It’s true that if you walked past a Pilates studio’s window and peered inside, you’d more than likely see that the majority of clients are women. But why is this? I mean, it was started by a man, THE man, Joseph Pilates. And Mr. Pilates originally used his method on a bunch of men- soldiers. So why all the ladies?
Probably because of all the clever marketing we see. The words used to describe the benefits of Pilates are things like ‘long lean muscles’ and ‘trim and tone’. Some men are turned off by the soft sounding nature of these results (especially in the setting of a gym where men typically go to build big muscles).
However, REAL.MEN.DO.PILATES.
Take Mr. Pilates himself. He was a sickly child who suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. But he dedicated his entire life to improving his physical strength. Growing up, he practiced gymnastics, body-building, jiu-jitsu, boxing and even dabbled in being a circus performer.
He was a fit man. So fit, that by the age of 14, he was already posing for anatomical charts. His posing was a habit that continued well into his 80’s
Still rocking it in his 80’s! The truest testament for how men need Pilates.
Joseph Pilates fine tuned his Pilates method (which he called Contrology) at an internment camp, where some of the early use of his exercise methods included rehabilitation of seriously injured veterans.
But you don’t have to be seriously injured to start Pilates, in fact, many men and women start Pilates as a way to enhance their performance in other activities, such as competitive sport.
You see, Pilates is good at ironing out all our kinks and misalignment issues, for example, a golfer might have a very tight and painful right side of his body from all the one way twisting he does. Pilates will work the body as a whole to lengthen the tight side and strengthen the weak side, ultimately making the golfer a more powerful player.
Still not convinced that men need Pilates? Here’s a list of three sports superstars you might know who think otherwise:
Tiger Woods
LeBron James
Andy Murray
From golfing greats to hot halfbacks who train 300 days a year, these athletes utilise Pilates as a part of a well rounded training regimen.
Ok ok, so the average Aussie male is not Tiger Woods (thank god actually), the average Aussie male is rocking it in the workforce, which unfortunately for his health means he’s sitting at a desk all day long.
Not a Sports Superstar? You STILL need Pilates
Being sedentary for 8-10 hours a day comes with a long list of ramifications. I’d actually go as far as saying, sitting is toxic. Here are 3 reasons why:
1. It’s Bad For Your Health
When you sit, you use less energy than when you stand or move. Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns including obesity, increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.
2. It Changes Your Posture and Body Shape for the Worse
Sitting compromises your posture and changes your body. It’s all in the biomechanics of sitting. Sitting causes the pelvis to rotate backward and puts pressure on the lumbar discs. This position forces your head forward and causes your shoulders to curve in to compensate for the weight transfer.
3. It’s Bad for your Back and Spine
Prolonged, static loading of tissues over time puts undue pressure on the low back and stresses the surrounding muscles and joints.
Right, so, I think the picture has been painted. Sitting is bad. Most men sit in their jobs. Pilates is good. Pilates helps men. And real men do Pilates.
Got it? Good. If you’re STILL not convinced…
Benefits to Men Who Do Pilates:
You’ll Work Neglected Muscles. Overly focusing on the most well known muscles can give you a Hunchback of Notre Dame look that isn’t balanced. Pilates works ALL of your muscles, especially the ones you don’t focus on in the gym
You’ll Increase Your Flexibility. Flexibility is not a word I immediately associate with men. And if I had a dollar for every male client of mine who said ‘am I your most stiff client? Surely I’m your tightest client ever!’ I'd be very rich indeed. Increasing your flexibility will help to reduce joint stress decreasing general aches and pains and it will increase your quality of movement, reducing the risk of injury.
You’ll Decrease Your Lower Back Pain. According to an Australian Health and Welfare study in 2017, more men than women suffer back pain between the ages of 45-74. Pilates helps to build core strength in the muscles surrounding the spine while also working on spinal articulation and mobility. Joseph Pilates once said ‘You are only as young as your spine is flexible: If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young’.
You’ll Have Better Sex. Yep I went there. I had to. If nothing else is going to get you over the line, I’m pretty sure this one will. You see, Pilates teaches you control and coordination of all your muscles, including the core and pelvic floor, so men who practice Pilates have better control, stamina and endurance of this region… need I say more??
Testimonies from my Male Clients (aka Real Aussie Men!)
Dan, age 61: I look forward to our Pilates session every week. It has hugely improved my overall health and feeling of well-being. I always feel an inch taller after each session. I enjoy the variety of exercises and the concentration required to do the exercises. I like discovering parts of my body that I’d taken for granted as a young person and forgotten how to exercise as I got older.
John, age 53: I first went to Pilates when I realised that I wasn’t getting any younger. I needed to improve my overall flexibility and I had heard that Pilates offered better all over body conditioning. I used to see the Pilates sign from the train window as I made the trek into work each morning. So finally I got the message and signed up and that was some 5 years ago. I loved the banter in the Saturday morning class, now I really enjoy learning from Kirsti and drawing on her wealth of knowledge in managing different ailments. Having suffered a prolapsed disc in my lower back some two years ago now, Pilates has enabled me to take control of my body, significantly reducing pain and largely allowing me to get my life back. Kirsti has worked closely with my physicians and we have achieved great results. Pilates is my new normal.
Graeme, age 60: I first tried pilates when I recognised that I was getting less flexible as I aged and I love that pilates “hurts so good” and it enhances my body awareness. The improvements in my life since starting pilates include more mobility, less back/hip soreness, and simply feeling more physically at ease when I wake up each day.