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Pilates for Men – Top Benefits of Pilates for Men from MOVE

Pilates for Men: Benefits of Pilates Exercise for Men

What do you think of when you picture a Pilates class? For many, ‘Pilates,’ brings up images of leggings-clad women doing light exercises that look more like stretching than an actual workout — but that’s a complete misconception.

Although Pilates doesn’t incorporate intense cardio or heavy weights, it’s still a tough workout for men and women of all ages. In fact, some of the top athletes in the world incorporate Pilates into their routines. Pilates works new muscles and movements, so it’s challenging without causing the strain some higher-impact workouts do. It is particularly effective for strengthening abdominal muscles and targeting the core.

But whether you’re a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs or a retiree looking to switch up your workout routine, you can find benefits in Pilates.

Here are answers to some common questions about Pilates, its benefits for men, and a free Pilates workout you can try from the comfort of your own home.

Try even more Pilates classes with our MOVE On Demand Series: Building a Strong Core with Pilates for Men and sign up for our free 14-day livestream class trial.

What is Pilates, exactly?

Pilates is a safe, adaptable exercise method that can be done on a mat or with a specialized Reformer machine. The Pilates method is a comprehensive workout system that uses resistance and your own body weight to stabilize your core and strengthen your body. Pilates’ adaptability makes it great for all body types and fitness levels, while still being a challenge for even the toughest athletes. This form of exercise is an efficient, effective, and safe way to increase your flexibility, develop your core, and release tension.

Pilates is versatile and offers numerous benefits for men, including improved core strength, posture, and overall body awareness. Some men dismiss Pilates as a form of exercise because it doesn’t involve high intensity cardio or heavy weightlifting. But don’t let that fool you — Pilates is a great workout that corrects muscular imbalances and builds a strong and stable core, without the impact on your joints that extreme fitness can cause.

Can you gain muscle with Pilates?

Yes. Pilates helps lengthen the muscle and build strength for men of all fitness levels. 

Is Pilates good for weight loss in men?

Pilates supports weight loss by helping to create a leaner, fitter body. However, for best results, men should combine Pilates with cardio and a healthy diet.

Do men do Pilates?

Yes, we have many men in our studio who enjoy the benefits of Pilates. Top athletes, including tennis champion Andy Murray and members of the Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots, also do Pilates.

What are some benefits of Pilates for men?

Here are some benefits of Pilates that men of all ages can enjoy:

  • Improved flexibility: According to Harvard Health, flexibility allows us to more easily achieve a full range of motion, which leads to both improved athletic performance (a smoother golf swing) and  functional abilities (reaching and bending). Muscles get shorter and less elastic as we age, so exercises like Pilates that lengthen the muscles and improve flexibility are great for keeping you moving.
  • Building strength: Pilates can be an effective strength training workout for all fitness levels; this exercise can be adapted to provide stability for beginners or provide a challenging workout for athletes.
  • Alleviate pain and side effects of illness: Working the deep abs and pelvic floor can help alleviate back problems, and can be incredibly beneficial for men who have been, or will be, treated for a number of diseases. Notably, men suffering from prostate cancer have experienced notable pain relief thanks to Pilates.
  • It supports weight loss: Pilates helps to create long, lean, fit bodies. There are many ways that doing Pilates supports weight loss, but it is also recommended that you eat a healthy diet and incorporate cardio to boost the metabolism.
  • Safety: While high-intensity workouts are great for getting your heart pumping, they can be jarring on your joints and possibly cause injury. Pilates, especially when done with a knowledgeable trainer, is a safe, effective way to workout without the pain.
  • It can be done alone or in a group: Men still wary of trying Pilates (despite the endorsement of many professional athletes!) can start off with a private Pilates session. One-on-one sessions will put you in contact with a Pilates trainer who can give you individual attention and a great introduction to this workout that’s adapted to your current fitness level. At MOVE Wellness, small group classes are limited to six students to allow for personalized instruction.
  • Posture support: Pilates addresses poor posture by strengthening the muscles that support the spine and promoting better alignment, which can alleviate back and neck pain experienced by men of all ages.
  • Sports performance: Pilates enhances sports performance by improving coordination, balance, and functional strength, benefiting athletic abilities in sports from golf to basketball.

