Pilates is not just the latest fad used by Hollywood celebrities--it is the key resource athletes use to enhance athletic performance, improve technique and prevent injuries. Professional sports teams such as the Minnesota Timberwolves, Washington Wizards, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Milwaukee Brewers all incorporate Pilates as a cross-training regimen.

Most athletes' strength is in their larger muscle groups, and simply doing squats and sit-ups will not strengthen these muscles. Unlike weight training, which strengthens large muscle groups, allowing the larger muscles to take over and get stronger while the smaller stabilizing muscles continue to weaken, Pilates focuses on strengthening an athlete's core. Pilates movements are more complex and therefore involve small and large muscle groups with each exercise. As a result, athletes achieve greater range of joint motion while stretching, as well as overall strengthening the muscles. Through specific Pilates exercises that are tailored for each athlete, specific flexibility, strength and speed goals will be achieved.

The Pilates Method, developed by legendary trainer Joseph H. Pilates, is known for its amazing core strengthening abilities. Joseph said that strength comes from your "Powerhouse," which consists of the abdominals, hips and glutes. Joseph saw the breath, spine and Powerhouse as the root to perfect fitness and health. His goal was to develop the body uniformly; he believed that every person is an athlete and we all should strive to be strong and healthy.

Whether your sport is football, baseball, basketball, or golf, all athletes need Power, Flexibility, Balance, Stamina, Concentration and Precision.

Joseph Pilates called his method "Contrology." That is, "it's the mind that controls the muscles." Pilates is known for its amazing abdominal, or "Powerhouse," strengthening abilities. Without strong abdominals, there can be no power, stability, speed or optimal use of arms or legs. Pilates also works on developing body awareness so that the athlete consistently maintains ideal postural alignment. Standing in correct alignment is challenging, but maintaining proper alignment while moving in different planes is even more difficult. Pilates works to balance the body and develop muscular symmetry.

Too often, the Powerhouse is ignored or improperly trained in sports training programs. Most athletes are not aware of how greatly their on-field performance can improve when their core strength is trained correctly. Using the Powerhouse generates real power in push off, rotation or quick chance execution. By transferring the energy used in the powerhouse to the extremities, more power will be realized in the swing, stride or quick-start. Pilates is not about building large, bulky muscles, but rather flexible muscles that can be used effectively and efficiently.

Flexibility training should also be a part of every serious athlete’s training program. Many athletes skip this step as they feel flexibility is not important in achieving their peak performance. Enhancing range of joint motion reduces injuries and improves performance and technique. Tight muscles can have severe consequences to overall performance, in addition to being the cause for low back pain and joint injury. Pilates is a great way to cross-train for all types of sports and activities.

At The Pilates Center of Oklahoma, LLC, your sport-specific session will be tailored based on specific sport interests and needs to enhance performance. Pilates students will learn the basic fundamentals of Pilates--developing the Powerhouse and proper alignment--and how these principles can be applied to each specific sport. After a few Pilates sessions, existing imbalances due to improper workout techniques will become obvious, and steps can be taken to release tight, overworked muscles and strengthen the weaker ones.

Depending on your goals, various types of apparatus--from traditional Pilates equipment to foam rollers to weighted balls to BOSU--students will receive a well-rounded session. A consistent Pilates regimen will ensure that proper strengthening and stretching becomes an integral part of your cross-training program. Students will develop mind/body concentration while strengthening Powerhouse. Tight muscles will lengthen and promote healthy blood circulation and greater range of motion within the joints. The strength developed with Pilates will better prepare the joints to manage the repetitive stresses joints must handle during intense training. Balancing the body will help to prevent injuries that might occur when stress is placed on an unstable structure. The end result is a strong, flexible and symmetrically muscled body that is strengthened from the inside out.

Football: Pilates is beneficial for building strong glutes and legs necessary for running, kicking and quick direction changes. It develops strong arms needed for powering the run, blocking opponents and throwing the ball, and strengthens deep abdominal muscles, especially the traverse, which helps protect and keep the spine resilient against direct hits. Pilates also builds up endurance and increases flexibility. The more flexible an athlete's legs, the greater the stride and resulting distance when running.

Baseball: Pilates is beneficial for building strong glutes and legs for running. Swinging motions of a bat result in one side of the body being worked differently than the other, which creates an imbalance within the body. The Powerhouse must be engaged properly during the swing so that the body as a whole is behind every swing. It also improves torso and shoulder rotation to create greater energy and a more powerful swing and throw.

Basketball: Pilates is beneficial for building strong arms needed for blocking opponents and strong abdominals for sudden direction change. Pilates develops strong glutes and legs needed for running and jumping. Body awareness learned in Pilates helps with alignment of the body to reduce injury when landing from rebounds, and increased flexibility prevents pulled muscles during quick changes of direction or unexpected extensions.

Golf: Like in baseball, the swinging motions used in golf result in one side of the body being worked differently than the other, which develops an imbalance within the body. Pilates balances the body while developing body awareness to effectively better one's golf game by increasing torso and should rotation and hip to create more power behind the swing. Abdominal strength improves hip rotation and range of motion in the shoulders and back leading to more powerful and accurate shots. One of the principles of Pilates is concentration, which will help in sharpening the mental focus necessary in golf.

Pilates has endless application for all types of sports and activities. Here are some more benefits of Pilates:

Most athletes take shallow, quick breaths that fatigue the muscles and leave athletes winded. Pilates breathing oxygenates the blood efficiently to get to the muscles, to make the muscles work at maximum capacity.

Pilates challenges the body and mind to work from the inside out to create a strong foundation and to correct weaknesses. Pilates has endless applications for all sports. Come see why so many coaches and athletes are drawn to Pilates.