How Pilates Can Help With Rugby
Allan our Instructor playing for Mosman Whales
With Rugby being such a physically demanding, high-contact sport, you can incorporate pilates into your exercise routine to help level up your game!
A growing number of rugby players do pilates as a way to improve flexibility, co-ordination and mobility, as well as injury prevention and recovery. These rugby players include: Richie McCaw former All Blacks Captain, Chris Robshaw former England Captain and Sonny-bill Williams from Wallabies Australia.
Think of what’s required to take on two tacklers yet be able to twist and offload a pass round them at speed. Balance, control and range of movement coupled with strength. Pilates breaks down your movements and hones in on what your poor habits are. Habits that cause the back spasms, muscle tears and faults in running technique. So, if you want to move more like a graceful athlete than a stiff lump of muscle, it’s time to embrace Pilates and all its benefits.
Here are some Pilates benefits for rugby players:
Core Strength: Pilates strengthens the body's core muscles, including the abs, lower back, and hips. A strong core is crucial for rugby players, as it supports key movements like running, tackling, and jumping. Building core strength improves performance and helps prevent injuries, allowing athletes to perform their best throughout the season.
Increased flexibility and Mobility: Pilates exercises emphasize controlled, fluid movements that can help rugby players improve their flexibility and range of motion. This can be especially helpful for players who have tight muscles or are prone to injury.
Better Balance and Stability: Pilates exercises are designed to improve balance and stability, which are important skills for rugby players. By developing better balance, players can improve their ability to change direction quickly and avoid getting tackled.
Reduced Risk of Injury: Pilates can help to reduce the risk of injury for rugby players by strengthening muscles, improving flexibility, and promoting proper alignment and posture.
Improved Mental Focus: Pilates emphasises mindfulness and concentration, which can help rugby players to improve their mental focus and stay calm and composed under pressure.
Our very own Instructor, Allan, is a rugby player himself and finds that when he does Pilates before a game, he plays better, there is less injury and faster recovery!