Why I Switched from Running to Pilates

In fact, I stopped my regular morning runs over a year ago. This was because I started experiencing pain in the back of my right thigh (the hamstring area), my left hip joint, and my right knee. Despite visiting massage therapists and chiropractors for treatment, the pain wouldn’t subside. “This is troublesome,” I thought, when the idea of trying Pilates struck me. Pain in specific muscles during exercise is invariably due to incorrect body usage. Therefore, the only way to resolve the pain is to learn to use my body correctly! I decided that Pilates would be the best way to master the correct use of muscles, and I resolved to suspend running until I could achieve this.

I’m well aware of the original causes of the pain in my hamstrings, hip joint, and right knee. One is that my left hip joint has been slightly dislocated since childhood. Another is the poor posture I developed over many years working as a hair and makeup artist. Specifically, it’s the stance where I’d shorten my right groin area, bend my knee inward, and jut my left hip outward while applying makeup. To balance my body, I’d rigidly fix the area around my sacrum, creating a posture that practically begged, “Please, let my body become distorted!” Consequently, my sacrum protrudes, and the surrounding muscles have become abnormally stiff. In the past, I couldn’t lie on my back for extended periods because my sacrum would press uncomfortably against the surface. I gradually improved by doing my own stretching, practicing yoga, and visiting chiropractors, but I was still running without using my muscles correctly, which led to the pain in those areas.

My Pelvic Mobility Has Improved, Allowing Me to Walk Comfortably!

It’s been just over a year since I started attending Pilates once a week. Recently, the results have become remarkably apparent. The protrusion of my sacrum is less noticeable, and perhaps due to increased suppleness in the sacroiliac joint connecting my sacrum and pelvis, my pelvic range of motion has expanded, allowing me to use the muscles around my hips more effectively. I’ve also become more aware of my latissimus dorsi, crucial for maintaining correct posture, and my habitually raised left shoulder has dropped, while my torso has become slimmer. Furthermore, my right iliopsoas muscle, which had been contracted, has become more supple and is now functioning correctly, easing the tightness in my right groin and correcting my posterior pelvic tilt. As a bonus, perhaps thanks to these changes, my lower abdomen has flattened… and so on. While there are many other improvements, these effects have enabled me to walk correctly.

What’s so enjoyable about walking now is the feeling of moving freely and comfortably. I’ve started to walk with a relaxed, long stride, much like foreigners do. To describe this gait, it might involve moving my legs from the area of the gluteus medius, located above the pelvis. This allows for a relaxed walk with a long stride. It feels like utilizing a longer compass.

Conversely, many Japanese people tend to have a short, quick gait, using only their lower legs, like I used to. My previous walk was exactly like that. Moreover, I used to lift my feet forward with the front of my shins, which made me tired easily, and the front of my shins were always tense, giving my legs a muscular, athletic appearance. Now that I’ve shifted to a walking style that doesn’t rely on my shins, the bulging of my leg muscles is less noticeable than before. Plus, this way of walking isn’t tiring, and above all, the way I look when I walk is stylish (or so I believe)!

Focus on Three Points While Walking to Achieve an 'International Stride'

Speaking of which, what do I wear for my morning walks? Not running shoes or flat shoes, but comfortable shoes with a slight heel. Without a heel, I find it difficult to engage my pelvis. Shoes with about five to six centimeters of heel help me focus on my pelvis and allow my back to extend comfortably, enabling me to walk like a foreigner. However, simply strolling without conscious effort won’t result in a stylish gait, so there are three things I keep in mind. First, I place my weight on the ball of my foot, around the base of my big toe. Second, I walk while extending the back of my knee on my rear leg. Third, I move my pelvis to take larger strides. By focusing on these points, I feel I achieve an 'international stride'. To help with this,August 2013 Seriesthe tennis ball exercise introduced in the article, which awakens the sensation in the soles of your feet, is recommended.

Oh, and thanks to my Pilates lessons, I’ve also developed abdominal and back muscles, and my neck and core have become stronger. I believe this also contributes to my ability to walk with proper posture. In other words, 'walking' is an action that utilizes the entire body, and conversely, if you cannot use your entire body's muscles correctly, you cannot walk correctly… This is a realization I’ve gained from my amateur experience, but wouldn’t you say it’s more or less accurate?

Still, I go out for my walks before 5:30 AM. Walking in heeled shoes at that hour, people I pass might mistake me for someone returning home late rather than someone out for an early morning stroll…!