Pilates For Men

Do you think Pilates is just for girls? Are you always complaining to your PT, partner or family that you're feeling stiff? Do you struggle to get into a really good squat because your hips feel a bit stiff?

Pilates can help you with all of this and is not just for girls! When you've got legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and even James Bond doing it, it must be good for you!

Now, we're definitely not saying that Pilates is the only thing you should do. Variety is key to progression so an important part of your training.

Below are four great reasons why Pilates IS for men.

Work Your Stability Muscles

Everyone needs to build a good base. Having muscles which look good and perhaps work on your beach body weights is great, but it doesn't actually necessarily give you good strength and the ability to protect your back  and enable you to move freely without injury.

To be efficient in movements like squat, deadlift and bench press, you need to have that strong stable base so you can protect your spine and let your big movement muscles to do their real job...being powerful! Reformer Pilates for men can help you do this incredibly well.

The most common back injury is with the discs in the lower spine and this tends to happen particularly in people who are lifting weights. Mens Pilates classes helps you create a stable base and the movement that goes with it. This means you're less likely to be overloading your back. Instead you can use the movement in your hips and pelvis to allow you to move effectively.

Reformer Pilates for men can really help here! In mens Pilates classes, we can teach you to differentiate the movement between your hips, pelvis, spine and the rest of your body. We make sure that you're not overloading your back, but instead, that you're getting your movement effectively from all areas.

Improve Your Sports Performance

One of the common reason’s guys don't necessarily do Pilates is because it's often seen as just lying on your back and breathing, maybe lifting an arm and a leg up.

Actually, in mens Pilates classes we can get you into the really complex movement patterns that you need for everyday life and for sports. Reformer Pilates for men is brilliant at this. In fact, all the equipment is!

We can challenge your body into rotation, with movements in your upper body, lower body and single leg work.

All these movements apply to sports like tennis, squash, cycling, and swimming. Anything which requires full body integration.

Great mens Pilates classes can do this equally as well in the studio and in online sessions. We feel that the instructors at Complete Pilates can do this and really challenge your body for what it needs to do to achieve your goals.

Pilates for men doesn't necessarily mean lying in a room with lots of people doing lots deep breathing and gentle movements. We're going to make you work hard and make you better at your sports and activities.

Improve Your Posture

Posture! Obviously with any type of Pilates, particularly Pilates for men or Pilates for older men, we talk about posture.

But why is it relevant for men particularly?

Do you work out in the gym and feel strong, but struggle to even hold a simple, good posture position during the day at your desk?

When we’re doing heavier exercises and lifting heavier weights, we tend to work on those faster, more powerful muscles. Actually, our posture needs us to have the control muscles working at a low level all day, every day.

These muscles are like marathon runners in your body and are often close to your spine, deep in your pelvis and your core. They are going to keep you in a good, strong posture throughout the day. Make you less likely to get aches and pains and less likely to get injured.

Pilates for men can help you to get these deep, underlying muscles strong enough to support your posture and also work on the movement you need to have good posture.

We know that the most important thing during the day is keeping moving regularly. We don't want to stay in one position for any length of time, but we do need that underlying deep strength and mobility to allow us to get into those positions in the first place. Pilates for men can do this for you.

Injury Prevention

We want to make you injury proof.

Are you somebody who's been fit and active and done sports all your life? Maybe now you're finding you're starting to get little niggles or injuries that you didn't have before.

We can put up with quite a lot in our bodies when we're younger, up to around the age of 30. We're pretty naturally injury proof.  As we get older and we keep challenging our body, particularly if you sit at a desk all day and then go and challenge your body in the evening, we need the underlying strength and stability work to allow our bodies to move and exercise freely without overloading and injuring certain tissues.

Pilates for older men as a one-to-one session can really focus around you as an individual. Mens Pilates classes are a good option as well but in general are not as specific.

One-to-one Pilates for older men allows you to find the areas in your body that may be a little bit more vulnerable. You can then target those so that you can be stronger, more mobile and less likely to get injured through doing your everyday activities and everyday sports.

At Complete Pilates we truly believe that Pilates is for everybody. Pilates for men whether it be online or in person can help you no matter what your goals.

Reformer Pilates for men can help you find those areas that you need to work on and will challenge you to a level that's appropriate for you to make sure that you achieve your goals.

If you're struggling with progressing your exercise programme, achieving what you want to achieve in sport, or maybe getting those niggly injuries, why not try Pilates for men?

Give it a go and see how we can help you.

You can book a session now. Just click on the book now button to start our new client intro offer; two one hour sessions with a physiotherapist, either in the studio or online.

Conclusion

Pilates isn't about making your workouts easier—it's about making your body work better. Whether your goal is lifting heavier, running faster, improving your golf swing or simply getting through the working week with fewer aches and pains, Pilates provides the mobility, stability and movement control to support it. It's why so many professional athletes include it alongside their strength and conditioning, and why it can benefit men of every age and fitness level.

Key Takeaways

• Pilates isn't just for women. It helps men develop the strength, mobility and movement control needed to perform better in the gym, at work and in sport.
• A strong foundation improves performance. Pilates strengthens the deep stabilising muscles that support your spine and pelvis, creating a more efficient base for lifts such as squats, deadlifts and presses.
• Better mobility leads to better movement. Improving hip, spinal and shoulder mobility can enhance sporting performance while helping reduce stiffness caused by long hours at a desk.
• Pilates complements strength training. Rather than replacing the gym, Pilates improves movement quality, posture and coordination so you can train more effectively.
• Investing in movement now may reduce injuries later. Addressing weaknesses, muscle imbalances and poor movement patterns can help keep you active and performing at your best as you get older.

Feeling Inspired?

If you want to experience the Complete difference and discover the benefits of one-to-one or small group Pilates, book a session at one of our London or Norfolk studios today. Not able to make it to one of our studios? We've got online options to suit you anywhere, anytime. 

Our physiotherapist-led Chelsea Pilates studio, our Angel Pilates studio, our Pilates studio in London City, and our Norfolk Pilates studio in East Anglia, offer a highly tailored approach to your Pilates training. Whether your goal is to manage a health condition, rehabilitate from an injury or to improve your strength and fitness, Complete Pilates is the studio for you. 

Education is Key

These blogs are designed to give information to everyone, however, it is important to remember that everyone is different! If you have not seen one of our therapists and have any questions about injuries, what you have read or whether this may be useful to you, please just ask. We are more than happy to help anyone and point you in the right direction. Our biggest belief is that education is key. The more you understand about your injury, illness and movement, the more you are likely to improve.

If you are not sure whether this is for you, simply get in touch. We are here to help!

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