As more and more men turn to Pilates I thought I would feature some of the men who have been frequenting our studio. First of all, Joeseph Pilates was a man, there is nothing sissy about Pilates. I have taught countless world-class athletes who have been reduced to a quiver in my sessions. This week we feature Blind footballer and athlete Azeem Amir. There are always stories that we tell ourselves that hold us back in life, but this man has made his own positive story. Nothing is a negative always a positive with Azeem. Not only is this young man a determined sportsman he never let’s his disability hold him back and is one of the most positive go-getters I have met in life. Azeem is presently on a football tour in Germany with the Blind football association.
Benefits of Pilates for Men
- Improve your Posture – One of the origins of most aches and pains can be posture related bad. Every Pilates exercise you do will have a postural benefit providing your teacher understands length-tension relationships and tonic v phasic fibers. Due to the combination of challenging your strength and flexibility, Pilates will develop muscular balance in your joints which will improve your posture and reduce your likeliness of injury.
- Become More Flexible – Multi apparatus Reformer Pilates involves various three-dimensional movements, these movements challenge the length and elasticity of your muscles and encourages your joints to be able to move through the greatest possible range. Again all flexibility is firstly jointly related so its establishing whats called the instantaneous axis of rotation and then finding freedom and non-compression in the movement and spiraling in the connective tissues.
- Strengthen your Core – Your core is the combination of muscles that support your spine and torso, these muscles form the foundation for all movements. A weak core causes instability and reliance on dominant muscles, over time this will inhibit flexibility, reduce the range of movement and ultimately cause injury. Pilates promotes core activation and engages all of your postural muscles leading to more stable and powerful movements. Men also need a strong pelvic floor to sustain the inner and outer unit and also keep the reproductive organs in sync.
- Reduce Stress – A stressful mind is often a reflection of how your body feels, so just by stretching and moving your muscles will relax and release tension, this will allow you to feel more comfortable. Naturally, this will allow your mind to relax and unwind. Pilates also combines breathing so the breath with the movement can give a more parasympathetic effect helping promote cortisol reduction.
Sport Performance
Alternatively if you a keen sportsman, I’m sure you’ll find that Pilates can also significantly improve your performance. Injury prevention and rehabilitation are undoubtedly two of the key benefits that sportsmen can experience from doing Pilates, but there are numerous ways that Pilates can actually enhance your sporting performance.
- Balance & Co-ordination – Pilates enhances your muscle control and core stability, these are both related to improved balance and coordination. Numerous golfers including Tiger Woods have utilized Pilates to develop their balance while transitioning their body weight throughout their golf swing.
- Strength and Power – In order to generate the maximum amount of force while under control you must have stability in your core. Consider a Tennis player who has to return a ball while moving and contorting their bodies, for them to be able to generate the optimal amount force on their return they must have unbelievable core strength.
- Concentration and Focus – Pilates forces you to pay attention to your body, you’ve got to focus on your breath while working through each movement and concentrating on proper form and activating the correct muscles. This significantly enhances your body control and awareness which are both fundamental skills to maintaining sporting performance.
