Before it was done as well, the Pilates Method was very practical for ballersmen. The first members of Joseph Pilates were first and foremost their ballers who were looking forward to seeing you.
According to Pilates exercises for ballers, it is closer to the original / classical method for being the best passin through his students.
Pilates since the beginning
Coming with the history of Joseph Pilates, in the 20th century, after Prime Minister Guerra Mundial, a member of the EUA, in New York, a studio or study in front of the New York City Ballet and Cia Martha Graham, her work agreed between dancers to improve or lose weight, physical conditioning, recovery, and prevention.
After the death of Joseph in 1967, he was disciplined, practically all bachelors, continuing to follow his method, including Romana Krysanowska, Carola Trier, Kathy Grant, Ron Fletcher, Lolita San Miguel, between others, graces and them, the method of survived and it is not in the all world.
Many working school classes with the Pilates method purely of Joseph, or with adaptations that the Pilates sofreu with the modern world.
Most common injuries in Ballet
The dancer in general is the one who has Ballet as a profession, so they spend many hours in classes and rehearsals, so that the show is presented with greater perfection and synchronism. This repetition of movement, impact and strength can overload the dancer’s body, causing some injuries more often.
Faced with these injuries, the dancers sought to practice the Method to recover and prevent these injuries. To explain it a little better, I made an investigation of the most common injuries that a dancer can suffer during practice. They are:
Column
Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis: Overload occurs in the structures of the posterior region of the vertebrae, by repetitive compression, by doing hip extension or trunk extension.
Disc Protusion: A small lesion in the vertebral disc, where the ring has not yet broken, if there is no stability of the spine, the dancer who maintains extreme movements of rotation and flexion of the trunk is dangerous to evolve into a herniated disc.
Herniated Disc: Due to the rupture of the fibrous ring, the extrusion of the nucleus pulposus can cause compression in the nerve roots, causing a lot of pain. It is more common to happen with men, as dancers must carry the dancers over their shoulders, putting pressure and force on the vertebrae.
Sacro-Iliac Dysfunction: Joint instability and tense muscles can cause disharmony in the movement between the ilium and the sacrum causing overload in the tissues and ligaments.
Muscle Injuries: The muscles must be strengthened equally, if the abdominals are weakened they no longer control the hips, and overloading the lower back, if the muscles of the back and lower back are weakened, can cause contractures and stretches.
Cervicalgias and Lumbago: Due to many extensions (cambrés).
Femoro-Acetabular Impact: It is the improper fit between femur and acetabulum, due to repetitive movements of hip extension and flexion.
Stress Fracture of the Femoral Head: Usually, it occurs by the repetitive impact on one leg, many jumps, and landing forcing one leg.
Piriformis Syndrome: The pear-shaped muscle is one of the main lateral rotators of the hip, because it is very in demand, it can become very tense, compressing the sciatic nerve, generating sciatic pain with radiation to the thigh and leg.
Muscle Injuries: Distension of Adductors and greater mobility and laxity, due to external rotations of the thigh (dehors).
knee
Patellar Tendonitis: Known by athletes who jump by “jumper’s knee”, and in the case of Ballet, jumping is one of the requirements for a graceful repertoire, but repetition can cause chronic tendinitis, affecting the fixation of the patellar tendon if not treated properly, the dancer loses performance in his performance.
Knee
Patellar Chondromalacia: When there is excess pressure in the cartilage between the femur and the patella, “X” valgus knees, very common in dancers, are the most propitious for this wear, compromising their fit when flexing the knees, causing pain and aggravating the degree of wear and tear.
Hyperextension: Due to the stretching effort.
Meniscus Injury: Menisci have the function of distributing the load that passes in the joint to decrease the pressure as if it were a shock absorber. A poorly executed turn, when the body moves and the foot does not, can cause this type of injury.
Ankle and Leg
Cannellitis: Inflammation of the tissue covering the bone, where the tendon attaches. In Ballet, the continuous demand of the leg muscles predisposes to this type of injury.
Tendinopathies: These are tendon degenerative processes, which may or may not start through an inflammatory process. It originates from the continuous work imposed on the tendon, due to muscle contraction and joint movements.
