Download Pilates for Winter Sports

Pilates for winter
Workouts
sports
muscles and joint structures to respond to
greater stimulus. It lowers blood pressure,
and improves blood flow which will increase
cardiac output. More specifically, the warm
up is both psychological as well as physiological. The higher the level of athletics
or fitness, the more the warm up should be
appropriately adapted to activate the energy
systems that are required for that sport.
Pilates for
Whether you play – or you train others
to play – pilates is a great way to get that
athletic edge during the colder months.
By Kerrie Lee Brown
VP, Communications STOTT PILATES®
Winter is right around the corner, and
with the colder weather comes snowboarders, skiers, hockey players, and skating
enthusiasts ready to strut their stuff. How
do they build strength, increase energy, and
get in shape for their favourite sport?
Pilates-based exercises help improve
performance, reduce injury, and relieve
stress. It also focuses on re-balancing your
muscles around the joints, improving your
alignment
andLEE
flexibility.
BY
KERRIE
BROWN
eficial in assisting overall flexibility (lower
back, hamstrings, and shoulders) and this
can aid in creating a stronger game on the
ice, and a greater level of stamina during
the elements on the hills. Also, the emphasis on breath as one of the principles can
aid an athlete to focus during their game
and control precise movements required for
their sport.
Winter Spo
VP, Communications STOTT PILATES®
“Pilates also assists in rehabilitation
after injury and creates balance throughout
the entire body,” says Moira Merrithew,
co-founder of STOTT PILATES®. “As
a result, athletes can withstand rigorous
training regimes and ultimately improve
their strength and endurance for skiing or
hockey, and ultimately prevent or recover
from injury while maintaining an optimal
is right
around the
weight for theirinter
activity
of choice.”
corner, and with the colder
weather
comes strength
snowboarders,
Pilates is a form
of overall
and
skiers,
hockey
players, and
conditioning used
in the
development
of
skating
enthusiasts
strutfocuses
their stuff.
strong core
musclesready
whichtoalso
on
How
do they
build strength,
energy,
breathing,
balance,
and rangeincrease
of motion.
and
get in
shapebeing
for their
sport?
“Pilates
is now
usedfavourite
by professional
Pilates-based
exercises help
improve
hockey
players, Olympic
athletes,
andperformance,
andbecause
relieve stress.
It also
extremereduce
sportsinjury,
fanatics
it helps
focuses
onjoint
re-balancing
around
increase
stability your
and muscles
strengthens
thethe
joints,
improving
your
alignment
andprevents
flexibility.
deep core
muscles
which
in turn
“Pilates
in rehabilitation
injuries
andalso
leadsassists
to improved
athletic
after
injury andadds
creates
balance throughout
performance,”
Moira.
the entire body,” says Moira Merrithew,
co-founder
STOTT
PILATES
Pilates andof
your
regular
workout®. “As a
result, athletes can withstand rigorous training regimes
and athletes
ultimately
improve
their
What most
don’t
realize,
howstrength
andthe
endurance
for pilates
skiing or
hockey,
ever, is that
most basic
exercises
and
prevent or recover
from
injury
can ultimately
be easily incorporated
into their
regular
while
maintaining an
optimal For
weight
for
sport-conditioning
regimens.
instance,
their
activity
of choice.”
on a light
weight
day, a recovery workout
is to
a form
overall strength
day,Pilates
or prior
skill of
acquisition
days, a
and
conditioning
in the
pilates
workout isused
a great
waydevelopment
to work on
of
strong core muscles
which and
also proper
focuses
neuromuscular
coordination
on
breathing, balance,
rangeoption
of mo-is to
muscle-firing
patterns.and
Another
tion.
“Pilates
is now
being used
by profesadd some
pilates
exercises
into the
warm-up
sional
hockey players, Olympic athletes,
activity.
and extreme sports fanatics because it helps
increase
stability
and strengthens
the
The joint
warm-up
prepares
the mind and
deep
which
in turnmoveprevents
body core
to actmuscles
succinctly
to create
injuries
to heart
improved
athletic
perment; asand
wellleads
as the
muscles,
skeletal
formance,” adds Moira.
Mind-body connection
Pilates helps the neuromuscular system
prepare the motor units to fire with speed,
force and in the proper sequence for
biomechanical efficient movement. Previous warm-up routines included stretching,
but the risks and benefits of stretching are
mixed and often not collaborative in the
research.
“Most sports demand a delicate balance of mental and physical skill,” explains
President and CEO of STOTT PILATES®,
Lindsay G. Merrithew. “Pilates enables
you to focus on both through mind-body
awareness by gaining insight into the inseparable connection between the physical
and psychological components of athletic
performance. Athletes can take their physical performance to a higher level by training
their minds in addition to their bodies.”
Pilates is effective because it trains all
three functional muscle systems. Trainers
can encourage their athletes to stabilize
the joints effectively at low loads, and then
progress to strengthening eccentrically
which will control deceleration movements
by using the global stabilizers and finally
progressing to the larger global mobilizers,
with the inherent joint stability already in
place.
The end result
When all muscular systems work in a
timely and coordinated fashion, the athlete
can achieve large gains in strength, skill,
coordination, and biomechanical efficiency.
Pilates focuses on improving stabilization of
the lumbo-pelvic region, and the theory is
that improved core stability gained through
pilates training will carry over the sporting realm, reducing the risk of injury, and
improving performance.
