– Pilates can help men fight serious illness and reduce the incidence of painful sports injuries
It amazes me when I hear that some men still consider Pilates to be “an exercise system just for women or people who are not able for the cut and thrust of the gym”. Pilates is in the worldly view of such men ‘NOT FOR REAL MEN’.
Pilates and the Professional Sportsman
Tour de France
My response to this terrible misconception: “You choose to question the wisdom of sporting professionals who play international rugby, NFL and premier league soccer, not to mention members of GAA county football and hurling teams, Olympic athletes, Tour de France cyclists, professional golfers etc, the majority of who consider Pilates to be an integral part of their overall training regimes.
Exercising in a gym can be great for building strength and muscles, but top sports coaches and trainers understand that Pilates helps their elite athletes achieve greater postural balance in their bodies as well as considerably reducing the incidence of injury and pain.
So, if it works for the professionals, why are there still a few ‘Weekend Warriors’ who cannot see the benefit of this excellent system of movement?
The Simple Facts about Pilates and Men’s Health
I don’t have the answer to that question, but I would like to present some Simple Facts about Pilates and Men’s Health that show there is more to Pilates than meets the eye.
In addition to helping men who suffer the occasional twinge or knock from sporting activities, regular Pilates workouts can help build resistance to some very serious health conditions that affect men as well as greatly improve your overall health and quality of life.
Just take a look at Joseph Pilates, the founder of Pilates techniques, he was still teaching and training in his 80s.
Meet ‘The Reformer’
If you are a man who thinks working on a mat is not tough – then let me introduce you to The Reformer; a customized piece of Pilates resistance equipment.
Working with the principles of Pilates and resistance, a Reformer Workout tones muscle and helps to create a masculine streamline shape while simultaneously improving posture, stability, flexibility, mobility and co-ordination. The beauty of a Reformer workout programme is that it works your body as a whole, unlike individual exercise machines that can be found in a gym.
As I have stated in earlier blogs, Pilates works to create a balanced body – right left, front back.
Pilates provides:
- – Improved Stability
- – Increased Mobility
- – More Fluency of Movement
- – Better Co-ordination and
- – Greater strength
– All the components required for living injury and pain free.
So, in terms of physical workouts, Pilates offers men an opportunity to build a better-balanced body with more strength and muscular endurance and create a flexible masculine shape.
Pilates and male medical conditions
Erectile Dysfunction
At BODYFIRM Studios we see the Pelvic Floor as essential part of both male and female health. Most men do not realize how important their Pelvic Floor is to their overall health. However, we have in the past had men referred for PF (pelvic floor) work to aid with Erectile Dysfunction.
Prostate Cancer
In more recent times with the apparent increase in the incidence of Prostate Cancer, Pilates has been acknowledged as a movement system that can play a big part in helping men fight the possible onset of the disease.
Deterioration of the Pelvic Floor has been cited as a contributing factor to the contracting of prostate cancer. By working with Pilates movement, becoming aware of Pelvic Floor activation and strengthening, the risks of contracting prostate cancer can be reduced.
Want to give Pilates a go?
Pilates is a movement system that has much to offer men looking improve their fitness. It is a programme that combines both mat and resistance machine exercises with great results
So, come and give it a go.
I think you’ll find you can be man enough for it…
Joyce
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Click here to book a course or learn more about what Pilates can do for you.
Call Bernie on 018684600 if you have a specific Pilates query.
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Images courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net . Tour de France Photograher Tom Curtis Worker waistcoat – Photographer: Suat Eman
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