Pilates increases resistance performance in young volleyball players

Introduction: The aim of this work was to determine whether the Pilates method could promote changes in the activation and performance of core muscles in young volleyball players.

Method: Sixteen athletes (16.00 ± 1.09 years old; 2.68 ± 1.32 years of sports practice) were evaluated using surface electromyography (EMG) and the sport-specific endurance plank test (SEPT), applied before and after an eight-week Mat Pilates protocol.

Results: There was a significant increase in SEPT performance after the protocol (p < 0.001). There were also significant reductions of external oblique (EO) and erector spinae (ES) EMG activities after the protocol. There was a significant and moderate correlation between SEPT performance and EO activation (p < 0.01; r = - 0.59), while a weak correlation was observed with ES activation (p < 0.05; r = - 0.39).

Discussion: The Pilates method can improving performance and inducing changes in muscle activation and core muscle resistance this is because one of the pillars of the Pilates method is the stimulation of isometric contractions in all the core/spine stabilizer muscles.

Conclusion: The Mat Pilates protocol altered the activation of core muscles and increased resistance performance in young volleyball players.