Men, Here’s Why Pilates is Your Game to Lose
(Photo Source: Pilates Center of Austin)
In recent years, there’s been a huge upswing in Pilates studios and Pilates instructors. Most of these studios are run by women and a most Pilates instructors are women. Great thing for women, not so great for you guys. Unfortunately, the female dominated industry has scared away a lot of men who would benefit greatly from the Pilates method. There are many reasons why Pilates is great for men. First off, let’s not forget that Pilates was created by a man, for men!If you don’t already know about Joseph Pilates, here are a few fun facts:
He was a man’s man - a boxer, avid sky diver, bodybuilder, and he even toured England as circus performer & gymnast.
When World War I broke out, he was interned as an enemy alien. To boost moral, he suggested that the imprisoned soldiers engage in regular exercise routines.
He dismantled springs from the beds of soldiers who were too injured to walk and attached them to the head and foot bars, creating resistance training.
This bed of springs later became the model for Joseph Pilates’ famous apparatus, The Cadillac and The Reformer.
His first Barrel & Magic Circle were made from a beer keg and it’s deconstructed parts.
Convinced yet? If not, here’s more…Pilates can be extremely beneficial for men who weight lift. The more core strength you have, the more weight you can lift. In contrast, the more muscle mass you have, the less flexible you can become. Pilates will help to increase your flexibility and help to prevent injuries associated with weight lifting.The Pilates Project, client Gene Killian says of Pilates,
“It works muscles that emphasize keeping the body in balance, as opposed to weightlifting type exercises that men generally favor, which only make large muscle groups bigger, and tend to create imbalances that can lead to problems later in life.”Play golf? Pilates will help to improve your swing. It will challenge the mobility of your pelvis, create a balanced body, increase your range of motion, and prevent common injuries. "I feel more comfortable at address since I started Pilates. The stability I've built up in my core helps me to rotate through my swing and use smaller muscle groups, instead of over-relying on my hands and arms. It all adds up to a more confident and reliable swing,” says client Karl V.Pilates can help to alleviate chronic pain from sitting at a desk, or driving long distances.“…it also helps me professionally, because as a lawyer, I'm constantly sitting and driving, which resulted in fairly serious back pain. Pilates has definitely helped eliminate that pain,” says Killian.
Pilates is not easy. It’s a challenging method that takes your full concentration and a ton of stamina. It might seem uncomfortable at first, as you’re probably using muscles you’ve never used before. But give it a try, because you might just realize it’s the most important workout you’ve been missing.The Pilates Project is offering Half Priced Introductory Packages for Men for the entire month of February! Use promo code pilatesformen to purchase here.