Pilates for Athletes Part 2
Even though celebrities and professional athletes sing the praises of Pilates, the “aging athlete” is another sub-group of Pilates’ participants that have found Pilates to be an invaluable addition to their lives. The “aging athlete” includes those individuals between the ages of 40-60 who have either continuously been involved in sports activities or are seeking a way to incorporate everyday exercise into their schedules. After the age of 30, muscle mass is lost.
As the 40’s are surmounted, bone density is affected. Not to mention that tendons and ligaments lose elasticity as each individual ages. With these changes it makes it more and more difficult to even maintain previous workouts or activities, let alone add to them. Body preservation must be attempted in alternative ways once our bodies achieve a certain level of maturity.
This group of “aging athletes” has been broken down into 3 different groups. These 3 groups include the “older athlete”, the “prematurely mature athlete” and the “former athlete”. The “older athlete” is one who has maintained a consistent fitness schedule for most of his/her life, however a nagging injury may be preventing the continuation of those workouts.
The “former athlete” is predisposed to muscle degradation from their involvement in a low aerobic conditioning sport like golf. The “prematurely aging athlete” is one that has injuries. These injuries are oftentimes significantly serious, but are still ignored. Usually the injury is neglected on the basis of “playing through” the pain. This type of injury will result in a shorter athletic lifetime for that individual.
Pilates based rehab is the perfect addition to these types of situations. The healing components of the mind-body combination found in Pilates’ movements can begin the gentle reintroduction of strength training and rotary motion. Its kind and gentle approach can correct an injured system in an effective yet concise manner.
Instead of walking through numerous different exercises, the entire Pilates based rehab circuit can be achieved centrally and with ease. The principle behind Pilates, reinstating harmony within the body and the mind, is the crux behind why Pilates based rehab is so successful for its clients.
Whether you play sports professionally or just play softball for a local charity, Pilates can transform an average performance, recovery, or endurance threshold into that of a highly trained athlete. Nearly a dozen professional sports team have instated Pilates as a part of their training regime, not to mention that more than 10 million people worldwide are participants as well.
The strain of heavy lifting or the risk of highly elevated heart rates has no place in any Pilates studio. Pilates is considered one of the safest and worthwhile ways to produce a highly effective body in any phase of an athletic career. rapidrehabla.com/rr-studio.html
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