{"id":2032,"date":"2015-02-27T00:52:42","date_gmt":"2015-02-27T00:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/?p=2032"},"modified":"2021-02-19T17:48:56","modified_gmt":"2021-02-19T17:48:56","slug":"pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline","title":{"rendered":"Pilates. My fourth triathlon discipline."},"content":{"rendered":"

For thousands of years, humans have been running and swimming. Cycling may be a more recent invention, but the past 100 years or so have seen it become one of the world\u2019s most common forms of transport, and exercise.<\/p>\n

Somewhere along the way \u2013 a competitive genius (or sadist) decided that combining all three unique activities into one race would be a good idea.<\/p>\n

Each activity uses a completely different set of movements, different muscles, and requires different skill-sets. On one hand, it\u2019s the perfect sport for those who like doing multiple things. But on the other, the duration of each leg, and the long hours of training required means that there\u2019s a significant risk of postural imbalance, muscle strain and injury over time. If not during the race itself.<\/p>\n

And that brings me onto my fourth triathlon discipline. Pilates.<\/p>\n

Before you ask, I\u2019m not suggesting the addition of a 5-mile Reformer carry into the triathlete\u2019s repertoire. But as a really effective form of prehabilitation (body maintenance and injury avoidance) it can be a fundamental element of the athlete\u2019s preparation.<\/p>\n

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Triathlons start with a swim.<\/strong> For some people, this is by far and away the hardest section of the race. It\u2019s all too easy to hold large amounts of tension in the shoulders, which can cause a lot of discomfort through the tops of the shoulders, just at the point where the shoulder blade joins with the back.<\/p>\n

Pilates<\/a> sessions usually include a good stretch into the upper part of the Trapezius muscle, solid shoulder retraction exercises and stability work through the mid-part of the back. All of which reduce tension in the Trapezius and encourage the shoulders\u2019 stabilising muscles to work through the back of the armpit and into the chest. By encouraging a posture that keeps the abs tight, ribs drawn in and the pelvis slightly tucked, Pilates also helps increase overall stability and reduce tension in the lower back.<\/p>\n

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The bike is next.<\/strong> It\u2019s the longest leg and most isolative motion of the race. Maintaining the same hunched posture, for long periods of time, with the legs working against as much resistance as the competitor can bear is both painful and potentially harmful. The forward riding position places the lumbar spine into an almost flat and unsupported alignment, whilst the forces and pressures from the pedalling action are working at right angles to it. Unsurprisingly low back pain is a common problem for many cyclists.<\/p>\n

Pilates\u2019 focus on a strong and stable core strengthens the muscles that support the lumbar spine, and helps athletes reduce the amount of excessive movement at the pelvis, reducing shear tension through the lower spine. Its ability to strengthen and improve the biomechanical efficiency of the Glutei (our bum cheeks) can also aid in the knee aligning properly, reducing the risk of Iliotibial band friction and knee pain. And by encouraging the correct shoulder alignment it helps stop the scapulothoracic joints (where the shoulder blades join the ribs) from tightening up and causing discomfort around the base of the neck.<\/p>\n

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And to finish, the run.<\/strong> The most easily trained for and most natural, but with many times the runner\u2019s bodyweight hitting the ground over thousands of strides, it\u2019s also the section with the highest impact on joints and muscles alike.<\/p>\n

To make matters worse, the majority of triathlons are run on tarmac, a notoriously unforgiving surface that does nothing to cushion the impact<\/p>\n

It\u2019s compounded by the fatigue factor that comes from already having already completed 2 gruelling disciplines, and that inevitably impacts on the runner\u2019s posture, stability, technique and form. All of which significantly increase the stresses and resulting risks of injury.<\/p>\n

By strengthening the core and encouraging correct muscle activation, Pilates significantly improves functional dynamic stability. By that, we mean the ability of the body to hold itself in better alignment for longer, even under fatigue, maintaining upright posture, stability and responsiveness. Stopping the knees from rotating inwards, and helping the leg muscles maintain their vital function as efficient \u2018shock absorbers\u2019 to protect the bones and joints from the repetitive impact of running.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

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TenPilates\u2019 Dynamic Pilates programme<\/strong> is an immersive and highly effective discipline in itself. However, one of it\u2019s core areas of excellence \u2013 and relevance to athletes and sedentary office workers alike \u2013 is its ability to develop strength and correct posture through the abdomen, bum, mid and upper part of the back \u2013 basically counteracting the effects of slouching and sporadic exercise that are such a harmful feature of modern life.<\/p>\n

For athletes in particular, the focus on proper muscle activation and alignment can help ensure the that the body is best prepared for the stresses and pressures of exercise. With right muscles holding the joints in the right place at the right time, the athlete can improve endurance and performance whilst, equally importantly, reducing the risk and incidence of injury.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For thousands of years, humans have been running and swimming<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":7911,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,101,116],"tags":[70,67,59,71,72],"class_list":["post-2032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-pilates","category-sports-performance","tag-cycling","tag-running","tag-sport","tag-swimming","tag-triathlon"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTen - The benefits of Pilates in triathlon training<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The benefits of Pilates in triathlon training help ensure the body is best prepared for the stresses, by focusing on proper muscle activation & alignment.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ten - The benefits of Pilates in triathlon training\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The benefits of Pilates in triathlon training help ensure the body is best prepared for the stresses, by focusing on proper muscle activation & alignment.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ten Health & Fitness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/pages\/TenPilates\/181187291162\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-02-27T00:52:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-02-19T17:48:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/pil27-pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1125\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Team Ten\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@TenPilates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@TenPilates\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Team Ten\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline\",\"name\":\"Ten - The benefits of Pilates in triathlon training\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/pil27-pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-02-27T00:52:42+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-02-19T17:48:56+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/21a7582cddb43cb11f955d7e2a48530c\"},\"description\":\"The benefits of Pilates in triathlon training help ensure the body is best prepared for the stresses, by focusing on proper muscle activation & alignment.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/pil27-pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/pil27-pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline1.jpg\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":1125},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/pilates-my-fourth-triathlon-discipline#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.ten.co.uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Pilates. 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