Pilates for Cyclists

WELCOME TO THE WORKSHOP

About myself

• Spinning® qualified / ICA member

• 10 years experience of Indoor Cycling

• Pursuing advanced diploma in Pilates

• Trained in Pilates for Cyclists

• BEMOTION (be-motion.co.uk)

What is Pilates???

Most common misconceptions

Is Pilates …

Only for women?

Like Yoga?Boring?

TooEasy/hard?

Is Pilates only for Women?

Joseph Pilates, creator of the method

Is Pilates only for Women?

Is Pilates like Yoga?

Pilates YogaMind/body

FlowBreath

Is Pilates boring?

When participants:

•Don’t understand what they’re doing

•Not challenged enough

Is Pilates too easy?..…or maybe too hard?!

Not challenging enough Not enough adaptations

Not enough options

What is Pilates all about?

2.Lateral

breathing

3.Flowing

movement

1.Concentrate

6.Precision

5.Centering 4.

Control

6 principles

5.Centering

5th principle - centering

Core Power house

Very happy with his core

5th principle - centering

5th principle - centering

What is your core, really?

Core muscles are:

• Abdominals

PLUS:

• Other muscles that attach to the spine or pelvis.

Core muscles vs. global muscles

5th principle - centering

Core responsible for:

• Stabilising spine and pelvis

• Lie very close to skeleton

• Axial skeleton

• Originate and insert on spine

• Always engaged – 20-30%

Core muscles vs. global muscles

5th principle - centering

Global or phasic responsible for:

• Movement

• Close to the surface

• Appendicular skeleton

• Contraction 70-100%

POWERHOUSE – centre of movement

5th principle - centering

• Abdominals

• Pelvic floor

• Muscles around hip joint

• Lower back

6th principle - precision

Neutral alignment:

Key to quality of execution

of movement

Why is Pilates good for cyclists?

Posture on the bike

Posture on the bike

• Semi-prone position

• Hyper-extended neck

• Extended back

• Flexed trunk

• Flexed hip

• Flexed knee

• Flexed ankle

Let’s practice!

Let’s unfold this posture now…

Kyphotic and lordotic posture

Head / chin forward

Increased curvature of thoracic spine (kyphosis)

Short and tight:• Neck extensors• Hip flexors• Lower back

Hyper-extended lower back (lordosis)

Hips flexed

Plantar flexion

Long and weak:• Neck flexors• Upper back• Erector spinae• Glutes• Abdominals

Weak link in bio-mechanic chain

Posture on the bike

Results of weak core in cyclists

Posture on the bike

Decreased leg power

Muscular over-useSpinal and disc injuries

Muscle imbalances

What is functional training?

Working your muscles in a functional manner, so their

strength can be directly translated into performing activity.

Pilates as functional training

TargetingCore muscles

Postural awareness

Neuro-muscular pathway

improvement

Stabilisation