From getting back to running after an injury to feeling confident on the stairs, Pilates isn’t just about your core, it is often the missing link between rehab and real life
What does running, gardening, playing golf, lifting weights and getting up from the floor have in common?
They all require mobility, a coordination of movement, and the ability to utilise strength to produce force. These are all physical components that we require in day to day life to maintain independence and to continue doing activities we love.
Enter Pilates.
Often associated from it’s ballet origins, Pilates is frequently viewed as a form of exercise for females that want to work on flexibility and core at a slow pace using reformer machines. The use of Pilates exercise within the physio domain extends well beyond this.
Whether you’re someone returning to exercise postnatally, an injured athlete wanting to return to sport or someone who wants to keep mobile enough to play with grandchildren, Pilates helps to develop and build on the foundational movements essential for everyday life and beyond.
Pilates helps to build strength, balance, coordination and endurance in muscles to instil confidence with all types of movements and lifestyles.
A bit of Pilates trivia
Clinical Pilates is the adaptation of Contrology which was originally developed by Joseph Pilates during WWI and then evolved during the 1920’s. He invented the equipment we use in Pilates today like the Reformer and the Cadillac. He also developed a series of movements which has since been modified by physios producing the movement patterns of clinical Pilates.
What can Pilates actually do for you?
My favourite part of Pilates is how adaptable it can be for the individual. Exercises can be modified to make the equipment accessible and easy to use for someone who is just starting their exercise journey. Alternatively, you can increase the complexity and challenge of an exercise to make it incredibly sport or injury specific.
These are my three reasons why I would encourage everyone to include some Pilates into their weekly exercise routine:
1. Pilates builds the foundations for movements
A great Pilates instructor will strip back movements to their foundation and then layer challenges on top. The foundations need to be strong and coordinated before progressing. It can be an opportunity to highlight a weakness that needs working on and also find ways to complement exercise you are already doing.
2. Pilates builds strength throughout range
Pilates is not traditional strength training and does not replace the need for resistance training, however, it bridges a gap for coordination, flexibility and strength. Pilates exercise often encourages movement through a large range of motion that is controlled. To get this control you need coordination of muscle strength and to get a large range of motion you need flexibility and mobility. For this reason, Pilates exercise often looks much slower to perform than regular gym based exercises.
3. Pilates does not discriminate
Pilates is a very humbling form of exercise when completed with good technique. It is easy to shift from just going through the motion of an exercise, to shaking like a leaf with a few simple cues. There is a reason why watching rugby players on Instagram doing Pilates is so entertaining. No-one is doubting the strength of these athletes, but when asked to really control their movement, they crumble.
Pilates has an entry point for everyone
One of the biggest misconceptions about Pilates is that you need to be flexible and have a great core to be able to participate. You don’t. You just need to be willing to learn how to coordinate new movement patterns.
The biggest advantage of Pilates is that the exercises can be adapted for beginners, people returning after an injury and for those who haven’t exercised regularly for years. Having a physio or EP guide you through Pilates ensures that you start in the right place and gradually build from there.
Consider asking yourself: Does my current exercise routine support BOTH my short and long term goals?
An exercise program should support requirements to achieve any short term goals such as rehabbing an injury, completing a fun run or returning to a sport. However, it also needs to incorporate challenges to address your bigger picture. Pilates can be part of that long term goal alongside your strength and endurance training. Consider what is currently missing that could help you feel confident in movements, activities or exercises that your future self would want to continue doing. Exercise isn’t just about what your body can do today, this week, or in three months’ time. It is about preparing and nourishing yourself to have the opportunity to do what matters most to you in the years to come.
