Is Pilates beneficial for men? Think about this: it was developed by a man called Joseph Pilates; it has been used as a training vehicle for top athletes, both men and women, for over 50 years; and men have been seen prominently as trainers and publicists of the method throughout its history. Even though men have always been on the scene, the growth in popularity that this exercise has seen in recent years has been driven to a greater extent by an upsurge of female members and instructors, leaving some people with the impression that this type of training is more for women.
Pilates is certainly one of the fastest-developing fitness trends around the world, and men are definitely capitalising on the advantages that this exercise has to offer:
- Core strength, suppleness, balance and efficient movement patterns are all hallmarks of the exercise and exceedingly relevant to men’s health and fitness. The integrative element of Pilates can be specifically beneficial for men, whose exercises often highlights a step-by-step approach to muscular growth, which occurs in weight-lifting, for example.
- This exercise emphasises moving from the centre of the body – the core – and developing fundamental strength in the deep muscles of the centre to stabilise the trunk and protect the back and lower back. This type of core training makes Pilates a superb system for whole-body fitness, as well as a basis for cross training with other types of sports and exercise.
- Increasing flexibility is an objective that is targeted in a manner in which men can feel at ease. Pilates also works toward functional fitness, which is the capacity to have the strength, balance and flexibility that lets one carry out daily tasks with ease and style. In this respect, Pilates exercises seek to increase your flexibility and range of motion, but you will not find the sort of ‘pretzel stretches’ here that you’d find in gymnastics or yoga.
- Pilates is a mind and body exercise where part of the movement is to focus one’s full awareness on every single movement. Also, exacting alignment and core muscle training, that goes above and beyond the apparent muscles, necessitate more delicate attention and micro-adjustments than some men are accustomed to finding in an exercise session. There is none of the “just push through” kind of approach that men would probably be used to from their time in the gym. This often becomes most apparent when working with the specialised equipment, which – though it is resistance equipment – is not really aimed at being overpowered. In reality, at times the lightest setting on a piece of equipment is the most stimulating for the core muscles. Well-measured, well-aligned movement is the key to a deeper level of fitness.
In conclusion, Pilates is a strength and flexibility exercise that mainly targets the core muscles. Its primary focus is on refining posture, the strengthening and reinforcement of your back, as well as the firming up of abdominal muscles. Trifocus Fitness Academy not only teaches you the ins-and-outs of the world of Pilates, but also equips you with the necessary knowledge of being an accredited Pilates instructor. Our objective in this regard accommodates both men and women. So if you are someone who sees themselves having a career as a Pilates instructor, visit the Trifocus Fitness Academy’s website to see how you can enrol and fulfil your dream of becoming a Pilates guru.