Elite athletes have long used Pilates to improve athletic performance and longevity.

Read: Pro Athletes Who Use Pilates To Improve Performance

Although many think Pilates was created by a ballerina, they are wrong. Joseph Pilates himself, the creator of the Pilates exercise method, was a boxer and gymnast.

He actually created his exercise system with men in mind, but when professional ballerinas got wind of how the Pilates exercise system improved performance by increasing strength and flexibility while both rehabbing and helping to avoid injury, they flocked to Joseph Pilates’ studio. Many fell so in love with the method they became teachers themselves.

Read: The Truth About Pilates: 5 Pilates Myths, Debunked

Read: “The Greatest Myths In Pilates History, Debunked” With Elaine Ewing

That spirit lives on, as athletes of all types continue to use the Pilates exercise method to build balanced strength and flexibility, improve control, and help recover and repair their bodies.

In the spirit of the 2021 Olympics, here are some of the things Olympians have to say about how Pilates has helped them achieve greatness.

CARISSA MOORE, SURFER

Carissa Moore, a member of the first U.S. surfing team, used Pilates as she prepared for the Tokyo Olympics in Japan. She won the gold medal and she gave Pilates O Ka La a beautiful shout-out in her post-win post. Check out her and her teammates doing their mat work before the big win here.

FOLUKE AKINRADEWO GUNDERSON, VOLLEYBALL

Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson is participating in her third Olympics this year on Team USA. She used Pilates as part of her routine while training for the Olympics, pregnant. She gave birth in 2019. Hear more about how she achieved her dreams of becoming both a mom and Olympian here.

KATHLEEN BAKER, SWIMMER

Olympic swimmer Kathleen Baker, a gold and silver medalist in Rio 2016, said she uses Pilates when preparing for a meet."When I’m prepping for a meet, I usually don’t get to bike anymore because it is tiring and I don’t need to break my body down as much, so that’s more when I switch to like the stretching and when I like to do core," she says. "I think adding different things like yoga or Pilates or stretching really gives an advantage because everyone could do more of that whether they’re an athlete or not."

SERGEI GOLUBITSKY, FENCER

Sergei Golubitsky is a three-time Olympic fencer, four-time world champion in men’s foil, and owner of Golubitsky Fencing Center in Tustin, CA.

In the WebMD.com article, “Want to be an Olympian? Train Smarter, Train Harder,” Golubitsky recommends Pilates to avoid injury while keeping movement quick and precise.

“Many former fencers have problems with hips, and many have hip replacements. It is not just old people… “Pilates and planks help a lot,” Golubitsky says. “Core exercises really help you protect your hips.” (Read More: WebMD: Want to Be an Olympian? Train Smarter, Train Harder)

SHELLY-ANN FRASER-PRYCE, SPRINTER

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a Jamaican sprinter, used Pilates to get back in shape after an unexpected C-section set her anticipated post-delivery training schedule back by doubling her expected recovery period.

“Instead of five weeks off, Fraser-Pryce wound up taking 10. She had to ease back into training, starting with yoga and Pilates. She was back competing by the spring of 2018, less than a year after her C-section childbirth, and in the 2019 world championships, less than two years after Zyon was born, she won gold in the 100 meters at 10.71 seconds, her fastest time in six years — a win she celebrated with a victory lap while holding Zyon in her arms.” (Washington Post: "They are Olympians. They are mothers. And they no longer have to choose.”)

COLLEEN QUIGLEY, RUNNER

Olympian Colleen Quigley finished 8th in the 3000 meters steeplechase at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Pilates has been an important part of her program and she often posts her classical studio and “porch Pilates” workouts on her Instagram, which she does with Katona Pilates in Beaverton Oregon.

Go check her out at https://www.instagram.com/steeple_squigs/

ALY RAISMAN, GYMNAST

In an article in Shape Magazine, Team USA gymnast Aly Raisman said her 'body has never felt the same' since the 2016 Olympics. The two-time Olympic gymnast opened up about the long-lasting health impacts of going for gold, including implications to both her mental and physical health.

She has decided to give her body a rest and no longer trains, but she does do Pilates to undo the damage that her grueling training routine of the past did to her body. "But Pilates has really helped me with my workouts and even mentally, too, because I like how I can focus on different parts of my body, and it helps me feel more strong and confident." (Read More: Shape: Aly Raisman Says Her 'Body Has Never Felt the Same' Since the 2016 Olympics)

SIOBHAN HAUGHEY, SWIMMER

The 23-year-old swimmer from Hong Kong earned a silver medal in the 100-meter freestyle and a silver in the 200 free in this year’s Olympics. They are the first swimming medals won by Hong Kong.

Haughey made Pilates part of her training program as a young swimmer with Olympic dreams. “Out of the water, Haughey would do land training with physiotherapist Mandy Tik which included Pilates sessions at the Hong Kong Football Club with her mother.” (Read More: South China Morning Post: “Tokyo Olympics: Siobhan Haughey, made in Hong Kong – former coaches recall silver star’s early years.”)

Which other Olympians have used Pilates as part of their training routines? Comment below, or send the entries to hello@pilatay.com and we will update the article.