Tailoring Pilates: Training Athletes vs. Seniors

Pilates is an incredibly adaptable form of exercise that can be tailored to meet the unique needs of a wide range of individuals, from professional athletes to senior citizens. When working with professional athletes, my focus is on enhancing their performance in their respective sports by improving their strength, flexibility, agility, and preventing injuries. The training is intense and specifically designed to meet the demands of their sport, while incorporating core Pilates principles.

I aim to train athletes in a way that complements their regular gym workouts, offering them a different perspective on movement. My goal is to help them achieve a wider range of motion, which can lead to increased joint mobility and stability. As athletes often have rigorous training schedules, I ensure that my sessions include elements of recovery, such as active stretching and agility work, to help them perform at their best.

I focus on improving their mind-body connection, which is essential for athletes to perform at their peak. This involves teaching them how to move more efficiently, with greater awareness of their body's alignment and movement patterns. By incorporating these elements into their training, I can help athletes improve their performance while reducing the risk of injury.

When working with professional athletes, my focus is on identifying areas for improvement to enhance their performance. I assess what specific aspects they need to strengthen to excel in their sport. I concentrate on teaching Pilates movements that can strengthen any existing injuries or weaker areas they may have. Each session is dynamic and responsive to my client's physical and mental state on that particular day. If there's a specific area that needs improvement, I prioritize working on that to enhance their overall performance over time.

I don't adhere to a fixed set of exercises in each session; instead, I adapt based on what my client needs. The goal is to help them feel and move better, so I focus on movements like spinal flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral flexion to ensure a full-body workout in each session. Consistency in these movements allows me to tailor the session to meet my client's individual needs.

I use a variety of Pilates apparatus to help my clients achieve a more mobile body. The choice of equipment and the progression of the session depend on how my client is feeling that day. This approach allows me to provide a customized workout that addresses my client's specific goals and challenges, ultimately helping them achieve a more mobile and functional body.

With senior clients, my focus is on enhancing their overall quality of life by improving mobility and balance. My approach is “gentle”, emphasizing functional movements that support their daily activities. I aim to build focus, cognitive strength, and connect their mindbody movement. I design low-impact exercises that strengthen muscles, improve joint mobility, stability, and posture.

While the training is moderate, I maintain a certain level of intensity by gradually increasing the difficulty as the client progresses. I ensure to challenge them with quick transitions between exercises, pushing them to think quickly and react faster. I limit breaks to keep them moving and engaged throughout the session, focusing on keeping their minds active and bodies in motion.

I use the jumpboard to challenge their mind-body connection, offering a fun and different workout experience. This low-impact cardiovascular endurance training helps improve joint mobility, coordination, and build muscle strength, all of which are beneficial for seniors.

One of my favourite apparatuses to use with seniors is the chair with handles. This apparatus challenges their stability, balance, and strength, helping them build confidence in standing on their own. It also strengthens their legs, hips, and feet, key areas for preventing falls. Keeping seniors upright during exercise is effective because it addresses their fear of falling, making the workout both safe and beneficial.

While the approach to training these different sets of clientele may fluctuate, there is still a huge overlap - the key is I’m tailoring the training to meet the specific needs and goals of each individual. This does not change, whether it is for a young athlete in their prime, or a senior looking to enjoy life a bit more. By understanding your client's bodies better, instructors can effectively help both sets of clients to not only meet, but in fact, exceed their goals.

Here is an example of my approach when selecting exercises for my professional athlete clients:

Injury Prevention-Based Workout Session Planning:

1.     Full Spine Movement on the Cadillac:

Perform flexion, rotation, extension, and lateral flexion.

2.              Flexion and Extension of the Spine with Hamstring Stretches:

Utilize the push-through bar or roll back bar for these movements, integrating rotation and lateral flexion variations while focusing on hamstring flexibility.

3.              Abdominal Strengthening:

Use the push-through bar or handles with arm springs for exercises like hundred, teaser, corkscrew, and toe taps, emphasizing rotational movements along with spinal flexion and abdominal engagement.

4.     Hip Extension Work:

Work on standing exercises with the rollback bar, arm springs, or trapezius, ensuring the inclusion of lateral flexion, rotation, and extension.

5.              Barrel Exercises for Hip and Leg Stretching:

Include exercises like leg circles while lying prone, ballet stretches, and rollover for spinal extension with rotation.

6.              Reformer Exercises for Mobility and Strength:

Incorporate exercises such as Elephant, Up-stretch, Knee stretch, Feet in straps, Front lunges, and Psoas stretch to enhance mobility and strength.

Here is an example of my approach when selecting exercises for my senior clientele:

Injury Prevention-Based Workout Session Planning:

1.     Chair Exercises for Balance and Strengthening:

Perform standing leg presses, seated leg pumps (footwork), forward fold (hamstring stretch), and single-arm press to enhance ankle strength, hip stability, and leg strength

2.              Reformer Exercises for Shoulder Strengthening and Mobility:

Include exercises like Draw a sword, Rotation, Teaser Arms, Serve a tray, and incorporate balance and upper body strength work.

3.              Lower Body Strengthening:

Utilize exercises such as Feet in straps and Scooter on the reformer.

4.              Stretching:

Include stretches like Mermaid, Elephant, and Psoas stretching to improve flexibility and mobility.

Nicky Lal is the founder and creator of Fuerza Pilates in Los Angeles, California. Originally from Miami, Nicky first encountered Pilates while seeking a daily exercise routine during her tenure as a Graphic Designer in the fast-fashion industry. Quickly developing a passion for Pilates, Nicky transitioned her career path. She pursued Balanced Body certification as a Pilates Instructor and accumulated valuable experience at various Pilates studios across LA. Nicky's teaching philosophy emphasizes the core principles of Pilates while advocating for its accessibility to individuals of all fitness levels and body types.