SPORTS PILATES

taking any of the Pilates exercises or specific demands in sport. 5. Concentration This is the element of mind-body connec- tion. Conscious focus on the movement enhances body awareness. It helps to avoid any excessive or unwanted move- ment or substitution strategies for that exercise. 6. Breathing The use of lateral thoracic breathing enhances the diaphragm in a co-orientated pattern, furthermore it enhances the acti- vation of the deep stabilisers of the trunk and aids the focus of the exercises and its goals.

7. a) Sequencing Involves the concepts of achieving good movement or a correct movement pattern for that particular activity or exercise. 7. b) Lengthening Relates to the one muscle being length- ened to its full available range, while maintaining a good stable base or core. This is maintained while the opposite muscle group is being contracted to achieve the movement. Co-ordination and strength is necessary in order to achieve a lengthened state in the muscles.

Reprinted with permission of Sports Pilates (1)

EXAMPLE OF PILATES EXERCISE Muscles

Lengthen

• Quadriceps • Soleus • Rectus

abdominus

• Quadratus lumborum

Strengthen

• Hip extensors • Hamstrings

• Serratus anterior • Lower trapezius • Latissimus dorsi

• Deep neck flexors • Pectoralis major/ minor

• Obliques

Figure 2: Example of Pilates exercise to show length, strength and balance - leg prone exercise

As the exercises are undertaken progres- sively (core to foundation to performance) the ability of the exercise to enhance length on muscle will improve. Performance exercise undertaken without the development of core strength, co- ordination of movement or correct breath- ing will lead to difficulty performing the exercise. See figures 1 and 2.

SPORTS PILATES Sports Pilates has been developed as a user-friendly method of applying Pilates to sports training, although the basic principles have been taken a stage further (see Figure 3).

Pilates progression model Core exercises

Foundation exercises

Performance exercises

around the trunk, scapular and pelvis, which combine to develop a ‘whole body’ co-ordinated application of muscular strength, flexibility and proprioception.

The level of stability of the base required will be dependant upon the: ■ Demands of the sporting activity ■ Technique of the activity ■ Presence of an injury ■ Presence of a muscle imbalance.

Sports Pilates takes these principles further and seeks to provide a tool for reducing the effects of repetitive motion used in training and competitive sport. It allows individuals to challenge skills and movements used in their sport.

Movement dysfunction The presence of movement dysfunction (incorrect movement technique in sport) will lead to the inability to undertake a movement with maximum efficiency or the least expenditure of energy.

In the context of sport, three main factors contribute to the occurrence of injuries: ■ Energy wastage (poor technique/ fatigue)

Figure 1: Core areas for Pilates exercises (in yellow)

■ Tissue overload (the presence of an injury)

■ Altered muscle activation (poor posture for the activity/muscle imbalance).

Figure 3: Pilates progression model encompassing performance exercise

Within the model the progression of applied principles is progressive but inter- dependent on each other in order to achieve a balanced movement programme. As illustrated in the Pilates Progression model, the key to the application of the Pilates method in sport is the establish- ment of a stable base. This base consists of the co-ordination and correct recruit- ment of the low load stabiliser muscles

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The balanced approach of sports Pilates helps to limit these factors but the strength of the method lies in its ability to improve the presence of movement dys- function and its components.

MODEL OF PILATES PROGRAMME Postural awareness Postural awareness involves the level of awareness and position in which the Pilates exercise is undertaken. The con-

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©2003 Primal Pictures Ltd

©2003 Primal Pictures Ltd