Similar to yoga, pilates concentrates on posture, balance and flexibility, with a particular emphasis on core work to strengthen the body.

Strength training has been shown to improve distance running economy and performance and now the finding from a study by Brazilian academics has shown that pilates can help trained runners improve their times.

Led by Paula Finatto, the team at the Universidad Federal do Rio Grande investigated whether core training might improve the metabolic cost of running and 5km running performance.

Subjects within the study followed a 12-week run training program, with one group also undertaking two one hour pilates sessions a week. The scientists hypothesised that the additional core work would improve the running times of the subjects compared to the control group.

The metabolic cost of running was measured at 10kph and 12kph before the 12-week intervention and again afterwards. The 5k times were also measured before and after the period of intervention.

The two groups were not dissimilar in their abilities before the 12-week program, with both groups averaging around 25:30 for a 5k. The average age was quite young, at 18 years old. This is worth considering in the applicability of the study to other runners. Your own age could be an additional factor to consider when viewing the results.

The results were clear though. The group undertaking pilates alongside their running training saw bigger improvements in metabolic cost of running, 5k time and VO2 Max.

The control group saw improvements from an average of around 25:20 to 24:30. However, the pilates group improved from around 25:35 to 23:12. More than a two-minute improvement compared to the 50 seconds of the group only running.

Additionally, the average VO2 Max for the pilates group increased from 51.8 to 58.53 in contrast to the other group’s much smaller improvement of 51.32 to 53.72.

RELATED: Gemma Steel’s holy trinity: pilates, yoga and body balance

The results were down to greater control and stabilisation of the lumbopelvic region. A stronger core makes you a more economical runner and your times will fall accordingly.

Several studies have shown the improvements associated with core strengthening, but often only in isolation. The difference between the control and pilates groups show a definite improvement when combining pilates and run training.

In comparison to yoga, which focuses more on flexibility, pilates targets improved core strength firstly. Plenty of elite runners use both yoga and/or pilates, such as Gemma Steel, to supplement their training, but perhaps if you have time for only one practice, pilates is more advantageous for runners.

If you’re interested in finding a class near you, check out the NHS guide to starting out. A 5k PB might be just around the corner.

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What was one of defining moments that helped me make the transition from a club runner to an international athlete? It might surprise you to learn that trying pilates is right at the top of the list.

A coach at Charnwood Athletics Club suggested it, and after attending my first class I was intrigued and returned. A few sessions later and I was hooked.

It was a pivotal moment and the catalyst that transformed me from an average club runner with potential, to gaining my first British vest.

I have had no major injuries, during my career, apart from ongoing Achilles tendonitis, which I accept is my own cross to bear, and I owe a lot of that to pilates for keeping me relatively injury free (touch wood).

Every runner has weak body areas, no one is the perfect running machine, and even elite athletes have flaws that have to be worked on. At the very least you should be working on your core regularly, your body will thank you for it. The great thing about core work is, the more you do the greater the rewards, which will all result in you functioning much better and economically as an athlete.

For me personally, it’s not just pilates that is now ingrained into my routine and life. I swear by the holy trinity…pilates, yoga and body balance.

They are my religion and have breathed new life into my running with a new awakening and body awareness that I am grateful to have discovered.

Not only has it improved my running but it has reduced my anxiety levels and the pressures of the sport. I am much calmer which can only benefit my running and life in general, as well as my wellbeing.

Stepping into a yoga class is all about breathing and encouraging the air to travel into the deeper lobes of the lungs. It’s very important, particularly in today’s high paced modern world of technology, to step back, take a breath and just focus on this very simple act of breathing. We take it for granted because it is an automatic response.

Believe it or not, even when I am running I can forget to think about breathing, but by focusing on the process of drawing in more air with every breath it really makes a big difference. The more oxygen you can get to the muscles the faster and more efficiently you will run – so it makes sense to work on this.

Finding your new balance

I have found that yoga, pilates and body balance (which is basically a combination of the two) are all great for improving running related concerns such as flexibility and stride length. But it’s not just the physical benefits, I also gain a lot of mental strength from the practices.

After a fitness yoga or body balance session, I feel completely reinvigorated and ready to take on the world – or a speed session at least!

My mind is clear and all the tension in my muscles have completely disappeared. My legs actually feel so light and lose.

I find my arm carriage has improved, I am running more upright, and able to take in more oxygen at a greater capacity with less effort. My shoulders are also relaxed rather than tensed, which is great during a tempo run, as I naturally use a lot of energy through my upper body.

My hip flexors are less tight, meaning I can lift my knees higher and they are more aligned. This also helps limit rotation in the hips, so if my body is facing forward and aligned then the result should be faster running!

I could go on and on about the benefits of fitness yoga and sing its praises forever, but I think you get the idea now. So how do you get started?

A few of my favourite basic poses

Tree pose – Stand on one leg with palms to prayer and ankle flexed towards the knee.

This is great for promoting leg and ankle strength. It gets the finer ankle muscles working and helps my stability in cross country where the ankles are particularly vulnerable on the undulating terrain.

Scorpion – Great for hamstrings which are a notoriously weak area in runners. It also gets the glutes working which is the powerhouse of the body along with the psoas major muscle.

The leg is raised off the floor and ankle flexed towards the ceiling. It is crucial to strengthen the glutes because when it comes to sprinting (although a pain in the butt literally). Strong glutes will help prevent overcompensation in other areas and help prevent injuries.

Downward facing dog –  My favourite pose. Easy to do and a great release stretch for calf muscles and lower back.

It is also a good pose for stretching the psoas major muscle which is the thick band that fits around the torso.

This is a major core muscle for runners as it connects to the glutes and many other muscles. So it’s very important that it is functioning correctly to keep everything aligned while running.

Cobra – Also a nice pose to release tension out of the lower back. You lie on your front, toes pointed, glutes tightened and lift the torso from the elbows.

Twisting from the psoas it strengthens the back muscles as well, so a good all round body stretch.

Happy baby – A nice pose to end a session. You lie on the back and tuck the knees into the chest and grab hold of your feet with ankles flexed.

It is a relatively painless one which is why it’s called happy baby – I think!

Pushing through the pain
These are only a select few of the many rather amusingly named yoga poses, but there is an endless amount of moves that I find of benefit. My advice would be to find a good instructor who is enthusiastic and inspiring.

I have been lucky to have found both in Tracy Smith at my local ‘Hermitage Leisure centre’. She’s extremely knowledgeable and a keen runner herself, so knows which muscles to target that relate specifically to running.

Because running can be a very solitary sport, I find it’s good to join in with a class rather than doing the poses at home on my own. The Hermitage Leisure centre is that place for me, and it’s a breath of fresh air to be with the locals. I enjoy the banter and seeing them look after their health is very inspiring too.

The group setting also helps breaks up the monotony and helps push me beyond my pain threshold – an area definitely to be developed if you want to be a good long distance runner!

I am a big believer that running is all about finding the right balance between miles, recovery and conditioning. If you can do this then your halfway there.

Balance is key to everything in life and there are no secrets, I can’t stress that enough. The old saying ‘prevention is better than cure’ is also true, so invest as much time you can in strength and conditioning.

I know the last thing you probably feel like doing after a run is stretching but your muscles with thank you for it in the long term!

So get yourself to a local pilates, yoga or body balance class, or all three if you can. I have to say I am a fully converted believer in the yoga Gods!

Finding your balance can be tricky, but once found, there will be turning back for you too…Amen to that!

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