I'm thinking of starting either pilates or yoga (probably pilates as that is on at a time that is ideal for me).
The class is once a week and will be on a day when I don't usually go out for my shuffle (I still don't really feel able to call it a run).
Will it help with my running do you think or would I be better going swimming instead?
At the moment I don't really do anything on my non c25k days, although I do walk the dog and do try to walk briskly rather than amble along.
Pilates compliments running perfectly! It strengthens the core, which builds a good posture for enjoyable running!
pretty much any crosstraining you do on non run days will improve your running, especially if it improves your core, which both pilates and yoga will do. If you don't do any other exercise, I would say Pilates had the edge.
Better still would be to do yoga/pilates on one non run day and swimming on another.
It will REALLY help with your running!! Go for it. I do yoga so I am not sure about pilates but there are elements in common I believe. It will help you stretch muscles that can get tight through running and also help strengthen your core and back muscles. It is also great as a way to be active between run days. Enjoy.
Does it have to be either/or? (My SIL implied this was so because of different breathing but the yoga breathing she described was not something I recognised)
I started yoga with Ekhart Yoga's YouTube stuff and now have a subscription to the website (a show-up class would be no good for me) I now do 10 minutes (by myself) every morning almost without fail and have done for well over a year now and longer sessions at other times.
But I do also swim. I find swimming very dull to be honest compared with running and the dog still needs airing, but swimming.org allows you to set yourself virtual challenges so I am swimming a river and imagine what I would be passing.
Don't neglect the calming/being still stuff!
Class wise the yoga and pilates are on the same night at the same venue. Pilates is at a much better time for me so I think I'll opt for that but I will look at the you tube site.
I like swimming so may try that once a week too, although as the weather is starting to change I will need to find time to go to the allotment. I suppose digging a bed is quite a good exercise as well.
Pilates is excellent for core strength and many exercises allow hamstring stretches which is great for running because the hamstrings never fully extend when running so can exacerbate tight hamstrings. Also the posture improvement from Pilates allows better breathing because more upright. Some really useful Pilates elements work thigh and buttocks which is also supportive on running. I find the combination of running and Pilates most complementary.
W9R1, great run, do ducks practise Pilates?
Yoga 🧘🏾♀️ for back pain / strengthening core
Warm-up yoga for runners
Is there a style of yoga best suited to a runner?
