By Nike Training

Try Sue Bird's Power Pilates

Tap into the WNBA star's secret weapon for improving performance.

Find out how Sue Bird uses Pilates to strengthen her core, improve her posture and improve her game with these three Pilates moves. Developed for Bird with her trainer, Susan King Borchardt, they've broken each move down for you step by step, so you can step up your performance.

You're not named one of the WNBA's 20 greatest basketball players of all time without having your strength-and-conditioning routine dialled in. Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird—arguably the greatest WNBA player of all time—knows this fact well, and credits her overall fitness to a training secret weapon: Pilates.

Her practice allows her to better activate her core muscles, focus on her breath work and posture, and build body awareness and strength, according to Bird's trainer Susan King Borchardt. "Pilates is an important, complementary piece of Sue's training puzzle", says Borchardt, who is also a sports performance consultant for the Storm. "It's not just a one-off activity for her—she believes that the magic happens with consistency".

"It's not just a one-off activity—magic happens with consistency".

Susan King Borchardt, Sue Bird's Trainer

That consistency means doing a little bit of Pilates every day. Since recovering from three major knee surgeries in the last two years, the 39-year-old has used the gentle strengthening movements for everything from warming up for a workout to winding down before bed. "I try to do some form of Pilates every night", Bird says. "I have really found that I feel a million times better the next day".

Try Sue Bird's Power Pilates

Below are three of the player's go-to exercises. Try 2 or 3 rounds of 10 reps of each of these movements after a tough workout, a travel day or as a pre-bed routine to help slow your breathing and calm your nervous system for better sleep.

"I try to do some form of Pilates every night; I have really found that I feel a million times better the next day".

Sue Bird, Seattle Storm point guard

  1. "Bird" Dog
    Start on hands and knees with your core engaged and back flat. Extend your left leg behind you, then extend your right arm out in front of you; hold for one beat, keeping your hips square. Switch sides and repeat. That's 1 rep.

    The benefit: Maintaining a stable torso throughout this exercise demands coordination and core control, says Borchardt. This helps improve Bird's overall body stability and strength.
  2. Frog
    Lie face-up on the floor with your hands behind your head, legs together and extended towards the ceiling, to start. Raise your shoulders off the floor and slowly twist to one side, then the other. That's 1 rep. Return to the starting position and repeat.

    The benefit: This move stretches the hamstrings while activating the core, Borchardt says, and it also helps Bird to pay attention to her breathing while she twists.
  3. Kneeling Side Kick
    From a kneeling position, lean to your right side to place your right hand on the floor and extend your left leg out to the side and left hand behind your head, to start. Keeping your leg extended, slowly lower your left leg to tap your toes to the floor, then raise it back up to the starting position. That's 1 rep. Do all of the reps, then switch sides and repeat.

    The benefit: The unilateral move helps improve hip activation, strength and alignment, says Borchardt (all key in keeping the All-Star's knees healthy).
Try Sue Bird's Power Pilates

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Try Sue Bird's Power Pilates

Join Nike Training Club

Get access to our world-class experts and trainers for help staying active and healthy.