Pilates for Runners
Are you training for a running event or do you run to stay fit and active?
From competitive athletes to the occasional jogger, Pilates can help give that competitive edge, reduce the risk of injury and leave you feeling strong, tall, fit and fabulous!
Pilates is a series of mind-body exercises that uses dynamic movements to stretch, strengthen and balance the entire body, proving it to be an excellent choice for core conditioning for any athlete.
Like Pilates, running uses your body as an interconnected machine, with every muscle group working together. Injuries occur when a particular muscle group is weak or is not in sync with the others, causing the rest of the machine to make compensations elsewhere. It takes more than strong legs and lungs to be a good runner. Having a strong center is essential for balance, flexibility, breathing and endurance.
At Fluid Motion Maui, we have several Mat-based and Equipment-based classes that are great for improving your posture, balance and symmetry to help you become a better runner and stay injury free.
Here are 5 great mat exercises for runners:
Obliques (bicycle): Strengthens abdominals and hip flexors.
Shoulder bridge: Strengthens and gluts, hamstrings and challenges stability of the pelvis. Unilateral leg lifts challenge muscular strength, endurance and pelvic/torso stability.
Breast Stroke: Strengthen posterior muscles as the chest and anterior shoulder are stretched.
Spine Twist Seated: Strengthens obliques and improves spinal rotation.
Leg Pull Front (plank with calf stretch): Strengthens entire body and stretches calf muscle.