Whether you run for fun, health, weight loss, challenge or as your vocation, Pilates offers a wealth of benefits for specific training as well as cross training and generally balancing out your body.
If you are dedicated to consistent running, whatever your motivation, i important to add in complementary training such as Pilates. For many it is a recovery and rebalancing, addressing the stresses of repetitive muscle use with release and mobilization, while others may need specific activation and strengthening of joints and structures that are under load and impact during runs. Or most likely both.
The beauty of Pilates is that it will address stabilization and strengthening, release and flexibility, and postural correction as needed. This will help prevent injuries that can be common in runners who don't cross train the high impact running programs, will give more resilience and will develop more efficient movement patterns that results in faster times, less stress on the body and overall greater long term enjoyment.
Some of the most common runners issues that Pilates is perfect to address include:
| *Knee joints – tracking of the patella needs to be good. This requires balanced muscular development and activation of all the muscles of the lower limb, but in particular the smaller quadriceps muscle (the VMO) needs to be functioning well in balance with larger quads. |  |
| *Glutes – the gluteal muscles are highly important for running. The gluteus maximus is a powerful muscle group that propels you forward. The gluteus medius and minimus are strongly involved in stabilizing your pelvis and team working with all the other muscles of the hips and thighs. |  |
| *Hip flexors and Hamstrings – we all know these muscles. They need to be lengthened and strengthened for efficient running and can easily become strained or even torn if they are not kept in good functioning length and tone. |  |
| *Gait – the movement pattern that is required for good gait is dependent upon all the muscles and structures of the body working in harmony. If some muscles become over tight, others will weaken, and the longer this goes on the more dysfunctional gait will become. Then i only a matter of time until an injury stops you in your tracks. |  |
If you consider the amount of impact and load bearing that the body is under when running you will undoubtedly realize how important it is that care and attention is paid to the best possible and most balanced posture, movement patterns, joint stability, strength and flexibility. The Pilates method targets all these needs and can be tailored to focus on any areas that need more attention.
Joseph Pilates was quoted as saying that he wanted his method to ‘prepare the body for any eventuality'. So if you tripped – you didn't sprain your ankle but rather your body would be able to sustain the unexpected stumble, right itself and not be injured. This was his intention in everyday life, sports and arts.
For runners, this is a necessity. Minimize the risk of strain or injury, maximize the flexibility and resilience of muscles and support of the body's structures, and you will keep running happily for years to come.
This Pilates-based exercise sequence is a great tool to incorporate in your warm up pre-run.
Side Lying Hip Series
Lie on your side with both legs bent up at 90 degrees in hips and knees. Avoid letting the pelvis move at all during these exercises:
- Rotate the top knee to open, pressing your feet together and finding the muscles under the thigh to action the rotation. Do 10
- Raise the top leg up, keeping the same angles, foot and knee in one line. Do 10
- Circle the top leg around in the hip joint. The knee and hip will flex and extend as you go. Keep a pacey rhythm to it. Then reverse. 6-10 each direction.
This series will activate small muscles, help stabilise the pelvis, mobilise the hip joints and warm up the whole area.
Then turn onto your back and do 10 of the Bridging. Lie as shown and roll your hips up to the ceiling to a bridge position, then slowly back down. Do 10, using your abdominals to initiate the curl and bringing in hamstrings and glutes to lift the hips .
Happy running!
