Pilates - is it a thing for me?

[Tim Hall]

Recently I've been suffering from back pain, both after a long ride and from Spanging my back by lifting something awkwardly.

Ibuprofen helps and the pain goes within a day or so (mostly).

I seem to recall that some here go to pilates classes and wondered if I would find it beneficial.  Improving core strength and posture would do something to help with the post long ride suffering I think.

Or is it woo?

[Hot Flatus]

Not woo.

I've been doing Ashtanga Yoga for 2 months and have gone from groaning and creaking when getting off the floor to bounding about. Definite improvement on bike too.

Best of all, the teacher has not once mentioned 'spirituality'.

[Aunt Maud]

It's good, do it.

But go to someone who has done some proper training i.e.. Pilates Foundation and not someone who's done a weeks course.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Yeah, what they said.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Pilates Foundation and not someone who's done a weeks course.

+50

Ditto if you are looking at Yoga.

[Wowbagger]

I've been going to a Pilates class for a couple of years. I ditched tai chi in its favour.

I find it a challenge, largely because of my elephantine physique, but the stretches and excercises  are very good for me, I am sure.

[yoav]

Nothing wrong with Pilates, I'm not going to diss it.

However, no particular type of exercise is a magic cure for back pain. No doubt regular exercise is a vital part of managing back pain but whatever works for you is ok, and more importantly, find something you enjoy and are prepared to keep doing it.

WRT to cycling, a bike fit might help to improve your position and reduce back pain (it helped me). And take care of your back when lifting, you don't want to pop a disc (but that's another story).

[Wowbagger]

If you take a look at the "semi-supine position" as recommended by teachers of the Alexander Technique (my brother is a qualified teacher of this) I have found that very helpful in the reduction of back pain.

http://www.stat.org.uk/learning/semi-supine refers.

[Bledlow]

...
However, no particular type of exercise is a magic cure for back pain. No doubt regular exercise is a vital part of managing back pain but whatever works for you is ok, and more importantly, find something you enjoy and are prepared to keep doing it.

I think this is right.

I've been shown exercises by an NHS physio, & have an information sheet she gave me to remind me what to do. They certainly help. The only problem is that they're boring.

[Hot Flatus]

....which is where a structured class comes in.  I love doing yoga classes but I get bored doing it on my own

[Morrisette]

Another recommendation for yoga. My local place (a dedicated studio) does warm yoga (where the room is heated) which I find much better as it allows more muscle movement. I always used to get cramp in my feet doing yoga in the  usual 'village hall' class type setting.

[rafletcher]

As in many things, there are different types of Pilates - for back pain I'd suggest a "body control" type of class, that works on core strength.

[321up]

Pilates and walking help me.

A.

[Russell]

Tim, you need to speak to Rachel about back pain and Pilates.   Send us an email, she would be pleased to help.

Russell

[LEE]

I find it a challenge, largely because of my elephantine physique

I was wondering when someone would mention the Wowbagger in the room.

[henshaw11]

...
However, no particular type of exercise is a magic cure for back pain. No doubt regular exercise is a vital part of managing back pain but whatever works for you is ok, and more importantly, find something you enjoy and are prepared to keep doing it.

I think this is right.

I've been shown exercises by an NHS physio, & have an information sheet she gave me to remind me what to do. They certainly help. The only problem is that they're boring.

Tim - other than related stretches - it won't help any injury you've just acquired, but if you suffer from back pain after long rides it may well help

Bledlow - you may well find the exercises you've been given are just variations of what you'd get in a Pilates class - there's a lot of crossover between yoga, dance, physio and pilates, but it does tend to have more emphasis on core strength, together with flexibility and joint mobility. IME yoga tends to have more emphasis on flexibility - but in both cases, it's very dependant on instructor, who should ask about any injuries at the start of a class and make allowance/suggest alternatives accordingly.

It was devised as a rehabilitation method - TBH I don't know how much the different schools (or should that be franchises..?) differ, I think our instructor studied with Michael King (Pilates Institute rather than Stott/BC/Winsor AFAIA), but she tends to pull in all sorts of stuff as well as going back to something nearer classical Pilates from time to time.
I'd suggest a by-product tends to be better body-awareness and recognising one's own poor posture, tho' that has seem to escape my OH who did it for some time, but who often has a grumbly back because she stoops when standing/walking 

FWIW the 'semi-supine' is the neutral-spine position start point for a good chunk of Pilates - there shouldn't be anything pulling yer back out of alignment (typically - straightening the legs down).

I often used to have trouble with beds, hotel or otherwise, when on holiday - doesn't stop me waking up with some backache on an unsuitable mattress but it seems to have given more resilience and I shrug it off pretty quickly. It's certainly kept me ticking over even when I wasn't doing anything else fitness or flexibility-wise.