 |
AllWomenSport.com
* Home * What's new * Sports index * Features * My story * Employment * New products * Archives & downloads * Coming events * Links * The trade * Fitness & health * Editorial * About us * Letters * Return to main Guidomedia index |
What's
new Our
other mags |
Pilates
injury recovery It
has occurred to most people at least once while playing a sport: an injury has
happened, taking you off away from the action and putting you on the sidelines.
However, what if there was a way to help prevent injuries and instead enable you
to become a better athlete?But first, what is an injury? An injury occurs when there is a breakdown or disruption of the tissue, or by the muscles in the body being overloaded. This is the primary type of injury which is usually caused by a collision or tear in the muscle, or overuse of the muscle or tendon. The solution for injury prevention and better performance comes in the form of Pilates. Created by Joseph H. Pilates, Pilates (pronounced puh-la-tees ) involves a series of movements and exercises designed to strengthen and lengthen muscles. When done right, this can help improve performance and endurance in sports and the prevention of injuries. "Pilates teaches the athlete how to stretch and strengthen his body correctly, increasing spinal stability and mobility through joints, thus, decreasing the risk of injuries due to muscle weakness, poor flexibility or poor posture" says Rebecca Ogilvie, a Pilates and Fitness instructor. "Risk of injury in the lower back is significantly decreased when an athlete develops correct posture through the development of strong core stabilizers." Pilates is also a good way to help keep in shape, providing athletes with increased core strength, balance and flexibility and allowing them to develop a heightened sense of awareness of their body. "This leads to more efficient and effective execution of skills and allows for fine tuning of these sport specific skills", says Ogilvie. It is a low impact exercise that in addition to reducing injury, helps improve posture, boosts the body's immune system, helps relieve stress, and helps to increase flexibility in the body. It is neither forced nor repetitive so no straining occurs and instead, correct form and posture is emphasized. Many dancers and athletes such as Tiger Woods, the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team, and basketball stars such as Jason Kidd use Pilates to strengthen their performance and prevent injury. However, Pilates is something that not just athletes can do. It can be done by everyone, regardless of their age, fitness or ability level. There are two types of Pilates; one involves machinery which uses resistance and the other is mat Pilates which uses a series of more controlled exercises and stretches. Both types of Pilates have a series of up to 500 different controlled exercises which are performed slowly and with great concentration. Since the aim of Pilates is to strengthen and lengthen muscles rather than bulking them up, very few repetitions are done of each exercise. In addition to the exercises, there are eight main principles involved in Pilates. They are: relaxation, concentration, alignment, breathing, centring, co-ordination, flowing movement, and stamina. Relaxation: The starting point, releasing all unwanted tension from the body. Concentration: Constant focus needs to be maintained on how you are moving each muscle or body part. Alignment: Keeping the body in good postural alignment is necessary to avoid the stress of joints. Breathing: The body needs enough oxygen in order to perform each exercise, allowing the upper body to be more fluid and mobile. Centring: By keeping the navel back towards the spine, the lower back is protected and therefore helps to stabilize your body. Co-ordination: By repeating movements precisely and accurately, normal movement to joints Flowing movement: Movements that are performed in Pilates are natural and performed slowly and controlled to avoid straining of muscles. Stamina: Pilates aims to help build endurance to core muscles. This helps athletes use their muscles more efficiently. The cost of doing a Pilates course can vary, with one on one with a trainer costing more than group exercise. Classes can range from one hour to one and a half hours. Pilates can help you in which ever sport you do, from helping you perform better, faster, and more efficiently to helping minimise the potential for injury and the amount of time spent as a bench warmer. If professional athletes such as Tiger Woods can find results from doing Pilates, so can you. By Nataskia van Dam Nov 2005
| We
cover... |
|
AllWomenSport.com
* Home * What's new * Sports index * Features * My story * Employment * New products * Archives & downloads * Coming events * Links * The trade * Fitness & health * Editorial * About us * Letters * Return to main Guidomedia index |
Return
to top