Fit to Print Volume 23 Issue 3 September 2014 | Page 6

M i n d B o d y S p i rby Monica Jones
it

by Dina Voigt

Are You Man Enough?
For Pilates, That Is...

I

cannot tell you how many times over
the years that I have heard men say:
“Pilates is for girls”, “Pilates is easy”,
“I don't need that stretching stuff”….etc.
I can, however, tell you, that many times
over, I have disproved those statements.
More men are turning to Pilates as they
find it to be a fabulous compliment to
help them become more proficient and
be safer in the sports and recreational
activities they love. Surprisingly, they
are finding how much Pilates helps them
in their daily lives to relieve muscle pain,
gain balance and feel good overall.
Many professional male athletes
practice Pilates regularly to
improve their performance. For
runners, cyclists, swimmers,
golfers, tennis players, triathletes
and more, Pilates can help
improve performance and avoid
injury as well as sustain longevity
in the sport you love.
Pilates incorporates dynamic
stretching which creates and
maintains pliability of the
muscles, especially great for
runners and cyclists. The
increase of core strength is an
enormous benefit for athletes and
non-athletes alike and will help
protect the spine and back from
injury. Improved sense of
balance benefits a golf swing or
backhand. Also especially beneficial to
golfers and tennis players is the increase
in spine and hip flexibility which is
foundational in those sports. The body
in general learns to counteract the
imbalance created from the one-sided
repetitive motions of those sports.
While Pilates is beneficial for
athletes….How does it help “nonathletes”? Basically in the same way!
Many Pilates movements mimic the way
our bodies move during a busy, active
day. Practicing Pilates on a regular basis
strengthens the deep postural muscles,
strengthening the deep front and back
muscles in the core. It stretches the
tighter muscles while strengthening
weaker ones, improves coordination,
improves breathing and blood flow in
the body…among many other things.
Pilates will not just benefit you if you are
an athlete.
An example: For those non-athletes who
spend hours at a desk, in the car, on the

6

train…PILATES WILL HELP!! Prolonged
sitting is constant flexion of the hip.
This results in tight, weak hip flexors
and imbalance in the pelvis as well as
the front and back of the legs and can
cause lower back pain. Pilates
strengthens and lengthens the hip
flexors which helps neutralize the
stress from excessive sitting, thereby
relieving that lower back pain. In
addition, Pilates also lengthens the
chest muscles and strengthens the
back muscles which in turn
counteracts the forward rolling of the
shoulders that is also a result of

Kevin D. on the reformer

prolonged sitting.
Strengthening the core and learning
proper body mechanics can keep the
body strong, healthy and injury free
which can be extremely beneficial
while doing “everyday” things like
yard work, mowing the lawn, home
repairs and playing with your children.

These are just a few reasons why
Pilates is great for men, athletes and
non-athletes alike.
You don't have to take my word for
it…let's hear from some REAL men who
practice Pilates regularly. I sat down
with a few of my clients and asked
them some questions:

Kevin D.
DV: How long have you been doing
Pilates?
KD: I have been doing Pilates for
about two years.
DV: Tell me a little bit about your
Autumn 2014 FIT to Print

fitness background.
KD: I always exercised but not really
consistently. I have always been pretty
lucky with my health. However, now
that I am in my 40's I started to put on
weight. I never felt fat, I was able to
move, lift weights, etc. but when I saw
some pictures of myself, I noticed my
growing waistline. I noticed my asthma
getting worse and I was using my inhaler
a lot more frequently. I knew if I kept
doing what I was doing, I would continue
to get the same results…My belly was the
size of the Michelin Man! I have a
family history of heart disease and
cancer. I have a young god-daughter
whom I adore and I want VBF