To run or reform

So you’ve been working hard all summer, hitting your Pilates classes with a vengance, bouyed on by the difference of that strength and flexibily that classes give you.

But what if you’re also a runner? What then? Winter is coming, the warm evenings will soon become a distant memory and that run along the river is suddenly not so tempting. The Pilates studio is dry, warm and no need to wear running shoes. The sofa suddenly looks much more tempting than the pair of Asics sat in the hallway, laces still tied from you last run. Surely that’s what happens in winter, isn’t it? Who needs to run in December? That can wait till March when it’s time to re-focus on that Bikini body and get back in shape for the beach.

So what if, just this once, there was no winter gain and spring loss. What if you kept that amazing figure, sculpted by outdoor fitness and the strength and flexbility that Bootcamp Pilates gives you. What if this year, the Christmas season had no effect on you and your lifestyle habits stayed with you… permanently.

Good news! This year, you can.

So the benefits of Reformer Pilates are of course, amazing; stronger core, stronger glutes (the all important butt cheeks!) better flexibility, better posture to name but a few. Yes, this can help keep your figure looking great but combine this with some heart-raising, adrenaline-pumping running and suddenly the calorie intake becomes even less of an issue.

A good running training session can burn approx 600 calories and as the name suggests – ‘training’ – it should always involve a level of interval work that keeps on challenging your mind and body. For example, repeated ‘hill reps’ – running up as fast as you can, getting the recovery on the way down. This type of session kicks in the afterburner effect and your body will carry on burning calories, post workout, for up to 72hrs. Plus nothing beats the exhilarated feeling of getting large lung fulls of fresh air and the wind in your face coupled with the adrenaline rush that exercise gives.

Combine this with your Pilates strength and flexibility can only mean one thing… no more Spring time beach stress… gone for good!

Paul Kenny holds running clubs at our Bootcamp Pilates Richmond studio every Wednesday evening from 7.30pm - 8.15pm.

Classes cost just £10 and you can book online.

Richmond riverside

Paul Kenny