Pilates — 3 major benefits for CYCLISTS

Let’s start by saying that Pilates is particularly suitable for any individual whose daily lifestyle (including sporting habits) works against an optimum state. So, that’s pretty much everyone!

As cyclists, after cycling for tens if not hundreds of kilometres, we often experience tight hip flexors, painful (weak) lower backs, tight pectorals and hunched shoulders. This can flow over into everyday life and lead to the deterioration of functional movements and consequently lead to musculoskeletal ailments. Pilates can resolve the damage done.

In addition, Pilates can also improve athletic performance by targeting particular areas such as those tight hip flexors or weak glutes that are holding you back! Pilates is a low impact and sustainable form of supportive training that can bridge the gap between endurance cycling and everyday life. It helps to correct postural instabilities actually caused by cycling, returning the body to its natural state and in many cases improving it.

Pilates focuses on quality of movement, not quantity, and dramatically reduces the chances of injury.

Pilates helps to correct postural instabilities caused by cycling, returning the body to its natural state and in many cases improving it.

KEY WAYS PILATES CAN HELP CYCLISTS:

1.    It strengthens the spine and improves spinal mobility

2.    It relieves muscle tightness via a library of exercises that help to mobilise tight joints and associated muscles – namely the hip flexor complex

3.    It improves glute strength, particularly important for quad dominant cyclists

A little more on each point:

Weakness in spine muscles that are responsible for keeping the spine upright, namely the multifidus, can result in excessive spine flexion of the lower back during prolonged rides. This is one of the main factors associated with back pain in endurance cycling. Strengthening these muscles is important for resolving and managing lower back pain.

Pilates really works on lower limb movement patterns with particular emphasis on hip extension. This helps to open up the hip flexor angle and relieve the tension commonly caused by prolonged flexion in that area by all that time sitting on the saddle. There’s more though! Hip flexor tension is implicated in anterior pelvic tilt, leading to excessive lumbar (lower back) flexion in standing position. When coupled with weak multifidus (deep spine stabiliser), this can place unnecessary stress onto the lumbar spine, leading to pain and discomfort when standing.

Stronger glutes and an improved firing pattern of these muscles (achieved by Pilates and Redcord’s joint appreciation of muscular chains which would in this case be working posterior as opposed to anterior) means that you will be more efficient at recruiting these muscles. Et voilà!