Pilates as a Form of Physical Therapy

Pilates was originally developed as a form of physical therapy to help rehabilitate injured soldiers during World War I. Today, Pilates continues to be a valuable form of physical therapy, helping individuals recover from injuries and improve their overall physical fitness. For men who have suffered injuries, such as back pain or joint issues, Pilates offers a gentle yet effective way to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility and range of motion.

Pilates exercises, including mat work and reformer Pilates, can be tailored to suit different fitness levels and target specific areas of the body. This adaptability makes Pilates an ideal form of physical therapy. By incorporating Pilates into their physical therapy routine, men can enhance their overall physical fitness, reduce the risk of future injuries, and improve their athletic performance.

How quickly will you see results with Pilates?

Everyone responds differently to Pilates, but if you maintain a somewhat regular practice, you’ll see changes quickly. According to Joseph Pilates, the creator of Pilates: “10 sessions — feel the difference, 20 sessions — see the difference, 30 sessions — have a new body.”

Getting started with Pilates 

Pilates can be done on a mat or with specialized equipment. Mat Pilates classes, like the 20 minute workout above, tend to focus on core work and require you to support the stabilization of your body. Pilates equipment, like the Cadillac or Reformer, gives you a frame to work within that is often more helpful than a mat, but can be more challenging when springs are added or taken away. Working on the equipment can also target and tone specific areas of your body very efficiently.

If you’re new to Pilates or fitness in general, it can be worthwhile to begin with a private Pilates session to get individualized attention and a more customized Pilates-based fitness program. You can also explore Pilates on your own and learn the Pilates basics with a beginners Pilates workout.

Pilates Workout for Men

This 20 minute Pilates workout will take you through exercises that will help with the tight hamstrings and shoulders that are common for men, but experienced by all. All you need is your mat!

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Core Exercises for Men: A Guide to Strengthening Your Core After 50

An In-Depth Guide to Building Muscle After 50: Core Exercises for Men When You Can No Longer Workout the Way You Used To

Wait. I’m over 50? How did that happen?! Can this be right? Sigh, I think it is… A lot of us grew up on a football field, both playing and watching on Sunday nights. The baseball diamond was our favorite pastime, live or on the radio. TV’s Wide World of Sports gave us the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Those were all mountains we could climb and conquer effortlessly, but now some of these challenges are chillingly reminiscent of that skier wiping out on national TV.

Rumination on Fitness After 50

As we get older we can be more prone to injury, which can slow if not derail an exercise program. Approaching exercise as if we were still suiting up for the Friday night game of our youth can often result in painful and sometimes dangerous injuries. Whether in the weight room or the crossfit class, overtraining may lead to (*ahem, middle-aged) types of injuries. Rotator cuffs, torn meniscuses, and plantar fasciitis to name a few, can range from disruptions to unemployment.

A group of men participating in a Pilates mat class

As we age it is also more difficult to build muscle. (Sadly, it seems super easy to gain fat, though, which is totally unfair.) In order to combat both negatives, movement remains the key, but careful self-assessment and exercising in smarter ways are in order. We may have to shift away from higher impact exercise to more consistent, gentler forms like walking or swimming. While healthy, some men find that this adjustment is tough on the mind because it becomes an admission of aging. Fortunately, just because we cannot workout like we used to, it does not follow that we cannot strengthen and condition the body after 50. Starting with core training, or strengthening the muscles of the abdomen, spine and pelvis is a great way to ensure that you get fit safely.

How do I strengthen my core?

Our core really is the central command in our body. Working from the inside out, all the movements we do in exercise and daily life have a foundation in our core. Motion either begins in, or moves through our core. Keeping that foundation strong ensures that as we move through life, everything outward will be supported. There are both fitness and real-life benefits to keeping our core strong. Think about all the times in your day you reach, turn, bend, or lift something. Your core is the not-so-secret helper supporting all of that movement. Whether you’re sitting at a desk, putting away groceries, playing golf with friends, or taking a hike in the woods your body needs stability and mobility. Like most things in the fitness world, there’s more than one way to reach our goals. The best movement is the one that you’ll actually stick with and enjoy!

What’s the best core workout?

So what’s the best way to keep our core strong and working hard for us? A classic Google search mostly reveals top-ten type lists of specific exercises we can do. 

