.