Fit to Print Volume 23 Issue 1: March 2014 | Page 6

M i n d B o d y S p i rby Monica Jones
it

by Dina Voigt

Pilates is for Runners
Correcting Imbalances Keeps You Running

H

ere on Long Island, many people
take their athletic training
indoors during the cold winter
months. Enter Spring…the time when
many people combine their gym
routines with outdoor exercise and
training.
I have many clients that are runners.
For them, the training really never
stops. Cold weather, warm weather,
hot weather, rain, snow; none of these
stop them from training. The good
news for them is that they have added
Pilates training to their endurance
training which has helped them stay fit
and adaptable, not only to the changes
of weather and terrain, but to the
changes in their bodies as well.
Some of my runners have come to me
to help in their recovery from a
running related injury. Many come to
me for injury prevention and to
improve their running and endurance.
Why is Pilates so important for runners
(especially marathon runners) and
endurance athletes? How does Pilates
benefit runners?
Typically, endurance athletes such as
runners move in one, frontal plane for
a long duration of time. This repetitive
motion exacerbates imbalance and
muscle recruitment patterns that
overdevelop some muscles while
neglecting others. Many runners love
their exercise with a heavy dose of
sweat and onslaught of endorphins
driven by tangible and numeric results
and are mainly powered by the feet,
legs and glutes. Due to these facts,
some runners find it a bit challenging
to focus when they first begin Pilates
training, however this is quickly
overcome when they realize that they
can feel improvement as soon as their
very first session!!!
Pilates teaches the body to move in
balance, as a “whole” and not a
handful of limbs. It teaches you to
originate from the core, taking the
limbs “along for the ride” and teaches
proper control of your muscles, all
while protecting the joints. Not only
does Pilates strengthen the diaphragm

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with its focus on specific breathing
techniques, it also corrects
imbalances in the body by
stretching tight muscles and
strengthening weaker ones. Pilates
strengthens the core and improves
flexibility and overall body
awareness; all of which help you
run longer with less effort and
reduce risk of injury.
Learning to breathe deeper can
help sustain longer runs. There
may be no “perfect” way for
runners to breathe when they run.
Some take deep breaths for most
of their run and switch to upper
chest breathing while sprinting.
Different types of breathing are
applied for different outcomes.
Pilates helps develop stronger
breathing muscles. It involves deep
diaphragmatic breathing which
pre-activates the transverse
abdominals and pelvic floor
muscles. Deep, even, sustained
breath can help prevent side
cramps while running, acting like a
deep massage for the diaphragm
and other breathing muscles. This
breath focus also heightens your
concentration, allowing for better
mental focus which is very
beneficial for running.
Developing a strong core and
postural awareness can help you
reduce injuries. Running exerts a
lot of stress on the lower back and
lower joints of the body. Any
imbalance in the muscular usage of
the hips and legs can cause pain
and injury to a runner. Pilates is
extremely effective at developing
the stabilizing muscles around the
pelvis and strengthening the deep
core, thereby bringing these
muscles and the body into balance.
Postural awareness is also a key
component in Pilates, which leads
to better alignment so the upper
body is more upright while being
supported by newly strengthened
muscles, which leads to less
chance of injury while running.
It is widely known that Pilates
Spring 2014 FIT to Print

improves flexibility. Not only does it
improve flexibility and range of
motion, it does so while strengthening
and stretching the muscles
simultaneously. This increase of range
of motion without compromising
strength is extremely beneficial to the
runner.
Because they are subjected to a heavy
workload, knee, hip and ankle injuries
are common in runners.
Shock impact is inevitable with every
step a runner takes. A strong, flexible
core will protect your back and absorb
this shock impact properly, reducing
stress on the joints. Pilates is one o