The most common core exercises for men include:

  • Planks
  • Bridges
  • Crunches
A group of men's participating in a Pilates mat class

Some great studio or gym-based workouts with core strengthening benefits include:

In particular though, let’s talk about these last two types of strengthening and conditioning systems on this list that, while not new, are newer to men. Pilates and GYROTONIC® are growing in popularity among men of all ages who want to build muscle and strengthen their core. These exercise systems offer improved balance, sure-footedness, reduced back pain, greater flexibility, and so much more. 

These workouts support other fun activities, add to our quality of life, and keep us moving pain free. Other activities that complement these workouts include:

  • Golf
  • Dancing
  • Tennis
A man working out with a personal trainer on the Pilates Reformer

Pilates

Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates starting as early as the 1920s. His thinking about fitness began with how to help injured soldiers and was also influenced by ancient statues of Gods and their musculature. He even studied the movements of animals in designing his exercises.

Pilates is a system designed to help you strengthen and mobilize your body. There are a variety of exercises that target strength and mobility for the whole body, always initiating with the core. They can be done on a mat or unique equipment strategically designed to allow for the fullest expression of movement. Some pieces of equipment you would likely find in your session include the Reformer, Cadillac, chair, and barrel.

Man working out on the Pilates Cadillac with a personal trainer

In any session, including an introductory session, the trainer will aim to move you through all possible planes of movement of the spine if possible. Your session will include exercises that move the spine forward and back, sideways, and rotating into a spiral. You will also be taught to stabilize your spine and pelvis using your core.

This innovative mind-body system of exercise continues to grow in popularity. Pilates is practiced by many professional athletes from a variety of sports, including Lebron James, Jake Arrieta, Martellus Bennett, and Auston Matthews to name a few. Pilates is also a safe and effective program that can be used to great effect by men over 50 to support fitness routines and recreation. Whatever your conditioning goal, Pilates is an efficient, effective, and safe way to increase your mobility, strengthen, develop your core, and release tension. 

Three men doing an arm workout on the Pilates Reformer

Benefits of Pilates for Men

We can’t all be Lebron James (and I can assure you that I am not) when we head out to play basketball, but we can all experience the benefits of Pilates for men. My personal experience with Pilates is that it is a challenging workout that focuses on building core strength and overall strength and mobility in the body. It really hones in on what some guys my age are going through and supports our other active life pursuits. In addition to the muscle strengthening of a session, it also focuses on creating and improving flexibility and balance. These are not easy workouts. The focus and control you need to practice the exercises makes this system unique and efficient. Other benefits of Pilates include injury prevention and recovery (and not injury production).

Best Pilates Exercises for Strengthening Your Core

A great place to start? Follow along with this simple 15-minute Men’s Core Session video. It doesn’t take long to get that core active and working hard! This workout is a great way to start your day or unwind in the evening.

https://youtu.be/kdzfPC8kWec

Or, here are a few of our favorite Pilates core exercises for men to get you started at home. Try adding them to your regular workout routines.

The Hundred

Core Exercises for Men Series: The Hundred
  • Start lying on a firm surface, legs together knees bent, feet flat.
  • Inhale to prepare, exhale to deepen abdominals to imprint and lift legs, either together, or one at a time to tabletop. 
  • Inhale to lengthen the back of neck and nod chin gently. Exhale flex up through upper thoracic, keeping lower tips of scapulae on floor, extend legs to straight (or when just starting out, keep knees bent or on the floor).
  • Begin pulsing the arms. Inhale for five counts and five pulses of the arms. Exhale for five counts and five pulses of the arms. Repeat 10 times for a total of 100 pulses
  • One last inhale to stay lifted as legs fold into tabletop and exhale to lower down of upper body in a controlled way.

Single-Leg Stretch

Core Exercises for Men Series: Single Leg Stretch
  • Start lying on a firm surface, legs together knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
  • Inhale to prepare, exhale to deepen abdominals to imprint and lift legs, either together, or one at a time to tabletop.
  • Inhale to lengthen the back of neck and nod chin gently. Exhale flex up through upper thoracic, keeping lower tips of scapulae on floor, hands reaching by knees. Inhale to stay.
  • Exhale to extend one leg to straight, tapping hands to sides of bent knee or, for a challenge, outside hand to ankle, inside hand to knee.
  • Inhale to begin exchange of legs, and exhale to extend the other leg.
  • Repeat 6-10 times on each side.
  • Inhale to fold legs to tabletop and exhale to lower down with control.

