If you of the opinion that Pilates is just ‘stretching’ for women who have dancer’s bodies, then you’re maybe not alone. However, you’re definitely wrong. While women are attracted to the practice for its all-but-assured results, men can reap the same benefits which include everything from strength as well as coordination to balance and flexibility – not to mention, mental clarity in addition to better posture.
It’s no wonder that the world’s biggest names from the worlds of basketball, football and baseball have been seen on the reformer machines. If you are afflicted by back pain, tight muscles or would like to appear taller or more toned then Pilates is for you. Still need convincing? It was created by a man. Joseph Pilates created the discipline back in the early part of the 20th century, naming it Contrology as he felt his method uses the mind in order to control the muscles.
The Benefits Of Pilates For The Body
Core Strength
Encouraging greater core strength and stability, enhanced muscle tone and definition, as well as the advanced joint elasticity as well as flexibility, Pilates does a lot of good for the body. However, for some reason, men don’t seem to be taking part. As stated by a 2013 Sports Marketing Survey, an estimated 16 percent of Pilates participants are male. While that number has probably gone up a bit in the past few years, a lot of men are still missing out on the benefits Pilates has to offer.
The focus on core training makes Pilates an extremely effective technique for entire-body fitness. In addition, it builds a rock-solid foundation for cross-training or other types of sports as well as fitness disciplines. You could be a bit wobbly at first as every Pilates exercise focuses on making use of your core in order to power movement throughout your body and limbs. Pilates will often isolate your transverse abdominals, which are the base ab muscle under your burgeoning six-pack.
Lengthening And Strengthening Muscles
You might have heard the term ‘lean muscle’ bandied about when you look into Pilates. While all muscle is really lean muscle, Pilates will assist you with lengthening your muscles while – at the same time – building strength.
Pilates exercises are a type of dynamic stretching. This means that you will be engaging one muscle group in order to lengthen an opposing muscle group. At first sight, you could see the subtlety of Pilates movements and fail to see that these movements are building strength.
Enhance Performance in Your Other Workouts
With any training or exercise routine, it is essential to cross-train. This will not only guarantee that you have aspects of both cardio and strength training in your week however it helps to prevent injuries and keep your workouts more interesting. And if you are looking for a new cross-training activity, Pilates might be the way to go. In addition, men who practise other activities see great results from cross-training with Pilates. For instance, weightlifters see the amount of weight they can lift increase and marathon runners notice their run times lower when they add Pilates to their routine.
Whichever Pilates class you decide to do keep in mind that you must be patient with yourself. The exercises may possibly not come easily at first however, with practice, these will. What could come easy for someone else may be challenging for you. There are things we all struggle with.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If you are keen to become a Pilates Instructor then you need to do our Pilates Instructor course. For more information, please follow this link.
