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Recovery Corner: Why Amateur Athletes Should Add Pilates to Their Routine
- Harrison Armitage
- Oct 8
- 2 min read
A 2023 review found that athletes who added Pilates to their training improved core endurance and balance by up to 30%, key to recovery and injury prevention.
Welcome back to Recovery Corner.
If you’ve ever left a training session feeling stiff, tight, or unbalanced, Pilates might just be your missing link.
Once seen as solely a dancer’s domain, it’s now a secret weapon for footballers, rugby players, triathletes, runners and more, looking to move better and recover faster.
Why Pilates Works (It’s Not Just Core Work)
At its heart, Pilates focuses on controlled movement and muscle activation, particularly through the core, glutes, and deep stabilisers. Ultimately, you’re not just building strength; you’re improving the way your body supports that strength.
🧠 The Science - A 2022 review found that athletes who did Pilates twice weekly improved their balance, flexibility, and muscle symmetry, all key to reducing injury risk and speeding up recovery (Lau & Cheung, 2022).Another 2023 study linked Pilates to better neuromuscular control, helping athletes maintain form during fatigue (Martínez-Rodríguez et al., 2023).
💭 My take: I’ll keep this one short as I can’t say I’ve ever tried Pilates. Yes, my stretching and warm up routines could be argued do incorporate some Pilates-like movements, but I don’t have any dedicated sessions. It’s not something I’ve ever prioritised but doing the research for this made me think I should!
Pilates as Active Recovery
Unlike static stretching, Pilates helps activate underused muscles and improve circulation, making it ideal for low-intensity recovery days.A 30-minute mat session can loosen you up without adding fatigue, especially after strength or conditioning blocks.
And despite current trends, you don’t need a reformer machine, they’re plenty of accessible sessions where you just need a mat, a bit of floor space, and some focus.
🎧 Or listen while you move:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pilates-for-athletes-and-high-level-clients/id1700788851?i=1000639887340
Where It Fits Into Your Week
For most Amateur Athletes, 1 or 2 short Pilates sessions per week are enough. Slot them in on rest or mobility days, or replace a yoga stretch session to keep things varied.
Final Thoughts
Pilates won’t by any means replace your strength or conditioning work, but it can transform how your body recovers, your stability and all round performance.It’s the kind of work that compounds over time.
If you’re ready to try, here are some links that may be of use 👇
Over to You
Have you tried Pilates as part of your recovery routine?Drop your go-to workouts or YouTube links in the comments!
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