A regular Pilates practice, much like running, teaches you about yourself and inspires you to believe in yourself. I can’t tell you how many of my students have been amazed by the discoveries they have made about themselves in their lessons – they are so much stronger than they thought they were or than they ever gave themselves credit for! I think we all spend a lot of time criticizing and trying to “fix” our bodies for how they look on the outside, and we don’t necessarily believe it’s possible that there is so much awesomeness waiting to be discovered on the inside. We could all use a little more of that in our lives, right?
Here are my top 5 favorite things about Pilates, and why I think every runner should dedicate time to it every week:
- Injury Prevention: Pilates is very similar to physical therapy – training proper and efficient movement patterns, encouraging healthy neuromuscular pathways, “waking up” muscles that aren’t getting with the program and doing their job – essentially teaching our bodies optimal ways of moving. The exercises will make you aware of your particular imbalances and give you an opportunity to correct them before you get injured because of them.
- Two-for-one: Many runners have limited flexibility and mobility, particularly in the hips, ankles and in the rotation of the trunk. We need to work on stretching our muscles and mobilizing our joints so that we have more power when we move and reduce the risk of injury. We also need to dedicate time to our strength work, using muscles that support our running and balance our bodies. One of the most magical things about Pilates is that while it is strengthening you, it is also stretching you! So it’s gentle enough to do every day (unlike other types of strength work where you really need to recover from delayed onset muscle soreness) and gives you the stretching you need so desperately.
- No more lazy butts: One of the most common issues runners face is that we just aren’t activating our glutes the way we should! Tight hip flexors are common in runners, and when this happens it stretches out our glutes and then makes them less likely to fire how they are designed to. This is made even worse if you sit at a desk for your job all day – shortening your hip flexors and stretching your glutes even more. Our gluteal muscles are the most powerful muscles in our bodies and they aren’t made for just sitting on, though that is what we use them for most of the time. Once you start using your booty in your running, you will not only find that you are MUCH more powerful and faster, but will also discover that your hips and back will feel a whole lot better. Pilates is an amazing way to start working your glutes properly – many of the exercises open the hips and let the booty do what nature intended for it to!
- Mindfulness: Pilates is a system of exercises that engages the body, the breath and the mind. It teaches us to be self aware and to listen to our bodies, and helps us be more present and able to concentrate on the moment. I take my Pilates practice with me into my running. In the later stages of a long run or a marathon when I feel my posture falling apart, I remember to lift up through my center and breathe. It keeps me calm and connected to my center so I can focus on the task at hand.
- It’s always there for you: Pilates is something we can do no matter where we are in our running journey – and this is perhaps my favorite thing about it especially at the moment! If you are injured, Pilates is very therapeutic for that. If you are pounding the pavement more than ever and chasing a huge personal best, Pilates will help keep you healthy and connected to yourself. If you are returning from pregnancy or a lay off due to injury, Pilates is fantastic for waking up and nurturing your body. There’s never a bad time to do it, and it’s never too late to start!
I highly recommend every runner look into taking a Pilates class – find a good studio in your area and give it a shot! I am teaching at EVOLVE Movement in Raleigh and would love to see you there! Contact me directly or reach out to the studio for scheduling info.
