How often should a runner do Pilates?

Joseph Pilates says the best results are obtained by practising his method at least four times per week. However, a study shows a massive relationship between runners and Pilates. Runners who did twice a week with a one-hour daily session improved their 5K time, VO2 max, and running metabolic cost.

Should runners do Pilates before or after running?

Pilates can be done before and after a run. Pilates can help you recover after long runs. Every time you run, you are doing impact exercise by pounding your feet into the ground. All that force is coming back into your body, which you must absorb through your joints and tissues. You can do Pilates before running to reduce the risk of injuries. It can help condition your joints and muscles.

Is Pilates the same as Yoga?

Yoga and Pilates are both excellent exercises for developing core strength and balance when practised regularly. Many yoga poses and Pilates exercises involve supporting your body weight, and they work muscles all over your body. However, Pilates exercises are much more intense, and results can be seen much faster than Yoga. Yoga can help increase muscle and joint strength and flexibility. You are likely to build a lot of heat in the body in active, fast-paced classes, which have a great regenerative effect and, of course, will burn calories. In slower practices like Yin yoga, where you hold the postures for longer periods, you start to work on stretching and moving the fascia, which is the deeper connective tissue around the muscles and joints, which eventually helps with flexibility. Yoga and Pilates are effective ways to strengthen and tone your body while relieving stress and increasing flexibility. But for a runner like you, we encourage you to do Pilates as it brings significant benefits compared to Yoga.

Enhance Your Performance By Incorporating Pilates for Runners

Most people think of running as an easy sport. Running is running. What's hard about that?

For the people who actually run, it is a high-impact sport that puts a lot of pressure on your joints. When you're not used, it can cause serious injuries.

Statistics show that 30 to 75% of runners get hurt annually. There are many possible causes, and researchers have concluded that stretching, running frequency, weight, biomechanical misalignment, and muscle imbalance are some of the reasons.

When normal training doesn't feel right, it might be time to incorporate a new method.

You can do Pilates for runners.

At La Dolce Studio, we offer various Pilates sessions, including virtual sessions, to save time and less-hassle travel. We will carefully assess your needs as a runner, so we can focus on areas you need to improve.

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Pilates and Runners - A Team!

With all weight-loss methods available, picking out what's effective and what's not can be confusing.

However, here are some points that prove how Pilates help you to lose weight: In 2017, a small study looked at 37 overweight or obese women aged 30 to 50. The researchers discovered that eight weeks of Pilates practice was effective for fat loss, BMI reduction, slimming the waist, and toning down the abdomen and hips.

In addition, here are some more advantages to incorporating Pilates into your routine.

Reduce Risk of Injury

The priority for any athlete should be to achieve core stability through balanced musculature.

In other words, stability comes first, followed by movement. During dynamic movement, core stability protects the spine and surrounding musculature from injury. Because Pilates encourages proper movement patterns and teaches proper posture, you are less likely to re-injure the same area or injure something else due to compensation.

Pilates also assists you in identifying any weaknesses that might be affecting your performance. You will learn muscular cues to help you fire up and strengthen muscles, allowing you to maintain a better running posture.

Run Faster

Most runners understand that maintaining proper form requires a strong and balanced body.

Pilates helps you loosen your hips, legs, and back, contributing to a fluid, long stride. It is also critical to keep your psoas (abdominal muscles that connect the spinal column to the femurs and aid in flexing and rotating the leg and the trunk on the pelvis) in peak condition by keeping them both flexible and powerful.

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Improve Core Strength

Pilates will promote the development of sufficient core stability by focusing on engaging the core when performing all exercises. A common misconception is that the core consists only of the abdominal muscles; however, it also includes the hips, back, shoulders, and neck stabilising muscles.

Runners must have strong lower abdominals and hip stabilising muscles so that excess stress is not placed on the lower back and lower limb joints, which can lead to injury.

Correct core muscle engagement around the back, neck, and shoulders promotes upper body relaxation and a more upright running posture.

Improve Balance

Some of the fundamental principles of Pilates are to emphasise balance, mobility, and breath control. Balance declines as we age, and those who regularly practice Pilates see dramatic improvements in balance and find it easier to maintain as they age.

If you've ever tripped or stumbled while running on a rocky trail, you know how important it is for your core muscles to come to your aid.

Recover Fast

Pilates low impact exercises that promote blood flow. They can help reverse any adverse side effects from a long run or quality training sessions, such as muscle soreness and tightness.

Pilates will help with muscle lengthening to improve joint mobility and flexibility instead of the muscles constantly shortening during running.

Pilates is an excellent cross-training option if you're recovering from an injury. It will help without putting additional strain on your joints and may even shorten your recovery time, allowing you to return to running sooner.

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Incorporate Pilates Into Your Running

As with strength training, you should plan your Pilates practice around your running, especially if you are training for a race, including hard workouts and long runs each week.

Don't do Pilates the day before a long run because it causes ab fatigue.

Instead, use Pilates to stretch and strengthen on your hard workout days, complying with the principle of making your hard days hard and your easy days easy.

Plus, Pilates will realign you after a hard workout and give you a good stretch, leaving you feeling energised for the next day's run. Most Pilates workouts are only 25-30 minutes long, making them ideal for rest days or after a run.

You can start with mat pilates exercises and add inexpensive accessories like a Pilates toning ring (also known as a magic circle) or a Pilates ball for extra resistance.

If you're new to Pilates and don't do Yoga or core work regularly, start with one weekly session.

If you're already familiar with Yoga and do core work regularly, you can aim for two weekly sessions. As you progress, aim to include 1-3 Pilates weekly sessions on nonconsecutive days to reap the most benefits.

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Do Pilates Like A Pro

If you're ready to improve your running performance but don't know how to start and properly execute Pilates, we're here to help.

Here at La Dolce Studio, we have a personal trainer that will guide you as you start doing Pilates. We offer one-on-one sessions because we believe everyone has different body shapes and needs.

By seeking help from us, you can transition from having muscle imbalance to improved balance.

Book a class today, and become a better runner.