RunningAHEAD - Topic: Pilates

PrinceJ

posted: 8/27/2008 at 6:54 AM

I've been thinking about joining a new gym (Crunch Fitness) and before doing so, I tried all of their classes and went at various times to see what hours were the most crowded. One of the classes I took was Pilates...I was the only guy in the class. The rest of the class was professional dancers and two days latter my muscles are still sore! Has anyone else tried pilates?

I'm condemned by a society that demands success when all I can offer is failure. -Max Bialystock

ymmv

posted: 8/27/2008 at 7:16 AM

Quote from PrinceJ on 8/27/2008 at 6:54 AM:

I've been thinking about joining a new gym (Crunch Fitness) and before doing so, I tried all of their classes and went at various times to see what hours were the most crowded. One of the classes I took was Pilates...I was the only guy in the class. The rest of the class was professional dancers and two days latter my muscles are still sore! Has anyone else tried pilates?

No, but you've certainly got me thinking about it....

Marcus L S

The Greatest of All Time

posted: 8/27/2008 at 7:50 AM
modified: 8/27/2008 at 7:50 AM

I took Pilates for about 6 months. I loved it. I wish the gym I go to now offered classes that fit my schedule. My flexibility increased tremendously and having a strong core is never a bad thing for a runner. It's really good stuff. I still do a lot of the exercises I learned in those classes. FWIW, I was one of the only guys in my class as well.

all you touch and all you see, is all your life will ever be

Obesity is a disease. Yes, a disease where nothing tastes bad...except salads.

frankster

posted: 8/27/2008 at 1:34 PM

I've been doing Pilates three times a week for the past year and a half. As expected it really helped to increase my core strength. A nice surpise is that it also increased my flexibility. Some of the moves really stretch your legs and hips. I notice that if I stop Pilates for a period of time the tightness in my legs comes back. I am mostly self taught through a few videos and books I found. I have been meaning to take classes but have not gotten around to it yet.

RunB

posted: 8/31/2008 at 6:53 PM

I went to my second pilates class last Wednesday. The first class was quite easy but I felt it was good core exercise. I thought, hey that was easy, it's probably because I'm already fit and it's a beginner level class. At the second class we had a substitute teacher which probably didn't know it was a "beginner" level. It was a much harder workout and it was hard completing some of the exercises. My abs were sore for three days! During the class I also noticed how stiff I was. I definitely need to stretch more often. I'm definitely going again! - R

rururunner

posted: 8/31/2008 at 7:09 PM

Pilates is excellent cross-training for runners. I have been doing one Pilates class a week for 3 years off and on. We have a guy in our class who is in his mid 60s. Pilates started out as a rehabilitation program for men who were injured in the war. It is not so much about flexibility as yoga is, but more about having a very strong core - which means all the muscles you can't really see/feel, but are important for posture and running. I notice it the most in my back - I sit very straight. When you first start, you might notice it more in your stomach muscles. I would highly recommend it. Start with a course so that you can have some feedback on how you are doing. The breathing is different from yoga as well. Then you can go off on your own with DVDs if you like. Ruth

Suffering Benefiting from mature onset exercise addiction and low aerobic endorphin release threshold. Hoping there is no cure.

run.likethewind

posted: 9/9/2008 at 9:29 AM

I did pilates for months, but I never really liked it... I've found just a variety of different crunches have made my abs stronger and better looking than pilates ever did. Maybe I was doing it wrong lol? I dunno... Everybody seems to love it.

Rundadrun27

posted: 10/5/2008 at 1:02 PM

My local YMCA offers a drop-in Pilates class which I've attended a couple of times. Like the O.P., I was the only male in the group. I was a little sore the next day, but I thinks that's just because I was not used to it.

MrFinn

Prince of Fatness

posted: 11/14/2008 at 7:00 AM

I'm dealing with stress fractures in my shins right now. I am convinced that the root cause is lack of flexibility. I tried doing some yoga last night and do I ever need work on flexibility. My wife has a pilates CD and I am going to give that a try. But if yoga focuses more on flexibility I am leaning in that direction.

Not at it at all.

Phidippides

posted: 11/14/2008 at 9:15 AM

Quote from MrFinn on 11/14/2008 at 7:00 AM:

I'm dealing with stress fractures in my shins right now. I am convinced that the root cause is lack of flexibility. I tried doing some yoga last night and do I ever need work on flexibility. My wife has a pilates CD and I am going to give that a try. But if yoga focuses more on flexibility I am leaning in that direction.

Yoga is the best for flexibility, but you must be very careful not to overstretch when doing Yoga. I did overstretch and the YOGA ended up causing me a injury --- or rather my doing yoga incorrectly and pushing too hard.....

Champions are made when no one is watching

MrFinn

Prince of Fatness

posted: 11/14/2008 at 9:20 AM

Quote from Phidippides on 11/14/2008 at 9:15 AM:

Yoga is the best for flexibility, but you must be very careful not to overstretch when doing Yoga. I did overstretch and the YOGA ended up causing me a injury --- or rather my doing yoga incorrectly and pushing too hard.....

Yeah, I had heard that you want to ease into it and I plan on being careful. Thanks. I am going to treat it just like running ... slow and steady buildup.

Not at it at all.

invisible

posted: 11/15/2008 at 12:21 AM

Excellent Hatha Yoga site: http://www.movingintostillness.com/ Click 'Teachings'. Pay special attention to: The Wind Through The Instrument Lines of Energy Playing the Edge

90 percent of the game is not giving up.

Pilates (Read 1767 times)