Pilates for Men - Why Pilates Works

I still can’t figure out why more men don’t do Pilates. It’s challenging, but not impossible; you don’t have to be flexible like yoga; it gives you awesome abs and the classes are full of hot, fit women. What’s not to love about Pilates? I think perhaps some men are intimidated by Pilates. It does have an aura around it that’s generally built on myth. It’s not just for dancers. Anybody can do Pilates and everybody should do it. It’s functional fitness – letting you build strength and endurance to do all the things you want to do.

Pilates was, after all, started by a man – Joseph Pilates. He was a boxer and trained athletes. And there is nothing wimpy about Joseph! Many pro athletes are turning to Pilates for rehab after injuries, but the smarter pros are doing Pilates to prevent injuries and to build strength, balance and endurance. Pilates works from the inside out – building a strong core, helping to lengthen and strengthen, correct muscular imbalances and increase agility and range of motion. I personally have clients who have improved their race times and increased their golf drive by 30 yards (yes! its true). Add to that improved flexibility and posture and what are you waiting for?

Pilates is an excellent foundation and rather than working parts, like you would at the gym, it emphasizes the whole body. A typical class or session would involve some warm-up and stretching, followed by core exercises and work for back, arms and legs. One advantage of Pilates is that there are many modifications that can take into account injuries or restricted flexibility. Generally, men are tight in the hips and hamstrings, making some actions difficult. Pilates makes allowances for this and a good instructor will modify the exercises for you and not expect you to stretch like a pretzel.
And if you’ve ever watched a Pilates class and were perplexed thinking they didn’t look like they were doing anything – give it a try.

Pilates is a lot of subtle work – connecting with deep muscles – but it also has challenges. You can definitely work up a sweat and feel it the next day. Pilates doesn’t require any special clothing or attire and you don’t even need shoes. Gym clothes will do. So the investment is only the class cost and your time. Pilates can be done on both a mat and with specialized Pilates equipment. Both have benefits, but I generally recommend starting with a mat class – an introduction to Pilates course is even better. Those subtle moves involving the deeper core muscles are crucial to making sure you work properly.

As an added bonus, you carry what you learn in Pilates with you – getting rid of back pain, improving posture, strength and balance. Not to mention flat, strong abs. Oh, and did I mention the hot, fit women in the class? As an added bonus – I’ll let you in on a secret –women generally like men who show up in a class that’s mostly women. It doesn’t even matter how well you do in the class! It shows a confidence and willingness to try new things that’s very charming and impressive. What’s not to love about that?

*Originally published for www.gengo.ca July 2010