[Closed] Pilates anyone?.....

There is a local class that I'm thinking of trying and wondered if anyone in the the world of STW is a believer [b]YES[/b] and has abs the size of potatoes [b]er nope [/b] 😳 to prove it?...

Helped by Mrs J being a pilates teacher!

Absolutely (Not the abs bit - up to 3 and a half mins plank though 🙂 ) and yoga after riding.

not convinced it helps much with mountain biking, the leg and hip stretches will uncoil the knotting that cycling does but minimal benefit to biking. BUT it wont do any harm and will be more generally beneficial.

Pilates focuses on core-strength doesn't it? That's got to be beneficial for any sport. I have been doing yoga for the last month and feel generally better for it. I find it really relaxing as well so have even been sleeping better!

If your a desk jockey like me - yes it helps. It'll stretch things like hamstrings, and strengthen your core. DO NOT believe for a minutes it's a relaxing thing (although relaxation seems to be a post workout benefit for some). If it's done properly some if the stretches will hurt.

Thinking of starting myself since my recent cyclefit revealed I'm as bound up as a compressed spring...

doing it every other day..i follow tgis 15min guide in youtube.. helps with core strenght.my backpain disappear and more stronger biking now.

I've just started yoga once a week and a plank for as long as i can hold it every evening (currently 90 secs max). Deffo feeling the benefit on the bike, and that's just riding to the station...

Yes,

Go to a place local to me that does small classes. Can't see large classes working as it is quite subtle at times. In general if it is easy you are doing it wrong.

My lower back now hurts less when I ride. I feel more flexible and stronger as well. I do generally feel better and notice when I go on holiday and miss a few weeks.

Not relevant to MTB but I can now hold a more aggressive TT position comfortably.

Yes, but only as a 5 minute self-taught stretching routine between the morning bike commute and a day as a desk-jockey. We found it useful in terms of staying comfortable and mobile through the day. Not really intended for fitness in our case. No desk-jockeying these days, I'm not really doing it any more.

my backpain disappear

Our work has started doing subsadised lunchtime classes, I've done two brief tasters and one 45 minute lesson, and after each instance my lower back pain (runs down me leg, so I guess it's a smidge of sciatica?) has been better. It hasn't gone, not yet, but it certainly eases it, and I generally feel very relaxed and happy afterwards. I need to do a bit more before I can say for sure, but on early evidence, for me it works really well. 🙂

we like it 🙂

done properly, it doesn't half do the biz!

Thanks for the replies...will give it a go.

I started it last September and I do 1 or 2 classes every week. My abs feel stronger and I have less back pain, and I think my flexibility is improving too.

Damaged my lower back in my 20's torn muscles etc, then about 10 years ago i was unable to ride two days in a row. Several trips to the doc's then a locum suggested core strengthen exercise (Yoga or Pilates), joined a Pilates and fair to say I haven't looked back, no pun intended, also helped out with asthma.

oh sorry, i thought
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Pilates is brilliant, it got me straight after slipping a disc (I was a desk jockey at the time). I've done it off and on for ages since and while it doesn't make me a better bike rider it doesn't make me worse and it makes me more comfortable during. I'd recommend it if you have the time.