[underground]

Anyone do it? I'm keen to know if anyone practices Pilates or would like to - and if it's something that could be a useful thing for climbing / bouldering?

[csurfleet]

I just started going to a class 3 weeks ago. Initial impressions are pretty positive - lots of plank style exercises and stretches of the hip area. All the right places ache the next day too (i.e. the entire trunk area). Too early to tell how beneficial it will be yet but I've previously found that when I did similar plank exercises at home that it really helped my body tension.

I guess the standard advice of "do it, but not instead of climbing" applies here - I'm doing it on my work lunchbreak rather than instead of anywhere it would interrupt my normal training.

[fatneck]

Just thought I'd bump this thread up as I've been doing Pilates for a couple of months and am definitely feeling the benefit in my climbing. I feel more in control of my legs (if that makes sense), also, as a generally inflexible type I have noticed improvement of my high step and rock over ability. My abs are more pronounced, I'm leaner and I'm usually pretty battered for a couple of days afterwards which always feels good!

I am lucky that my current place of work offers these classes free but would certainly be doing it in the future as and when I move on (no such thing as a permanent job in youth work). I know Will (Hunt) had done a couple of classes but wasn't that impressed and I wondered if anyone else was currently partaking and feeling the benefit?

[andy_e]

I tried a set of "easy Pilates stretches" after a session once and was nearly sick... The actual stretches felt good though. I'd probably spend more time on it if I could be bothered!

[rodma]

I've had mixed experiences.

Did a class a few years back and it was mostly tailored to those that had carried and delivered hairless monkeys, so there was a focus on pelvic floor, glutes etc.

There was a stand in teacher for a couple of classes, who was more focused on thoracic mobility than doing 100 buttock crunches (or whatever they call them) in a row, and that worked wonders for my shoulders. Rather annoyingly, despite the firm belief that I could replicate what I had been shown and even though the teacher was not that concerned with correcting form, I never managed to get anything like the same benefit "repeating" these exercises at home.

It's good or shit depending on your teacher and depending on what you want from it. The bums tums and thighs brigade will not have enjoyed what I considered the good class because it wasn't a workout.

[duncan]

Like Yoga, Pilates is open source software. There are numerous different species within the genus. There is also great variety in style and quality of teachers. All this makes a blanket recommendation impossible.

Classical Pilates was found useful by ballet dancers for decades when the rest of the world had never heard of it, the teachers are often more experienced or were taught by the old school people, so I'd tend to go for this type you had the choice.

[tomtom]

There was a stand in teacher for a couple of classes, who was more focused on thoracic mobility than doing 100 buttock crunches (or whatever they call them) in a row, and that worked wonders for my shoulders.

This is really interesting.

One thing to emerge from my recent back injury issues is that my thoracic spine is very inflexible (according to my Osteo..). He has spent most sessions cracking/stretching this - and I have a (very limited) set of exercises to increase the mobility in my thoracic spine.

I think I'm climbing better. I think this may be linked. Its really interesting, I've re-done a few of my 'benchmark' problems at various crags and they've felt ~ different. Like I am working in a different way. Really hard to describe, but I've twisty techniqued a few things I normally thug (for me that is) - and they've felt easier/different.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but I should be weaker than I was pre injury but I seem to be climbing better.... Thinking about it, the thoracic spine is probably really important for so much climbing - adding even a bit of mobility would help...

Semi-OT musings over.

Pilates injured my Mother in laws back quite badly...

[SA Chris]

Classical Pilates was found useful by ballet dancers for decades when the rest of the world had never heard of it

I thought that Pontius guy came up with it ages ago.

I've not been to any yoga or anything for months, need to get back into it.