Despite the fact Joseph Pilates was clearly a man, and one who also trained in Boxing and Martial Arts, Pilates has largely been seen as a female pursuit in the wider community. Until now. Read on to see why real men do Pilates.
The Victorian cricket team know it, Guy Leech former World Champion Ironman knows it, Commando Steve Willis, football players, professional surfers and weightlifters know it. So why has it taken so long for our average blokes to discover?
Pilates is the ultimate workout for anyone wanting to increase core strength, improve joint mobility and stability, increase flexibility and simultaneously reduce physical pain. It can be catered to any fitness level and will challenge you in ways you’ll find amazing and probably a little infuriating to begin with!
Like building a house, Pilates builds the body from the inside out. Strengthening the deep postural muscles and aligning the spine and joints correctly to give you a stable framework on which to build lean muscle. Add better overall flexibility and it has you moving and feeling like you did in your youth, not waking up each morning stiff and sore and feeling like your 80-year-old Grandpa.
You will work hard! Pilates trains the nervous system. With conscious focus it teaches your body how to move correctly so that the muscles around each joint are balanced. It teaches your muscles to lengthen under load, so that you’re working only against gravity and whatever you’re lifting – not fighting the restrictions of your own tight body. It teaches you how to exert maximum effort with minimal energy!
Maybe that’s the reason for the slow conversion of male participants – how different Pilates is to regular strength training. On occasion a big, strong man will try out a beginners’ Pilates class, only to remark the next day that, despite the challenge at the time, they ‘feel like they didn’t do anything.’ If you are used to feeling max muscle burn and absolute fatigue that leads to extreme muscle tightness and soreness the next day, that’s not what you’ll get from Pilates. But don’t be deceived. Within just a few sessions you will feel and see the improvements, all within the promise of a ‘pain-free movement experience.’
What does this mean in real terms? Easier strength, more available energy, less pain, injury and surgery prevention and better sports performance. Pilates regularly treats conditions such as frozen shoulder, lower back pain and disc bulges and sciatica with great success.
The benefits don’t stop there. Did you know it’s been shown that both sexes are more attracted to people with decent flexibility? Reason being, good mobility leads to more fluid, agile movements and better posture, which our brains interpret as youth, health and better reproductive capacity. Furthermore, Pilates has a major focus on pelvic floor function. Which means better control and stronger contractions in that area. I’m just going to leave that there…
So, if you’re a regular guy who wants to reduce pain and get fit, strong and sexy you’d better be adding Pilates to your weekly regime!
Melissa Franks is a Professional Pilates Practitioner and Personal Trainer with over fifteen years experience in the health and fitness industry.