Pilates as a complement to sport
Do you run, cycle, swim or go to the gym? How Pilates complements physical preparation, what research in athletes shows and whether it prevents injuries.
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Running, cycling, swimming, playing tennis or training at the gym takes strength, coordination, mobility and the ability to control your body in different situations.
Pilates can be added as a complement to your main training, letting you work on capacities such as movement control, balance, mobility and coordination.1,2
How can it complement physical preparation?
Depending on the class, Pilates can help you work on:1,2
- Strength;
- Endurance;
- Stability;
- Movement control;
- Balance;
- Mobility;
- Coordination;
- Awareness of how your body organises itself and moves.
In athletes, research has shown favourable results for capacities such as balance, flexibility, proper core activation during activities, muscular endurance and coordination. However, results vary with the sport, the programme and the characteristics of the participants.1,2
Does Pilates prevent injuries?
No sport or method can guarantee that a person won't get injured.
Injury risk is multifactorial and can be influenced by the interaction between training load, fatigue, recovery, individual characteristics and the specific demands of each sport.3
In sports such as football, prevention programmes with favourable results tend to combine different components, including strength, balance, agility and sport-specific exercises.4
So Pilates can be part of a broader physical preparation, but it should not be presented as a stand-alone solution for preventing injuries.1,3,4
How do you fit Pilates into your training?
You can use Pilates:
- As a complementary session to work on trunk strength and mobility;1,2
- On lighter days, when a gentler movement session fits your training plan;
- To give attention to capacities or areas your usual training works less;
- To practise moving with attention, coordination and control.
If you have a current injury, follow the advice of the professional overseeing your recovery before starting a general class.
At DUO
Choose strength, mobility, balance or full-body classes according to the rest of your training load for the week.
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