Kristian Solem

By now you can probably tell that I think Pilates is a good thing. Some of my friends even say that I "drank the cool aid." Of course I understand that for Pilates to work for someone it has to be the sort of thing they enjoy and get satisfaction from doing. Also, the synergy between an athlete and a trainer in terms of goals, personality, comfort level, etc., is very important. But the fact is that no matter how hard I try I cannot think of a sport or activity where a person would not improve their performance by adding Pilates to their routine.

So I have written a bit about five sports I have personal experience doing. If you have been thinking about taking up Pilates, but the sport you love is not on my short list please feel free to contact me anyway. We can discuss your activities and goals, and if I am not the right trainer for you perhaps I can help you find someone who is. I believe that what goes around comes around, and I know how important it is that people who want to take up Pilates find the right teacher. If that teacher is me that's nice too, but if not then perhaps I can help send you in a good direction.

I am also curious to talk to people who do sports and use Pilates as part of their training routine. I would love to hear your experiences and stories."

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Make Pilates Your Secret Weapon…

During the course of his life Joseph Pilates developed a powerful and effective exercise method. Often someone will ask me “Isn’t that like Yoga?” or say “I thought that was really for women.” If you practice Pilates you will see that it is not Yoga, and it is certainly not just for women. A growing number of elite pro athletes are adding Pilates to their training regimen every day.

Indy car racer Danica Patrick. NHL star Alexander Ovechkin. NBA star Jason Kid. Pitcher Curt Schilling. 15 year New England Patriot safety Rodney Harrison. PGA Champion Tiger Woods. Renowned NFL trainer Tom Shaw is a Pilates advocate. You’ll find Pilates recommended on Lance Armstrong’s “Livestrong” website. Pilates is a key element in training for professional athletics in every field.

My philosophy in training for a sport is to build an athlete’s functional base with regular Pilates work. Then of course each sport has it’s own challenges which must be trained for specifically. The beauty of Pilates as a base is that it builds strength, toughness and mobility in a balanced way. A Pilates athlete is less susceptible to injury than one who trains with more conventional, often more competitive techniques, and Pilates really enables an athlete to master their own body. If you work at Pilates you will be on the road to being in control of every move you make.

The exercise method developed by a professional boxer named Joseph Pilates can enable you to be in complete muscular control of every move you make.