22 Jan

Pilates for Men: Why More Men Should Do Pilates

If you were to walk into almost any Pilates class today, there is one thing that would stand out to you immediately.

More often than not, the class would be filled with nothing but women. Studies have shown that more than 80 percent of the people who take part in Pilates are female.

This is a real shame because there are so many potential benefits that come along with Pilates for men. If more guys out there would give it a try, they could improve everything from their core strength to their sex lives (that's right, guys!) in a matter of just a few weeks.

If you're a man who is under the impression that Pilates is only for women, you should think again and consider giving Pilates a try. Let's take a closer look at why more men should sign up for Pilates today.

First, What Is Pilates?

Before we discuss how Pilates for men can benefit so many guys out there, it's important for you to have a firm grasp on what Pilates actually is.

Part of the reason why more people of both genders don't try it is because there are still many people who aren't familiar with Pilates. There are even some people who mistakenly believe that Pilates and yoga are essentially the same thing when they most definitely are not.

Pilates is a workout system that was first designed and developed in the early 1900s by a man named Joseph Pilates. Originally called “Contrology," the practice involves performing different exercises while using a special Pilates apparatus.

When Joseph Pilates first invented Pilates, his goals for it were simple. He wanted to create a workout routine that would help people improve their physical strength while also making them more flexible and improving their posture. Additionally, he wanted it to make people more mentally aware.

Today, there are so many people, including men and women, who can benefit from Pilates in a big way. It's proven to be effective for:

People suffering from back pain
People managing the side effects of osteoporosis
People working their way back from knee and hip replacement surgery

In total, there are more than 9 million people doing Pilates in 2018 for one reason or another.

Why Isn't Pilates for Men More Popular?

When you consider the fact that Pilates was invented by a man, you would think that there would be more men interested in taking Pilates today. And yet, “Why don't more men do Pilates?", is a question that is asked over and over again on the internet.

There isn't a clear-cut answer to the question, though. It appears as though there are many reasons why men have traditionally chosen not to take Pilates classes.

There are some people who believe Pilates for men isn't more popular because of the way it's been marketed over the years. When photos of people doing Pilates are printed in magazines or shown on TV, they usually portray women, not men, doing different Pilates exercises.

There are also people who believe Pilates for men isn't more popular because there are some men who think Pilates looks too easy. They see photos and videos of women doing Pilates and don't think the exercises will be challenging enough for them.

And obviously, there are also people who believe that the fact that so many Pilates classes are filled with women is a sign that Pilates is, somehow, not for men. They see classes full of women performing Pilates exercises together without any men in sight and think it's an indication that Pilates must not be for men.

These are just a few of the things that are holding Pilates for men back and stopping men from getting more involved with it.

What Are Some of the Benefits of Pilates for Men?

Although there aren't many men in Pilates classes these days, there is going to come a time when that's going to change. There are simply too many benefits of Pilates for men to ignore.

Once the secret gets out and men discover how valuable Pilates can be, they're going to be on board with it. Keep reading to see some of the exciting benefits that you can enjoy if you enroll yourself in a Pilates program.

1. Puts an Emphasis on Developing Core Strength

For years now, men have paraded through gyms working on building up their biceps and their pectorals. But in recent years, there has been a big push for more men to focus on strengthening their core muscles.

Why? Well, there are many reasons for it. By developing your core strength, you can:

Improve your balance
Stabilize your entire body
Add tone and definition to your abdominals
Make it easier to carry out lots of different physical activities
Work out harder and get stronger in the gym

There are quite a few ways you can develop your core strength. But one of the most effective ways to do it is with Pilates. You will work your core during just about every single Pilates exercises that you do.

2. Targets Muscle Groups That Are Usually Neglected

As we mentioned, most men don't have any trouble working out their major muscle groups. They want to look good when they take off their shirts at the beach or pool, so they work hard on biceps, pectorals, triceps, and other important muscles.

But in doing so, many of these men also neglect certain muscle groups within their bodies. Specifically, they tend to forget about how important it is to work out their legs when they're in the gym.

Pilates for men solves this problem by targeting muscle groups that are so often neglected by even the most dedicated gym rats. A muscle like the gluteus medius, which rarely sees any action in the gym under normal circumstances, is suddenly pushed to the limit during Pilates.

This is important because it helps to bring more balance to a man's body. When all of his body parts feel strong, he'll feel better about himself and be able to give even more effort when he's in the gym thanks to his newfound strength.

