Ticats’ receiver, Tasker, credits pilates with recovery from injury

HAMILTON — It’s a road to recovery Luke Tasker never imagined taking.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ star receiver was en route to a breakthrough 2016 campaign before an abdominal injury forced him to miss the final six regular-season games and CFL playoffs. Following weeks of forced inactivity,

Tasker began his off-season preparation in February and for the first time included pilates — an activity that emphasizes the body’s core — in his workouts. The result, Tasker says, was amazing. “It was absolutely phenomenal for my training because it complements heavy lifting, it complements running and it has to do with the integration of your core,” he said. “It was really a great way to finish off my rehab.

“It was something I never expected to be doing and I’m glad it was suggested to me because it made me confident I was fully healed.”

The five-foot-11, 189-pound Tasker, a native of East Aurora, N.Y., had 76 catches for 852 yards and five TDs before the injury. That tied his career high for receptions (registered last year) and left him just 200 yards shy of his previous best in receiving yards (1,066 in ‘15).

Tasker’s season ended because of a torn transverse abdominal muscle. But he didn’t realize the severity of the injury at first, figuring he’d likely be back playing in a couple of weeks.

“It was a really difficult injury because the answers weren’t clear right away,” Tasker said. “It was really hard to tell the full extent of it and rehab was tough.

“When you hurt your upper body you can still run a little and lift and when you hurt your lower body you can lift. But this wasn’t that way, it was right in my core, my abs, and had to do with everything so I had to do nothing for three weeks and that was difficult to do.”

A healthy Tasker is important for a Hamilton offence that will have to start the season minus veteran slotback Andy Fantuz. The native of Chatham, Ont., is currently working in the Ticats’ front offence recovering from a knee injury.

Fortunately for the Ticats, Tasker and quarterback Zach Collaros have wasted little time in camp getting back in sync.