Pilates is all about strength, flexibility and efficiency of movement. For any cyclist improving efficiency is key – the more power they can produce with less effort, the faster they can travel for longer. This is achieved – among other things - by focusing on the core muscle groups. Sir Bradley Wiggins (who knows a thing or two about cycling!) is quoted as using Pilates to help strengthen his core; as he says “without a solid core you can’t transfer power efficiently.”
Cyclists tend to have stronger and firmer legs due to constant cycling, but don’t pay much attention to the core, or upper body muscular conditioning. Many cyclists complain of back pain, aching shoulders and a weaker upper torso. Pilates dramatically improves flexibility and posture, making it a great way to counter the postural and muscular tightness and imbalances that result from cycling. Iso Fit in Central, Hong Kong, offers a top-notch Pilates facility that can help with all these things. Iso Fit’s personal training instructor team is comprised of dedicated and experienced professionals, many of which come from specialist movement backgrounds. As such, they are able to create a tailored training programme to cater to your individual needs, from the office worker to the professional athlete.
Read on to learn more about Pilates for Cyclists:
How can Pilates be useful for cyclists? Apart from enabling you to transfer more power and support to the legs, Pilates exercises are targeted to develop strength in the deep intrinsic muscles of the abdomen and spine, taking pressure off the superficial muscles and promoting more balanced and efficient use. Most of us think of “upper body conditioning” as weight lifting and adding unwanted bulk. Pilates doesn’t do this – instead will give you the strength to maintain good form for a longer period of time. Pilates exercises also help the pelvis to become more flexible, so as to move in alignment and well-balanced fashion with the developed core muscles. Via Pilates training, cyclists can attain proper alignment and stability of torso during long rides and achieve a better posture, balance and long-term strength. During most of their time cycling, cyclists often ignore the overall movement of their body, but Pilates helps them become self-aware of the movement of each muscle in their body. With this realization, cyclists can improve both their speed and endurance and better enjoy their time riding!
Pilates is a great addition to a cyclist’s regimen and is an excellent way for cyclists to acquire more core strength which helps support the lower back. As it can be exhausting to try to fit both cycling and Pilates into one day; we recommend adding Pilates to your “off-days’, that is a day you normally take off from bike riding. Pilates provides a great low-impact workout, isn’t overly exhausting, and has some great stretching built into the sessions. It only takes an hour – you’ll feel the difference!
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