Sprain: There may be a rupture of ligaments, due to repetitive jumps, which put you at risk of twisting and landing with impact.
Foot
Bunions and shortening of the Achilles tendon: due to the effort of the foot to the sides and pointe shoes.
Characteristics of the Dancers
The first fact is that dancers must have developed, defined muscles, but without hypertrophy (increased muscle mass), the body must be long, light, to perform the movements more fluidly.
Bodybuilding, for example, would not be an activity indicated for causing an increase in muscle mass, and dancers cannot become heavy, both women and men, there are many jumps, turns, elevations of lower limbs with support, which would make it difficult if the dancer had bulky muscle.
The dancers must have the powerhouse (flexor and extensor muscles of the hip and spine), well developed and strong enough to be able to support, balance and execute fast and wide movements with the lower limbs.
In Ballet, the powerhouse is used at all times, since posture and balance are fundamental to perfect movements. Let’s cite a simple example, when the dancer performs a “Piruette”, known as “Pirueta” in Portuguese, it is a simple movement for a dancer, but it is necessary to have the powerhouse strengthened to support the entire body on tiptoe, support from a leg and the other flexed in “andehor” rotation outward, and thus with momentum, the body makes a 360 degree turn, which can be double or triple pirouettes, the more strengthened powerhouse, the more sustaining capacity with perfect finishing the dancer will have.
Breathing, one of Joseph’s principles, is also another important fact in Classical Ballet, so that there is resistance and strength throughout the show, without losing the rhythm and delicacy.
Dancers can never show fatigue, the show can last for hours, with choreography and more theatrical moments, with staging, but with breathing control, they can resist reaching the end of the repertoire.
Breathing, one of Joseph’s principles, is also fundamental in Classical Ballet, so that there is resistance and strength throughout the show, without losing the rhythm and delicacy.
Pilates Benefits for Dancers
The principles of Pilates are factors that dance needs: breathing, concentration, control, fluidity, centering and precision.
Breathing is one of the most important factors for the dancer to have his maximum performance in a presentation, usually the choreographies are long, requiring strength, resistance and rhythm, and controlled breathing helps maintain lightness and fluidity throughout the show, promoting energy savings, ensuring movement efficiency.
The practice of the Pilates Method, we can mention the Mat as a more specific training for the abdomen, since the sequence is done on a mat on the ground, only with the weight of the body, if we take the classic sequence of Joseph, it is a complete training for strengthen the powerhouse, guarantee all the muscles of the trunk strong and resistant, reducing the tension in the lower back and injuries.
As for the Pilates Method with equipment (Cadillac, Reformer, Chair and Barrel), you can work upper and lower limbs with the resistance of the springs, the muscle is trained without hypertrophy (increase in muscle mass), since dancers must maintain their body long, light, elongated, defined, but without muscle volume. With the training of the lower limbs, it is possible to have their injuries recovered.
Pilates brings better body awareness, concentration, breathing associated with the control of the powerhouse, essential for the practice to be safe and the movements to be performed correctly, respecting all the principles of Joseph Pilates.
Flexibility, a characteristic known when we talk about Ballet, in Pilates there is also a large repertoire of exercises that can be a different strategy for the dancer to train his flexibility, since Joseph had a lot of influence from the dance to set up his sequences
One of Joseph Pilates’ statements is “the method promotes perfect balance between body and mind”, thus considering an activity that works body and mind, and can be practiced by dancers of all levels.
Pilates for Dancers, CONCLUSION:
The Pilates Method brings better body awareness, concentration, breathing associated with the control of the powerhouse, essential for the practice to be safe for dancers.
The movements must be performed correctly, respecting all the principles of Joseph Pilates. One of his statements: “the method promotes a perfect balance between body and mind”, thus considering an activity that works body and mind, and can be practiced by dancers of all levels, professionals from large companies, and also, can be practiced by dancers who are starting in the world of dance, helping them in their physical and psychological growth.
In addition to the classic sequence of Joseph, today we have many adaptations of Contemporary Pilates, where the dancers perform some exercises with pointe shoes, the modern world has been adding and mixing some modalities, but we can never let Pilates lose its essence and its Principles.