Pilates in Sussex Sport
Pilates in Sussex has transformed sports training for many athletes. Because the exercise system focuses on strengthening the stabilising muscles of the body, rather than just the mobilising muscles that most sports training tends to concentrate on, it creates a core strength that allows the athlete to move in a very natural and balanced way that enhances performance.
It's the Core That Counts
The key to the effectiveness of Pilates is an understanding of the importance of the core muscles.
You can generally categorise muscles in the human body as being mobilising or stabilising. The mobilising muscles are the ones we're most familiar with, they make our bodies bend and flex, twist and turn. They're the ones that allow the sprinter to power down the track or the soccer player to chip the ball past the goal-keeper after and intricate run past the defender. They're also the larger and bulkier muscles that give the sports people their defining physique.
Underneath the mobilising muscles are the deeper stabilising muscles that help keep everything in place, and without which the body cannot hold its structure and perform at its best. Mobilising muscles have evolved to work at high intensity for short periods of time. The stabilising muscles work at a low intensity on an on-going basis, and their job is to keep our posture and stature healthy and correct. In Pilates the stabilising muscles are referred to as the €Core' muscles, and exercising and keeping them strong is at the heart of the exercise system.
The problem for many people is that while they exercise the major muscle groups, they will inadvertently neglect the muscles that keep the core strong and balanced. This can result in poor balance and co-ordination, which in turns lead to bad posture and motion. When under stress in this condition, tears and lesions can occur and we experience this as aches and pain.
Pilates in Sussex And Performance
Pilates in Sussex helps sports people in three specific ways:
1. Reduction in the Frequency and Severity of Injuries.
By keeping the core strong and balanced, athletes protect themselves from many common injuries.
Poor posture can cause lower back pain. An anterior pelvic tilt (sticking the bottom out), which is often caused by tight hip flexors, shortens the lower back muscles and brings the hamstrings into a stretched position. The net effect is that the tissues are prone to damage and injury.
Pilates exercises correct this tendency and so prevent the occurrence of this stress. More advanced Pilates routines developed specifically for sports people and athletes, which include weight and circuit training, incorporate functional exercises that train the muscles to work effectively through a full range of motion and replicate many of the actions and stresses common to many sports.
2. Improved Body Control
The core strength that Pilates develops promotes good posture and balance, and it also increases the control a person can exert over their movements. For a whole range of athletes who need precision in the movements they display - and this includes gymnasts, martial artists and divers - this can make a crucial difference to their performance.
3. Additional Power
Stability allows muscles to exert greater force. When the core is strong and firm, the attached muscles have a solid base from which to extend and flex, and are better able to work the levers of the skeleton. Athletes are also able to make use of the improved stability to generate power from more unorthodox positions, which can provide a competitive advantage. An additional twist in the jump, a punch from an unexpected angle, or extra speed in a dismount - these are all the small difference between first and second place.
These advantages have resulted in more and more sports teams and clubs adopting Pilates as part of their normal training regimes. Far from being something of an exotic and trendy addition, the system is accepted as a mainstream and effective means of keeping athletes in peak condition.
It's the Core That Counts
The key to the effectiveness of Pilates is an understanding of the importance of the core muscles.
You can generally categorise muscles in the human body as being mobilising or stabilising. The mobilising muscles are the ones we're most familiar with, they make our bodies bend and flex, twist and turn. They're the ones that allow the sprinter to power down the track or the soccer player to chip the ball past the goal-keeper after and intricate run past the defender. They're also the larger and bulkier muscles that give the sports people their defining physique.
Underneath the mobilising muscles are the deeper stabilising muscles that help keep everything in place, and without which the body cannot hold its structure and perform at its best. Mobilising muscles have evolved to work at high intensity for short periods of time. The stabilising muscles work at a low intensity on an on-going basis, and their job is to keep our posture and stature healthy and correct. In Pilates the stabilising muscles are referred to as the €Core' muscles, and exercising and keeping them strong is at the heart of the exercise system.
The problem for many people is that while they exercise the major muscle groups, they will inadvertently neglect the muscles that keep the core strong and balanced. This can result in poor balance and co-ordination, which in turns lead to bad posture and motion. When under stress in this condition, tears and lesions can occur and we experience this as aches and pain.
Pilates in Sussex And Performance
Pilates in Sussex helps sports people in three specific ways:
1. Reduction in the Frequency and Severity of Injuries.
By keeping the core strong and balanced, athletes protect themselves from many common injuries.
Poor posture can cause lower back pain. An anterior pelvic tilt (sticking the bottom out), which is often caused by tight hip flexors, shortens the lower back muscles and brings the hamstrings into a stretched position. The net effect is that the tissues are prone to damage and injury.
Pilates exercises correct this tendency and so prevent the occurrence of this stress. More advanced Pilates routines developed specifically for sports people and athletes, which include weight and circuit training, incorporate functional exercises that train the muscles to work effectively through a full range of motion and replicate many of the actions and stresses common to many sports.
2. Improved Body Control
The core strength that Pilates develops promotes good posture and balance, and it also increases the control a person can exert over their movements. For a whole range of athletes who need precision in the movements they display - and this includes gymnasts, martial artists and divers - this can make a crucial difference to their performance.
3. Additional Power
Stability allows muscles to exert greater force. When the core is strong and firm, the attached muscles have a solid base from which to extend and flex, and are better able to work the levers of the skeleton. Athletes are also able to make use of the improved stability to generate power from more unorthodox positions, which can provide a competitive advantage. An additional twist in the jump, a punch from an unexpected angle, or extra speed in a dismount - these are all the small difference between first and second place.
These advantages have resulted in more and more sports teams and clubs adopting Pilates as part of their normal training regimes. Far from being something of an exotic and trendy addition, the system is accepted as a mainstream and effective means of keeping athletes in peak condition.
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