Why Pilates Is the Perfect Cross-Training Workout
Story time: back in my college days, I was a varsity volleyball athlete. My playing goes back even further, but I’m only going to college with this story. It was during the offseason that I discovered Pilates and fell in love with the method and how much stronger it made me for when I was in-season. Jump ahead a few years and I started snowboarding (recreationally), and when there wasn’t snow on the mountain or I wasn’t getting out, I again found my way into a Pilates studio. In the last five years I started road cycling, and guess what? I continued doing Pilates. In other words, my happily ever after with sports has always been Pilates.
Many professional athletes also practice Pilates: Bryce Harper (baseball), the entirety of the Cincinnati Reds (baseball), Lebron James (basketball), Tiger Woods (golf), Jordan Hicks (football), Annika Sorenstam (golf), Carissa Moore (surfing)…you get the idea.
So why is it that so many athletes, recreational and professional are turning to Pilates? They are all seeing how the method is the perfect complement to their athletic endeavors, making it an ideal cross-training workout no matter the sport.
A deeper dive reveals that the Pilates method targets deep stabilizing muscles often neglected in sports-specific or more traditional workouts. The enhanced core stability from Pilates improves posture, balance and power transfer, which are all essential for peak athletic perfomance across all sports.
Additionally, the controlled, precise movements in Pilates teach proper body mechanics and muscle activation patterns. This heightened body awareness helps prevent common overuse injuries by correcting muscular imbalances and inefficient movement habits.
Pilates also combines flexibility work with strength training. Unlike static stretching alone, Pilates offers dynamic stretches to improve range of motion while maintaining muscular control, crucial for athletes who need both mobility and stability.
What’s really great about Pilates is that it is a low-impact exercise that promotes blood flow and muscle recovery without the stress of high-intensity sports-specific training. Think of Pilates as the perfect active rest day activity that keeps you moving while allowing your body to recover and repair.
Whether you're training for competition or simply staying active, incorporating Pilates into your weekly routine can enhance performance, reduce injury risk, and create a more balanced, resilient body.
Want to get active at home?
➡️ Check out Rizzo Pilates on YouTube for short Mat and Reformer workouts.
➡️ Join the Rizzo On-Demad waitlist for the subscription service launching in January.