Pilates and Skating

[PinkLaces]

Our rink is offering a beginner pilates class.  It is being marketed to adults that are at the rink while their kids are skating.  I am thinking about taking the class.  Anybody have experience with pilates?  Did it improve your skating?

[MadMac]

Pilates bullds core strength. That can only do good things for skating. I took a pilates reformer class a year or so back -- loved it! Wish I could fit it into my schedule again.

[PinkLaces]

Glad to hear it.  This is a mat pilates class.

[irenar5]

I have taken both mat and reformer pilates.  Frankly, for me the exercises were not diverse enough and not challenging enough (especially the mat ones).    I personally prefer yoga to pilates.  I know people who love it and swear by it, so you would probably have to try it and decide ;-) 

For me personally only time on the ice reliably helps with skating improvement.

I just read an article citing a recent study that static exercises do not build core strength, you have to do other things.  This was news to me as I am a big believer in working the core specifically. 

http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/alternative-styles/832-static-core-exercises-do-not-build-functional-strength.html

[hopskipjump]

For some reason, I always end up with bad back pain after pilates.  I'd make sure the instructor was certified somehow.

I don't get the same pain with yoga.

[fsk8r]

I do pilates with a private instructor. One thing I've noticed is that he sets what seem to be deceptively simple exercises but to do them well and get full benefit from them, you need to have correct form. Having him watch me, means that as my form slips he corrects and nags me back to where it should be (just like a skating coach!). My concern would be at a group class that this wouldn't happen so you would be able to work on exercises with incorrect form and wouldn't derive proper benefit and could possibly cause injury (like hopskipjump has experienced).
When I first started doing pilates as it was such a shock to the body I found it really hard to skate the morning after. Now the body is used to it, I don't have that problem and would love to do pilates more often as it's really benefitting my skating. I don't notice it, but I've a really strong core now, which means it's a lot easier doing some of the harder moves exercises and is beginning to help my backspin (when I remember to engage the core!).

[Skate@Delaware]

I do pilates with a private instructor. One thing I've noticed is that he sets what seem to be deceptively simple exercises but to do them well and get full benefit from them, you need to have correct form. Having him watch me, means that as my form slips he corrects and nags me back to where it should be (just like a skating coach!). My concern would be at a group class that this wouldn't happen so you would be able to work on exercises with incorrect form and wouldn't derive proper benefit and could possibly cause injury (like hopskipjump has experienced).
When I first started doing pilates as it was such a shock to the body I found it really hard to skate the morning after. Now the body is used to it, I don't have that problem and would love to do pilates more often as it's really benefitting my skating. I don't notice it, but I've a really strong core now, which means it's a lot easier doing some of the harder moves exercises and is beginning to help my backspin (when I remember to engage the core!).

I had the same experience-I kept thinking-this is too simple, I'm not feeling anything, why am I even doing this? The next morning I could barely get out of bed my abs/core was so sore! We had an awesome instructor (her name was "Bunny"  ) and we did a lot of work. My core went from zero to hero level in two months!

Make sure they are certified, beyond a basic level if you can, and that they go around checking form (not just staying up front demonstrating exercises). Also, if you have ANY injuries, check with them ahead of time to see if they can include modifications-some instructors can't because they don't have a knowledge base. They should have a disclosure form before class starts where you list significant injuries anyway. My skating improved after taking Pilates and I really enjoyed it. I just wish we had it again and that there was more in my area. I'm too backwoods/rural.

[Purple Sparkly]

I've just started taking Pilates regularly at my gym.  I'm doing quite of bit of off-ice training, so it's hard to know what helps and what doesn't.  But, I really enjoy Pilates.  I feel that I have enough strength that I can challenge myself with the exercises and have them continue to help me.  If you don't have some strength to begin with, you may have trouble holding the forms, as other have said, and it becomes counterproductive.  I don't get sore from Pilates, but I'm also in pretty good shape.  As an aside, if you get sore a day or two after you work out, it means you did too much too soon.