The Effect of Pilates Exercises on Balance and Flexibility in the Figure Skaters


Meriç Bingül B.

in: Physical Education and Learning, Papanikos Gregory T, Editor, Athens Institute for Education and Research,, Athens, pp.37-46, 2013

  • Publication Type: Book Chapter / Chapter Research Book
  • Publication Date: 2013
  • Publisher: Athens Institute for Education and Research,
  • City: Athens
  • Page Numbers: pp.37-46
  • Editors: Papanikos Gregory T, Editor
  • Kocaeli University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

ports practice. The purpose of the study, by Verda Akbal, Bergün Meriç Bingül, Mine Gökkaya, Menşure Aydın and Çiğdem Bulgan was to determine the effects of pilates exercises on the improvement of balance and flexibility, which are among the most important parameters of figure skating. 12 figure skaters (age: 7,83±8,0) participated in the study as volunteers who have been members in sport clubs. As the control group, 6 of them were applied routine figure skating trainings without any pilates exercises, and as the experimental group, the rest of them were applied routine figure skating trainings with pilates exercises. Figure skaters were trained within 8 weeks, twice each week. The balance parameters of the subjects were measured with flamingo testing and the flexibility values of the subjects were measured with sit and reach tests before and after the exercises. All data was analyzed by using SPSS 18.0 program by the Wilcoxon test. As a result, statistically significant differences were found for experimental group values of each sit and reach test and flamingo balance test (p<0,05). According to the results pilates exercises have positive effects on flexibility and balance abilities of figure skaters.