No way! In recent years Pilates has become more accessible to Men with professional athletes singing its praises of how Pilates has transformed their body making it stronger and more flexible. In turn this has helped them to improve their posture and prevent injury.
What hasn’t made Pilates accessible to men is the emphasis on pelvic floor, which women gravitate towards. Men you have a pelvic floor but Pilates is much more than strengthening this one group of muscles. It’s way more than that and Men you need it because it will benefit you in the following ways:
- Strengthen your core giving you support and stability to your back.
- Increase Flexibility and therefore mobility in your range of movements making it much easier to move, helping you feel less stiff and achy.
- Improve your posture by working on deeper, smaller stabilising muscles and therefore lessening your propensity to injury and discomfort.
- It can improve your fitness as it can be challenging, getting your heart rate up and making you sweat.
- Teaches you how to look after your body and align it helping to support you in your other activities such as weight lifting, your golf swing, running, cycling.
- Prevention is better than cure – Pilates can help to maintain and condition your body to tackle your day ahead and prevent injuries from occurring. A pre-hab to your re-hab!
- Helps you function better in your daily activities, undoing the bad habits that we inevitably fall into such as slumping whilst working at a desk all day long.
Pilates is definitely for men and more men are starting to realise and see the benefits of this incredible Mind-Body practice that was developed by a man for men. Start your journey.
Do practise Pilates regularly? If so, what benefits have you found, leave me a comment below….
About The Author
Meet Anaya – Your Pilates Teacher. Hi! I’m your principal Pilates Teacher. I’ve been teaching Pilates for 15 years but practising Pilates for over 20 years since being told to do so by my back surgeon. I was extremely sporty, playing pretty much every sport and gained a Sports Scholarship. My main sport was Cricket, playing at a high level for Sussex Women’s County Cricket Team and in the Junior England Squad. Unfortunately a serious back injury (two disc prolapses and subsequent spinal surgery) prevented me from continuing and I lost my confidence in participating in sports.
In my late teens and early 20’s, my back became really painful again and I thought that a spinal fusion was my only option. Thankfully a back surgeon told me to try Pilates… I was in pain because I wasn’t moving, I was protecting my back – the irony! I needed to strengthen and recondition my body. It needed an M.O.T!
I started practicing pilates and was amazed by the results. In 2017 I qualified as a Pilates Teacher with Body Control Pilates – Europe’s largest training organisation. My injury and interest in sports led me to teach Elite Athletes and everyday men. I’m proud to have worked with Sussex Men’s Cricket Team, Professional Sportsmen such as England Cricketers Joffra Archer, James Taylor, Luke Wright, Laurie Evans and ex Professional Footballer Glenn Murray, Ex professional 7’s Rugby Captain Ollie Phillips.
To find out more visit: www.mendopilates.com