“Most sports demand a delicate balance of mental and physical skill,” explains
For all your pilates needs, visit www.
President and CEO of STOTT PILATES®,
stottpilates.com.
Lindsay G. Merrithew. “Pilates enables you to
focus on both through mind-body awareness
GRAHAM: Two pics saved as “STOby gaining insight into the inseparable conTT” and “STOTT2”. Please give photo
nection between the physical and psychocredit to STOTT PILATES® photography
logical components of athletic performance.
© Merrithew Corporation
Athletes can take their physical performance
to a higher level by training their minds in
addition to their bodies.”
Pilates is a key component to athletic conditioning because it focuses on the
deeper muscle groups, or ‘local’ stabilizers.
This is key when controlling joint movement
and in sustaining the stability of the joints
that can often be damaged through repetitive and high demand training. As well, the
physical awareness that the athlete gains
through a strong pilates program can aid in
their movement control, enabling them to
increase their level of performance.
John Garey, owner of John Garey Pilates
in Los Angeles and a STOTT PILATES®
Master Instructor Trainer, says he’s heard from
many athletes that when they take pilates,
they start to think about their body and its
function differently. In particular, they think
more about their centre or their core. “Athletes find that they transfer all that they learn
in the studio to the rink or the slopes, often
subconsciously,” he explains. “Pilates makes
W
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September/October
September/October 2009
2009
Pilates
and is
your
regular
workout
Pilates
a key
component
to athletic
What mostbecause
athletesitdon’t
realize,
howconditioning
focuses
on the
ever,
is that
the groups,
most basic
pilatesstabilizers.
exercises
deeper
muscle
or ‘local’
can
incorporated
intojoint
theirmoveregular
Thisbeiseasily
key when
controlling
sport-conditioning
regimens.
For instance,
ment and in sustaining
the stability
of the
on
a light
day, be
a recovery
joints
thatweight
can often
damagedworkout
through
day,
or priorand
to skill
days, aAs
pilates
repetitive
high acquisition
demand training.
workout
a great way
to workthat
on the
neuromuswell, theisphysical
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athlete
cular
and proper
gainscoordination
through a strong
pilates muscle-firing
program can
patterns.
Another
option
is to add
some
aid in their
movement
control,
enabling
pilates
exercises
thelevel
warm-up
activity.
them to
increaseinto
their
of performance.
The warm-up prepares the mind and
bodyJohn
to actGarey,
succinctly
movement;
ownertoofcreate
John Garey
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asinwell
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Los as
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andmuscles,
a STOTT
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jointInstructor
structuresTrainer,
to respond
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Master
says to
he’s
heard
stimulus.
It lowers
blood
and
imfrom many
athletes
that pressure,
when they
take
proves
willabout
increase
pilates,blood
they flow
start which
to think
theircardiac
body
output.
specifically,
theInwarm
up is
and its More
function
differently.
particular,
both
as well
as physiological.
theypsychological
think more about
their
centre or their
The
the level
of athletics
or fitness,
core.higher
“Athletes
find that
they transfer
all
the
warm
up studio
shouldto
bethe
approprithatmore
theythe
learn
in the
rink
ately
adapted
activate
the energy systems
or the
slopes,to
often
subconsciously,”
he
that
are required
that athletes
sport. get back
explains.
“Pilatesfor
makes
in touch with their basic training principles
Mind-body
connection
and therefore
expands on what they already
Pilates
the are
neuromuscular
sysknow.
Thehelps
benefits
increased power,
tem
prepare
themobility.”
motor units to fire with
strength,
and
speed, force and in the proper sequence for
biomechanical
efficient
movement.
Previous
Increased flexibility
and
overall stamina
warm-up routines included stretching, but
the risks
and benefits
of stretching
are mixed
Because
pilates works
on a controlled
and
often notofcollaborative
lengthening
the muscles,init the
canresearch.
be ben-
STOTT PILATES® photography © Merrithew Corporation
Whether you play – or you train others to play – pilates is a
great way to get that athletic edge during the colder months.
ports
athletes get back in touch with their basic
training principles and therefore expands on
what they already know. The benefits are
increased power, strength, and mobility.”
Increased flexibility and overall stamina
Because pilates works on a controlled
lengthening of the muscles, it can be beneficial in assisting overall flexibility (lower back,
hamstrings, and shoulders) and this can aid
in creating a stronger game on the ice, and a
greater level of stamina during the elements
on the hills. Also, the emphasis on breath as
one of the principles can aid an athlete to
focus during their game and control precise
movements required for their sport.
Pilates is effective because it trains all
three functional muscle systems. Trainers
can encourage their athletes to stabilize
the joints effectively at low loads, and then
progress to strengthening eccentrically
which will control deceleration movements by using the global stabilizers and
finally progressing to the larger global
mobilizers, with the inherent joint stability
already in place.
The end result
When all muscular systems work in a
timely and coordinated fashion, the athlete
can achieve large gains in strength, skill,
coordination, and biomechanical efficiency.
Pilates focuses on improving stabilization of
the lumbo-pelvic region, and the theory is
that improved core stability gained through
pilates training will carry over the sporting realm, reducing the risk of injury, and
improving performance.
For all your pilates needs, visit
www.stottpilates.com. P
September/October 2009
37