Why Pilates is a Great Workout for Men
When you picture a Pilates class, do you imagine a room full of women? Many do, but here at Return Pilates we are seeing a growing number of men join our studio – and with good reason!
Though many men may initially dismiss Pilates as ‘not a real workout,’ this couldn’t be further from the truth. Pilates not only offers a great workout in the moment, but can also lead to many long-term benefits for strength and performance that can positively impact the rest of your fitness routine.
Not to mention, it counts celebrities like LeBron James, David Beckham and Tiger Woods amongst its fans!
Whether you’re a guy thinking about giving Pilates a go, or you’ve got a man in your life who you think could benefit from regular practice, read on for more information about why Pilates is truly for everyone.
It can improve your overall strength
We meet many new male clients who are sceptical about Pilates, thinking it’s nothing more than a glorified stretching session. In fact, Pilates is a whole-body conditioning workout that targets your core muscles, along with stabilising muscles that support your larger muscle groups.
If men are regularly training with weights in the gym, chances are they’re hitting the same muscles over and over – so Pilates can help to ‘fill in the gaps,’ improving your foundational strength.
You may also come to realise any imbalances in the body, and you can use your Pilates practice to build strength in these areas.
It can improve your performance
Since its creation in the early 1900s, Pilates has been a popular inclusion in elite men’s sports training programs for its performance benefits.
As a whole body workout, Pilates creates a strong muscular foundation along with improving flexibility and fluidity of movement.
This makes it a great complement to sports like football, golf, tennis, cricket and rugby, to name a few.
Regular activation and stretching of the muscles also improves their resilience, meaning you’re less likely to fall victim to injury as a result of improper form.
And if you’re currently recovering from injury, Pilates offers a challenging yet low-impact means of incorporating movement back into your routine.
It can improve your posture
For those men who work in an office job or spend a lot of time sitting, over time their posture can become a challenge as these awkward postures contract the muscles and can lead to postural imbalances.
Pilates targets the stabilising and core muscles responsible for keeping our trunk upright, meaning good posture will come more naturally.
This can help to alleviate tightness and pain as a result of sitting for long periods of time without otherwise having to change your routine.
Feeling ready to give your first class a try? Return Pilates offers multiple class types every day, and our friendly team would be more than happy to show you the ropes (or the springs, in this case). Find your ideal class fit by completing our quiz or check out our timetable here.
