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Pilates

 

Modern day Pilates still has its roots in the rehabilitation exercises devised by Joseph Pilates during the early 1900s but has now developed to a boarder audience. Although Pilates has become synonymous with the common fitness term ‘core stability’ practicing regularly will enhance your flexibility, balance and co-ordination.

 

Pilates offers much more than abdominal strength. It is the ability to maintain the spine in correct alignment, with the correct stabilisers whilst performing a dynamic movement through range. It enables you to isolate and improve movement though stiff body segments and control and strengthen more flexible segments. 

 

It is now common place to divide Pilates into two distinct categories: fitness Pilates and Clinical Pilates. Fitness Pilates, taught in large groups generally in a gym setting, offer the client the opportunity to gain overall benefit if they already have the basics under control, which is the ability to turn on their deep stabilisers and maintain correct spinal alignment without too much external feedback from the Instructor.

 

Clinical Pilates is taught at a one-to-one level of instruction. This not only allows the tuition to be individualised to the client needs and goals but provides the ideal environment for technique correction and monitoring of fatigue in those deep stabilising muscles.

 

At Elevate Performance, we offer Clinical Pilates with a qualified Physiotherapist. This enables our clients to pursue their goals from injury rehabilitation to elite performance. Our studio utilises a Pilates Reformer in conjunction with mat, roller, fitball , bosu and other adjuncts to provide interesting and stimulating Pilates experience.

 

Frequently asked questions:

 

What is the difference between Yoga and Pilates?

Generally speaking, Pilates requires you to activate your stabilising muscles around each joint and then perform a movement, either stabilising or mobilising. You do not hold poses for a length of time, exercises are dynamic. Whilst yoga focuses on increasing flexibility beyond functional range (you don’t need to be able to get your head on your keens for everyday life), Pilates focuses more on controlling the flexibility you have and gaining and maintaining normal range of movement for the activities you do. There is also no meditation component, although the breathing control will aid relaxation. In Clinical Pilates exercises are functional, that is they focus on progression towards activities clients do every day for example, pelvic stability on one leg in a lunge on the Reformer is similar functionally to controlling foot strike in running.

 

I did a Pilates class and got a really sore back. How can this be?

If you have never tried Pilates before and attend a fitness class it is difficult to monitor every client in every exercise. Chances are you were unable to maintain the correct lower back alignment as a result of your stabilisers fatiguing or not knowing how to activate them in the first place. All in all the exercise was too strong for you.

 

How do I know if an exercise is too strong for me?

If an exercise is too hard, your body will cheat by using big muscles to stabilise or you will get pain! The signs that your core has ‘crashed’ are:

  1. You are holding your breath during the exercise, often recognised by feeling out of breath at the end of an exercise accompanied by a big sigh.
  2. Your lower back has either gone flat, with your pelvis tilted backwards or too arched with your pelvis tilted forwards. Your lower back is no longer in its neutral range.
  3. Your pelvic floor has dropped. Sometimes accompanied by an embarrassing sound effect!! Because the pressure in your abdomen is too high your pelvic floor is no longer lifting, its’ bearing down. If you use this strategy regularly it can contribute to developing incontinence.
  4. If your middle abdominal muscles, rectus abdominous, pop out or bulge below your belly button during the exercise. 

 

Our Clinical Pilates Physiotherapist can help you to  recognisie all these signs and can teach and correct any problems you may be having. We also have access to real time ultrasound to show you which muscles you are activating.

 

I’m a cyclist – what does Clinical Pilates have to offer me?

Cycling, like running, is a highly repetitive exercise and consequently participants develop restriction in particular muscle groups which can lead to neck pain, lower back pain and ITB syndromes. Clinical Pilates can help balance the body and maintain correct form when under load on the bike. As a regular part of your training programme, Clinical Pilates can not only help you maintain balance in your body, it will enhance your ability to recruit your stabilisers under load enabling you to generate more power.

 

I’m pregnant – is Pilates good for me?

Pregnancy is often a time when women like to start exercising.  According to the ACOG guidelines (British Journal of Sports Medicine 2003), in a healthy pregnancy, exercise is safe although choice of exercise is important. Clinical Pilates offers a low impact, controlled stabilising programme which can strengthen and maintain your stabilising muscles including your pelvic floor muscles, throughout your pregnancy. It is always advisable to get clearance from your obstetrician and to start your exercise programme before the third trimester.

 

I’m keen to do Pilates but have never done it before and can’t afford ongoing one-on-one. What should I do?

Invest in 6-8 Clinical Pilates sessions so you have the basics and then join a class. It’ll be a great investment in the long term.