3. Forces You to Stretch More Often

There are so many great things that will happen to your body when you make stretching regularly more of a priority. Those who stretch early and often can:

Increase their flexibility
Improve their blood flow throughout their bodies
Make their posture better
Reduce stress
Prevent back pain
And so, so much more

If you don't feel as though you're stretching enough, a Pilates class is a great place to increase how much stretching you're doing seamlessly. After just a few classes, it'll feel like your muscles are getting looser and responding better to stretching.

In addition to all of the benefits listed above, you'll also enjoy other benefits of stretching if you're someone who lifts weights or takes part in other physical activities. Stretching your muscles through Pilates can make them leaner and more resilient. This will help you work out harder than ever before without getting too fatigued.

4. Helps Prevent Injuries

Have you heard about all of the former and current NFL players who have taken part in Pilates classes? Wide receivers, in particular, have gravitated towards Pilates in recent years.

Some of the NFL players who have used Pilates to their advantage include:

Calvin Johnson
Brandin Cooks
Antonio Brown

Obviously, each of these NFL players has chosen to use Pilates for his own reason. But one of the reasons why Pilates has become popular among many professional athletes is because it helps them to stave off injuries.

When you practice Pilates regularly, it eliminates the imbalances that exist within your body. It also helps muscles that may be overworked to heal and to get into balance with the rest of your body.

If Pilates is good enough for some of the most well-conditioned athletes on the planet, isn't it good enough for you, too? More men should follow the examples set by NFL players to see how Pilates could help them avoid common injuries.

5. Increases Confidence

We talked earlier about the perception that some people have when it comes to Pilates. For one reason or another, they think that Pilates is easy when they see people doing it.

But once you've actually tried Pilates for the first time, you'll have a much different impression of it! Most people are surprised by how difficult many of the exercises can be.

This really shouldn't come as a huge surprise to anyone. When you're working out many muscles that don't get any attention under normal circumstances, you're going to struggle initially.

But over time, those who stick with the challenges that come along with Pilates will be pleasantly surprised by how far they're able to push both their bodies and their minds. They'll begin to feel a lot more confident in their abilities and like the way that Pilates makes them look.

Instead of trying to boost your confidence by buying a fancy new car or moving into a big new house, give Pilates for men a whirl. You'll get a confidence boost unlike anything you've ever felt before when you work hard to get better at it.

6. Develops Focus and Concentration

During your introduction to Pilates, you'll be blown away by how physically challenging it can be. You'll push your body to new heights and watch in wonder as it bounces back and responds every time.

But you'll work out more than just your body during Pilates. You'll also work on developing your mind and, more specifically, your focus and concentration.

Unlike other workouts, Pilates isn't an upbeat and energetic type of exercise. It's more slow and methodical and calls on people to focus on their breath as they make each and every movement.

When you do this, you'll learn how to slow things down in your mind and focus and concentrate on your thoughts better. You'll make your mind stronger and sharper than it's ever been.

There are also many mental health benefits that those who practice Pilates will experience. If mental health is something you're making a push to work on this year, Pilates could be just what you're looking for.

7. Improves Sex Life

Studies have suggested that about one-third of people aren't satisfied with the way their sex life is going at the moment.

Do you fall into this category, or do you suspect that your partner might not be as satisfied as they could (and should!) be when it comes to sex?

Pilates for men can help you dramatically improve your sex life.

How? For starters, Pilates can provide men with more control over their core muscles and their pelvic floor. This allows them to control themselves in the bedroom and extend their performance.

Pilates can also make men more flexible, thus making new sexual positions possible. And because there is such a strong emphasis put on breathing during Pilates, it can even help men to breathe properly while making love to their significant others.

Once you start doing Pilates on a regular basis, you'll notice some real differences during sex. Even those who enjoyed sex before will realize how much better it is once they've made improvements to their body and mind through Pilates.

Try Pilates for Men Today and See Results Quickly

Would you like to see how Pilates for men could benefit you?

The first thing you should try is taking a private Pilates session. It'll help you acclimate your body to the various movements that you'll need to make during a Pilates class.

From there, you'll be able to push yourself further and try more movements as you reach advanced levels. And when that time comes around, you'll notice that your body performs differently than in the past, both when you're doing Pilates and when you're going through your normal day-to-day activities. It'll be quite the transformation for you.

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