Running is one of the most popular and practiced sports worldwide. Whether it be for cardiovascular benefits, stress relief or tackling weight concerns, most of us will have taken up running at one point in our life. This might explain why the statistic for injuries in runners remain so high. alongside the fact running is a high impact and repetitive sport, culturally among runners it seems normal for people to think they can pop on their trainers and head out for a 5k run after 3 months of hibernating throughout winter. 

Unfortunately our bodies are not designed for this and need conditioning in order to withstand the demands of this high impact sport. Specifically we need our muscles to have the strength, tissue responsiveness and range to reduce the risk of injury. 

So what can Pilates help us with?

1. Core Strength

When most people talk about core, we instantly think of Brad Pitt chiselled six pack abs. However, when physiotherapists talk about core, we are more interested in the function of the deep core muscles to maintain posture and running form. Of course chiselled abs is another great benefit of pilates but for runners looking to improve their performance and reduce injuries, there are many other benefits to be gained. Stability and core strength are essential for an efficient running technique and these just happen to be the foundations of any Pilates class. Adding in a couple of core sessions to your weekly routine will be game changing we promise!

2. Pelvis and trunk stability

Our core strength is the secret weapon that provides pelvic and trunk stability to withstand the high impact demands of running. By challenging our stability during a dynamic pilates class, we are able to replicate that challenge of holding form (posture) under fatigue – like during a marathon or towards the end of a rugby game when our running technique becomes a little ‘sloppy’. We have all been there – excited to see our official race photos only to notice our bent over posture with shoulders up at our ears! Not quite the inspiring run we left the start line with! When runners start to fatigue and lose trunk control, they may start to sway side to side at the hips or trunk. This is wasted energy and causes us to slow down instead of driving energy forward. If we can improve our ability to maintain good posture over a sustained period, we are going to improve our overall efficiency and performance in a race! 

3. Endurance

Evidence would suggest that injuries are more likely to happen when poor form and kinematics happen. This tends to be at the end of a run when our muscles begin fatigue. The benefit that our tailored pilates classes have,  is the ability to replicate a similar function to running. We specifically target the key muscles needed to maintain form and alignment throughout your run and push you to the point of fatigue. We have everything from plyometrics to strength work so all necessary attributes of our muscles are addressed. 

4. mobility

Mobility for runners can often be overlooked but since running is such a repetitive high impact movement, it is crucial to maintain good muscle balance. This helps to maintain a bio-mechanically sound running gait. By getting in a small amount of running specific mobility drills, we keep niggles and injuries at bay and improve our running performance by utilising the full range of our joints. 

5. Time effective

Our platform has a full library of 10 – 45min classes allowing you to fit in what you can at the beginning or the end of a run or end of your work day without too much of a commitment alongside your marathon training schedule. Our short workouts are targeted and effective meaning you don’t have to do a lot to see the benefits in your performance.

All levels welcome

We cater to all! Whether you are a complete beginner looking for tips on form, to an elite athlete looking to elevate your performance, our specialist physiotherapists have you covered.