Looking for something to spice up your regular exercise regimen?
Maybe you’re a runner, golfer, weight-lifter, or pickleball player
extraordinaire. No matter what your activities of choice, having Pilates as
part of your cross-training offers considerable benefits.
This is particularly the case for activities where there is little to no thought
behind the movement patterns.
What is Cross-Training?
Cross-training isn’t a specific sport or activity. It is a training method that
involves partaking in a variety of physical activities to improve overall
performance and fitness. In many cases, there is one primary exercise
routine or sport though.
Through cross-training, participants work different muscle groups and
develop new skills. They’re able to vary the stress placed on specific
muscles. And it’s an effective solution for beating the boredom that can
come from sticking to just one form of exercise.
The idea behind cross-training is that challenging the body in unfamiliar
ways and developing new skills enhances overall strength, fitness, and
endurance.
The Benefits of Having Pilates As Part of Your Cross-Training
So where does Pilates fit in with all of this?
Well, at the heart of the practice is the focus on strength and stability as
they relate to the core. Pilates requires of its practitioners a high degree of
concentration and body awareness too. These all naturally transform into
improved mental focus in other activities.
Among the many benefits of adding Pilates to your cross-training are the
following:
- Improved Balance and Stability
If your primary activity is something like skiing, dancing, snowboarding,
surfing, or yoga, you know that balance is crucial. In faster-paced activities,
it’s easy to lose sight of this. But Pilates exercises are designed to improve
balance and stability so that you can do other activities with a higher
degree of safely.
2. Increased Core Strength
Nearly every physical activity requires use of the core muscles . While doing
sit-ups in weight training would be an obvious example, you’re relying on
your core even when you run, lift weights, or play tennis.
Whatever your choice of physical activity, you can improve your
performance by strengthening your core through Pilates.
3. A Boost in Flexibility
While Pilates focuses on strengthening muscles, there is also an emphasis
on stretching muscles to improve range of motion. This is an important
component for athletes who require some degree of fluidity in their activity
or sport.
4. Injury Prevention
At the end of the day, improving balance and stability, increasing core
strength, and boosting flexibility all address weaknesses and imbalances in
the body. Thus, in doing Pilates, athletes will find a notable decrease in
their risk for injury.
And Now.. Concentric and Eccentric Strength
Wondering about concentric and eccentric strength?
If you’re not familiar, then probably not. But these two types of training are
essential in keeping the body in balance. And we engage in concentric and
eccentric strength in our regular, everyday movements.
To simplify, concentric strength comes from a shortened muscle while
eccentric strength results from the lengthening of a muscle. Confused?
Think of it this way. When you pick something up, that is concentric
strength. Lowering it back down carefully is eccentric.
We tend to focus more on concentric strength since we’re actively lifting
something like a weight, a grocery bag, or a child. But for most of us, our
muscles are wired to be stronger in eccentric movement. We’re typically
able to release something downward with more control than taking it
upward that way.
Whatever the case, both are important. (There’s also isometric strength,
but we’ll cover that in a different post.)
Pilates Works Both Concentric and Eccentric
There is a wealth of Pilates exercises that involve concentric and eccentric
muscle contractions that allow practitioners to develop both kinds of
strength. For example, both the Pilates roll-up and teaser require
concentric and eccentric contractions of the abdominal muscles. And those
are just two.
So by adding Pilates to your cross-training routine, you’ll develop and be
more aware of concentric and eccentric strength. This in turn can improve
your performance in other activities and sports while decreasing the risk of
injury.
Interested in Adding Pilates to Your Cross-Training?
There are so many benefits to having Pilates as part of your cross-training.
It teaches you to move correctly with balanced muscle strength and proper
alignment.
In addition, with a consistent practice, you will develop muscle memory that
will carry over to your other activities. And that includes your regular
everyday movements.
So if you’re interested in seeing how Pilates can be beneficial for cross-
training, contact us today. Our physical therapy-based Pilates can take you
to new heights!