This past month has made me feel like Elastigirl from The Incredibles - essentially an elastic band that’s under constant tension. With the change of pace and work schedule (which I’ve been extremely grateful for), your body feels like it goes into shock mode as it adjusts to the elevated levels of pressure. It feels like a whirlwind and you’re playing constant catch-up. But once you put processes into place and make some boundaries, like all things in life, we eventually adapt to our new normal. Speaking of adapting under constant pressure, let’s talk about muscle contractions and why that’s important for you to know!
The studio I work at recently received a question from a client asking, “How does Reformer Pilates help to build muscle?” As a Pilates teacher, my initial thoughts were varied as the biomechanics behind building muscles doesn’t lie in a uniform answer. I dug into the recesses of my mind and remembered my college days of learning Kinesiology and Anatomy where terms like isometric, concentric, and eccentric muscle contractions popped up.
Okay, before I lose all of you that aren’t anatomy nerds like me, let’s get to the answer. Pilates helps to build muscle through all types of muscle contractions. However, in Reformer Pilates specifically, the main focus is placed on eccentric muscle contraction due to the springs of a reformer providing resistance. When you push and pull with your limbs against the resistance of the springs along with the reformer carriage and your body weight, you build strength in both major and minor muscle groups.
For example, let’s take the exercise, the Roll Down, which can be done on both the mat and on the Reformer. The eccentric contraction occurs in the first phase of the exercise when the body controls the descent toward the mat, without collapsing to the pull of gravity.
Other types of muscle movements include concentric contraction, when a muscle shortens as it overcomes a weight or force, such as in a bicep curl; and an Isometric contraction, when the muscle is activated and held at a constant length, such as holding a position like the hundred or hollow body. Our bodies need to move through all types of movements, however, sometimes due to postural adaptations through lifestyle choices or repetitive habitual movement patterns, the body might be lacking in some areas of strength and mobility.
Eccentric contraction helps to strengthen your tendons and ligaments which contributes to injury prevention. It also places greater demand on your muscles and central nervous system compared to the concentric contraction phase. Eccentric contractions help to build muscle and possibly even increase length in some studies.
Therefore, according to a study, unaccustomed eccentric exercise is known to cause muscle damage and delayed pain, commonly defined as “Delayed-Onset Muscular Soreness” (DOMS). The term for when you wake up the day after a workout and feel extremely sore. However, with progressive increase in intensity and consistency in practicing these exercises, the body will gradually adapt to these movements and durability will increase.
It’s important to include all types of muscle contractions in your workouts. Too much focus on one and overlooking another can cause strain. Pilates combines all three: isometric, concentric and eccentric movements and along with mindfulness, the holistic fitness routine will promote overall wellness that reduces injury, and increases all-around strength and mobility.
