PILATES AND PERFORMANCE, AND EFFORT OPTIMISATION

Performance and optimisation of effort are sports qualities of all professional athletes. 

This scientific article states this.

Brent D. Anderson, 2000
The Pilates method aims to achieve efficient and functional movements by minimising the activity of the muscles that are unnecessary for the desired action, thus contributing to the improvement of performance.
Moreover, its work based on the elongation of the limbs, is responsible first of all for an activation of the slow muscles known as postural (stabilising the limbs, thus protecting the joints), then of the fast muscles known as superficial (allowing the movement).

This hierarchy of action therefore optimises the effort and protects the joints.
The deep postural muscles are anti-gravity muscles.

Self-expansion, or lengthening, consists of a struggle against gravity. It is therefore logical that in fighting against gravity there is an action of the deep muscles.