Do Men Do Pilates?
By Sandee Lea
Since I have been a Professional Pilates Trainer these past 4 years, I have heard many of my lady clients tell me, “Boy, does my husband need this, but he would never try it.” My reply back to them is usually, ”Well, Joseph Pilates was a man and he invented this method of exercise.”
Joseph Pilates, whose body was used for modeling anatomical charts, went on to teach Pilates to men in the boxing clubs of Hamburg, to men in the Isle of Man internment camp during World War I, and then finally to the public, in 1926, when he opened up his studio in New York City, next to Madison Square Garden. For the next 15 years he only taught men until the dancers discovered him in the 1940’s.
Today, the Pilates Method is, by belief, a feminine, “floaty” form of exercise. Many people think it is like yoga, but it has nothing in common with the Hindu tradition and is actually based on gymnastics. When Joseph created the Pilates Method, his intention was for the form of exercise to be a work out!
When training men versus women, there is a difference. Women want more attention paid to their buttocks and inner thighs, while men want upper body work and need stretching. As a Pilates Trainer here in the Temecula Valley, my language is different when training men versus women. Rather then putting men through a Mermaid stretch, I will state the exercise as a side bend. But then again, I have put men through Hug-A-Tree, and my own personal touch that I have added to the Pilates Method, Kiss-The-Tree.
Whether you are male or female, your workout needs to be customized for you. Did you know there are over 500 original exercises to choose from and Joe Pilates already invented them for you. A great trainer will choose the appropriate exercises for you, not the same routine being done each time you come in. With the right trainer, this can even be done even in a group setting.
My motto is: Create a work out each day that a client will be happy about and feel that they have done great things for their body. Then all will be happy!
Joseph believed the whole country, the whole world, should be doing his exercises. He never took an aspirin, and was never injured a day in his life, even at the age of 86! Would not the whole world be happier? I know I would be.
Sandee Lea is a Nationally Certified Pilates Trainer, Certified Yoga Instructor and Owner of A Pilates Studio. A Pilates Studio is located in Temecula, California and offers Private Pilates Training, Group Reformer Pilates Classes, Mat Pilates Classes, Spin Classes and Yoga Classes.
If you wish to contact Sandee you can reach her at (951) 541-6708 or visit her website www.pilatestemecula.com. Sandee also has a fitness blog site where she shares an exercise of the month, recipe of the month, as well as nutrition articles and more. Check it out at www.thehundredpureandsimple.blogspot.com.