If you are strength Training.. why you NEED to be doing Pilates…

4 and half million people own a gym membership in the UK. There has been a huge surge in people participating in structured strength training routines.

If you are looking to drop body fat, improve your shape and boost your metabolism to encourage your body to be more efficient, resistance training (weights..!) are a phenomenal tool to help assist you achieve your health and wellbeing goals. However, are your strength training habits discouraging you from moving optimally and in fact, encouraging joint and muscle pain?

It is an interesting question. It really does depend on how you are managing your strength training workouts and if you are addressing the other elements of movement, exercise and relaxation alongside it.

We have observed a massive spike in overuse/ tendon injuries in our clinic in conjunction with the rise in popularity of strength training. You name it…. tennis/ golfers elbow, achilles tendon pain, knee pain, rotator cuff (shoulder) problems.. All the above present regularly in our practice, often as a result of.. wait for it… too much gym! Specifically, too much repetition of the same types of exercises with perhaps not enough focus on form, technique or rest days. (It may be time to recruit a qualified Personal Trainer to help you learn.)

Do not misunderstand me, I passionately believe in resistance training, I love the gym, it is a wonderful habit which is absolutely to be encouraged…BUT… If you have a niggle or a repetitive issue as a result of going to the gym or exercise, DON’T BE AN OSTRICH…do not let it become a BIG problem by not implementing some of these easy Pilates strategies.

3 reasons why Pilates will transform and improve to your workout routine..

IT ENCOURAGES YOU TO MOVE DIFFERENTLY…

Switch your movements up…

Strength training, running, cycling etc all tend to move in a singular movement plane, the movements are disciplined and consistent. However, they often do not take you through different planes of movement like twisting or side bending. It is easy for your body to forget how to implement these amazing different ways to move and get stuck in a proverbial movement rut.

It is a simple as use it or lose it! Pilates encourages twisting, bending, hinging, rotating whilst being mindful of moving with grace, balance and fluidity. It is the perfect accompaniment to the gym. If you can learn and encourage your body to use different movement patterns, it will recruit different muscles and encourage a more balanced, less injury prone physique.

IT ENCOURAGES YOU TO BREATHE DEEPLY…

It is often easy to forget to breathe naturally, easily and deeply. Pilates allows you to connect movement with breath, it encourages you to breathe deeply to achieve fluid, natural movement patterns which optimise muscular contractions. If you can establish a deeper mind-muscle relationship/ connection, when you do work out in the gym, you will find it easier to focus on specific areas, accelerating both functional and aesthetic progress as well as helping you manage stress!

IT WILL HELP DEVELOP SUPER STABLE JOINTS…

Pilates is an amazing method for achieving and establishing joint stability. It will encourage you to activate the accessory muscles which stabilise the shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and spine. When you create a safe and stable musculoskeletal frame, aesthetic and strength gains will skyrocket whilst minimising the risk of injury and dysfunction.