There are many people who have started to integrate Pilates into their martial arts training. There are many reasons for why this is done but the most important is that Pilates provides core balance. There are also a number of benefits that martial artists have found with Pilates. These benefits will include a reduction in injuries the ability to hold the body in proper alignment to remove strain on the muscles.

Pilates courses

If you are going to be doing Pilates in conjunction with martial arts training there are some things that you need to know. The first is that there is no special martial arts Pilates that you need to do. Most Pilates courses will work and it is best to start in beginner classes. All courses will teach you stretching and control over your body and this is very important for martial artists.

Pilates courses will help you exercise and stretch the abdomen and the back muscles. When this is done your balance will become better and many have found their coordination is much better as well. These are important for martial arts practitioners as good balance and coordination will allow you to do you martial arts better.

One thing that needs to be kept in mind when thinking about doing Pilates is that the creator of Pilates originally worked with boxers. This means that the whole system was created to be used for sports people and martial artists. Pilates evolved to help people with injuries during World War One but had started as floor exercises.

Pilates training

If you are going to be doing Pilates training for martial arts practitioners there are some things that you should keep in mind. One of them is that there are certain aspects of Pilates that should be doubled compared to a normal training session. The amount of leg exercises in particular should be doubled as this will help the martial artist feel lighter on their feet and allow them to perform kick easier and with less effort. Some of the exercises that should be doubled include anchoring the pelvis through pulling the abdominal muscles inward.

Pilates training has a lot of emphasis on the shoulders. One thing about the shoulders in particular is to keep them down and away from your head. When you do this you will also be lengthening your neck and strengthening the muscles that are under your armpits which creates a longer spine. As you are working your back muscles you will find that back injuries are greatly reduced and longer lines can be created in martial arts. The space that this training gives the joints is good for martial artists as a misstep will no longer cause a long term or permanent injury but rather a smaller one or none at all.

While it may seem far fetched to expect Pilates to help martial artists many do incorporate it into their training. A lot of martial artists have found that Pilates has helped them take their art to the next level and further.

Author Bio: This article was submitted by Simona Rusnakova, SEO Marketing consultant of 3r.ie, on behalf of National Training Centre – providing Massage Courses, Pilates Courses, Sports Massage Courses, Personal Trainer Certification

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Pilates courses, pilates training