From weekend warriors to elite professionals, athletes looking for a competitive edge are discovering pilates. Developing an athlete's core makes him more agile, helps prevent injury and increases sports performance. Pilates builds a strong core, increases strength and 
flexibility simultaneously and improves posture, stability and alignment. Pilates conditions the whole body correcting muscular imbalances that are a primary cause of injury.
Performance benefits for runners: A stronger, more stable core helps a runner run more efficiently, increases oxygenation and stamina with a diaphragm that is able to fully expand, decreases fatigue, and shaves seconds off your time and allows you to run without pain. Pilates will also elongate and strengthen the spine for better stability, increase range of motion in the hips and shoulder, provide more upright running and increase overall flexibility, strength and balance.
Performance benefits for golfers: Increasing the range of motion of the shoulders will help you attain an optimal backswing and follow through, get more distance and power because of added hip and torso flexibility and rotation, develop more rotation through the hips for greater power, smooth out your swing due to evenly conditioned back muscles, decrease fatique and 
play without pain. Pilates will strengthen the abdominals, increase overall flexibility and balance and enhance concentration through focused breathing and fluid movement.
Performance benefits for equestrians: With a strong core and increased flexibility riders can freely and gently move arms and legs around a stable base, avoid collapsing and bouncing in the saddle, improve posture to help you deepen your seat, maintain neutral pelvis so you can easily follow your horse's movements and develop a relationship with your horse so he responds to your commands and is confident of your ability.
Performance benefits for tennis players: A strong, well developed core will improve the power of your stroke while strengthening shoulders and arms will improve your serve velocity. Improviveg lower body power helps you to reach the ball as quickly as possible and by improving balance you will maintain your center of gravity when changing directions.
Performance benefits for swimmers: Focusing on range of motion and flexibility in the shoulder joints, lower back and hamstrings you will improve your swim stroke. A strong core will help you stabilize the trunk during propulsion through the water. It also creates better balance improving horizontal position in the water and decreasing form drag. Focused breathing will also improve oxygenation decreasing fatigue and improving times.
Performance benefits for cyclists: Developing strong legs, calves, buttocks, hip flexors, 
lower back and abdominal muscles you improve the effectiveness of the cycle stroke and the propulsion of the bicycle. Building upper body strength helps the cyclist to pull up on the handlebars and maintain posture and balance. By increasing lower back and hamstring flexibility you establish correct posture on the bike for less fatigue and with improved balance you minimize the risk of falls.