Running can be a great way to get in better cardiovascular shape, but it can also put a lot of stress on your body. Pilates is a great way to strengthen and stretch your muscles, improve your posture and flexibility, and undue some of the wear-and-tear a regular running program can put on your legs, hips, and back. Here are a just a few of the ways a regular Pilates practice can help runners of all skill levels:

Improved Breath Control
Paying attention to how and when you’re breathing is a big part of any Pilates practice. Pilates programs encourage the development of breath patterns and improve a practitioner’s lateral and active breathing. Pilates also helps strengthen and expand the diaphragm, allowing more air to be taken in with every breath. The improved breath control you get from Pilates allows you to take in more oxygen, improve your focus, and increase your stamina on longer runs.

Strengthened Back and Core Muscles
One of the main complaints of runners is the stress running puts on their backs. Pilates helps reduce common running-related back pain by strengthening the core and back muscles and improving a runner’s posture. This translates to a more upright running position, a longer and better aligned spine, and fewer back injuries.

Increased Stability and Flexibility
Balance and flexibility are key to any efficient and safe running program, and Pilates helps improve both. Pilates dramatically increases your awareness of your body, allowing you to focus on where different parts of your body are at different times and make corrections if something’s off. The increased stability Pilates brings also helps you move up- and downhill much more efficiently.

Increased Range of Motion in Hips
A greater range in motion in the hips means longer strides and quicker runs. Pilates helps open up the hips (and shoulders!) and increases your range of motion, allowing you to push yourself a little harder on each run with less risk of injury.

Faster Recovery Times
Many people turn to Pilates to recover from an injury because it helps strengthen and stretch muscles in a gentle, non-impactful way. This low-stress muscle building is also great for runners who can’t afford to miss a training day because of a cramp or muscle fatigue.

Are you a runner as well as a Pilates fanatic? Have you found Pilates has helped improve your running practice? Leave us a comment and tell us your story!