Athletes are turning to low-impact Pilates for improved performance and mobility

SAN ANTONIO – For a long time, full-body exercises like Pilates and yoga were seen primarily as activities that women participated in to stay fit. However, in recent years there has been a growing trend among professional male athletes using Pilates as a low-impact alternative to maintaining fitness and increasing flexibility.

This includes Spurs forward Zach Collins, who says he practiced pilates regularly in the offseason as he recovered from shoulder surgery.

“It was difficult. It’s a different form of work,” Collins said. “I’m used to running up and down. Taking jump shots. “It’s great because it has a low impact. Like this morning we had training, and I can come in the afternoon and do things like that to get stronger, improve my core, get more balance, and I don’t have to worry about putting in miles.”

This is why there has been a huge increase in the number of athletes using Pilates as part of their daily routine – from Kansas City Chiefs players to Lebron James and even Texas goalie Stephon Diggs – who may not be an expert yet. Athletes around the world perform low-impact full-body workouts.

“Especially athletes who kind of push their bodies to the limit need low-impact exercises that help them with movement, stability, core strength and everything,” Michael Ramsey, owner and co-founder of STRONG Pilates, said.

STRONG Pilates is a Pilates and fitness brand and company that launched in Australia in 2019.

STRONG currently has over 70 locations, including its first U.S. location that just opened in San Antonio.

Ramsey says it’s great for everyone, not just athletes.

“I think that’s the whole piece of longevity,” Ramsey said. “Not only athletes, but people in general want to live longer and be stronger for longer.”

The owners of the Stone Oak location are Tory and Dawid Krawczyński.

They say there is a huge need for more such studios across the city.

“There’s that functional movement again,” Tory said. “Like everyone else, we all get older. It’s really important that we stay mobile and flexible. The longer we can stay on our feet, get up and move, the better off we will be.”

So how does Collins think your favorite Spurs players would fare in these training sessions?

“So who out of all the Spurs players in the squad would do best today,” asked Sinclair reporter Matt Roy.

“Best? I would say… guards. The shorter you are, the easier it may be,” Collins said. “Tre Jones is a pretty strong guy. He has a low center of gravity, a great athlete.”

“Okay, so who would do the worst?”

“The worst? Oh my…Jeremy (Sochan). Jeremy, I’ve seen him complain the most. He complains. He’ll probably do his job and everything will be fine, but he’ll make a scene.”