PILATES FOR MEN

I share my studio at Lomax with Tarik Francis, a Personal Trainer & Pilates Specialist.  It is great to be able to work together, discuss our thoughts and ideas, and of course practice different exercises on each other. He is also a great support when it comes to promoting Pilates to men.

The majority of my clients are women.  I spend a lot of my time trying to convince men that Pilates WILL benefit them but I think a lot of men think that Pilates is fairly boring and not that effective.  If you are a weight lifter or a football player, Pilates will improve endurance and performance whilst reducing the risk of injury. 

Ryan Giggs is a perfect example of why men should practice Pilates.  Giggs has been an avid fan of Pilates all through his football career and this is undoubtedly one of the main reasons why he is still playing at the age of 40. England rugby union star Ugo Monye is another sportsman to benefit from Pilates, using it to get over a crippling back injury.

Why should men do Pilates?  Pilates exercises are made up of subtle, concentrated movements that can help with the following:

• Developing often neglected muscle groups. Some of our muscles, especially ones that dominate our daily activities, are stronger than others.  Pilates focuses on the smaller, deeper muscles that typically don’t get much attention
• Improving flexibility.  In general, men seem to have tight muscles and stretching is often ignored. Pilates focuses on dynamic stretching which will help prevent injuries and muscle strains and increase range of motion.
• Building core strength (and help you get that dream six-pack you have always wished for). Every Pilates exercise focuses on using your core to power movement in your limbs. Pilates also focuses on the transverse abdominals, the deepest abdominal muscle beneath your six-pack.
• Enhancing concentration.  With lots of specific breathing and challenging coordination to remember, Pilates forces you to pay attention.
• Boosting your sex life (well it’s a done deal then right?!). Pilates strengthens the core and the pelvic floor which will help you get greater control of this area. You’ll find that this gives you extra control and stamina during sex allowing for a longer, more intimate experience.

A few exercises for the core outlined by Tarik….