I was a hardcore gym person and used to love lifting weights until I found the ultimate and safe exercise routine - Pilates. It is by far my most preferred form of exercise for a number of reasons. It has helped me develop greater core strength, better lean body mass, increased my flexibility, eased my chronic back pain, improved my posture, and relieved stress. I truly believe that Pilates can benefit people of all ages and fitness levels. Unfortunately, many people think of Pilates is an ‘easy’ mode of exercise that's more for ladies than it is for men.
That Pilates is for women is a common misconception. This misbelief is slowly drifting away as it is found that most well aware men have resorted to Pilates. Pilates does benefit men just as it does women. In fact, what people might not know is that Pilates was not only created by a man, but it was originally intended as an exercise program for men.
As awareness is increasing I am seeing more men walking into my studio to take a Pilates session. Most get hooked on to it and become regulars. The benefits of Pilates in general and particularly to men are plenty; these include increased core strength, greater flexibility, a better sex life and strengthening muscles that are often neglected. Pilates also helps create better body awareness. A lot of times one finds that men who exercise regularly are strong but their muscles are extremely tense. Pilates is thus a great form of exercise as it strengthens muscles while increasing flexibility.
Pilates can supplement any form of exercise. It is a whole body workout. Each Pilates exercise works through your core, which is the powerhouse of your body, giving you great abs plus increased overall body strength. When you do Pilates you train key physical performance factors including posture, balance, stability, flexibility, coordination, endurance, and functional strength. Although increasing strength is crucial, stretching the muscles to build longer, more agile muscles is important as well - especially for functional daily activities.
Celebrity men who swear by Pilates include Gerard Butler, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Shane Watson, Jason Kidd, Hugh Grant, Curt Schilling and many more ….
Need I say more? I will leave you with a quote from one of these gentlemen:
“ Power is nothing without a rock-solid core. Pilates is key to activating it… Guys, don’t be fooled just cause women to do it. It’s no joke. Try it and you’ll find out real quick.” – Curt Shilling
Find out for yourself, won’t you?
Does your daily schedule feel too hectic to throw in a workout? Try this 10 minute Pilates routine!
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