Side Leg Kick

Core Exercises for Men Series: Side Leg Kick
Core Exercises for Men Series: Side Leg Kick Forward
  • Start lying on side with spine long, legs straight at an angle slightly forward of the torso, top leg at hip level. Bottom leg can be bent if needed for balance. Head can either rest on hand, or arm can be long or folded on the floor to make a support for the head.
  • Inhale to sweep the top leg forward with foot flexed for two gentle pulses, only as far as neutral spine can be maintained.
  • Exhale to point foot and sweep leg to back for one long reach, maintaining neutral spine.
  • Keep hips stacked straight and not allowed to roll forward or back.
  • Don’t allow the rib cage to pop forward, especially when the leg goes back.
  • Complete 8-10 repetitions and then repeat on the other side.

GYROTONIC® Exercise

Another great option for core exercises for men is GYROTONIC® Exercise. This is a less well known type of workout, not having the current popular reach of Pilates. It is nonetheless an up and coming program worth trying that offers up movement fusion of yoga, ballet, tai chi, gymnastics, and swimming. 

The GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® method was created by Juliu Horvath beginning about 40 years ago. While it may sound foreign to those that grew up on a weight bench, GYROTONIC® exercise allows users to stretch and strengthen muscles, while simultaneously stimulating and strengthening connective tissues in and around the joints of the body for full body benefit. The exercises involve a series of circular and fluid movements on weight and pulley-based machines coordinated with breathing patterns to support aerobic and cardiovascular health. All this in one workout package. What’s not to like?

Benefits of GYROTONIC® Exercise for Men

In 2016, British tennis great Andy Murray credited GYROTONIC® exercise with helping him back to Wimbledon after his back surgery. For the rest of us, we can access a long list of benefits for daily life including:

  • Strong, lean muscles.
  • Increased flexibility, coordination, and balance.
  • Enhanced joint mobility and articulation.
  • Ease of movement.
  • Increased circulation of blood, lymphatic fluids, and energy.
An older gentleman working out with a private trainer on the GYROTONIC Tower

In addition, GYROTONIC® Exercise:

  • Complements/supplements physical therapy and other rehabilitative bodywork.
  • Helps slow the aging process through mental and physical stimulation and regeneration.
  • Relieves low back pain and the postural effects of sitting.
  • Improves mind-body focus, concentration and coordination.

GYROTONIC® training is also beneficial to men of a “certain” age, as it relates to building strength, balance, and flexibility while preventing injury and supporting life’s activities. For me, GYROTONIC® exercise just feels good. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, I feel like the spiraling movements strengthen my whole body instead of one muscle group at a time. That is different than what I have been used to in the gym. I do it weekly and during periods of time when I can’t, I definitely feel worse for the wear. 

Strengthening Your Core After 50

I’ve been doing both Pilates and GYROTONIC® exercise for 5 years now.  While I am still an amateur and still appear that way on the equipment, I can say that they have both improved my quality of movement and life. I simply feel better when I am exercising in these ways. Whether you are a lumberjack or a desk jockey, you will notice how these methods bring daily improvement.

Two men working out with a trainer on the Pilates Reformer

You Can Start Now

Pilates and GYROTONIC® exercise are both effective functional training methods to support your life’s activities as you celebrate more birthdays. MOVE Wellness has experienced trainers who can help you workout safely and effectively and provide accommodation for any injuries or nagging pains. Talk to your trainer about your personal goals for the movement that matters in your life so we can support you in achieving those goals. MOVE offers private training in-person or online as well as MOVE Livestream with interactive livestream group classes you can take from the comfort and privacy of your own home. In addition, MOVE On Demand offers programs and classes you can access whenever and wherever you want.

Call us today at 734-224-2560 to learn more or start now online to schedule in-studio. We also have a 14 day free trial of MOVE Livestream classes you can take advantage of.

Schedule an Introductory Session
A group of men exercising on the Pilates Reformer

About the Author: Patrick J. Conlin Jr.

Patrick Conlin was raised in the Ann Arbor area and is a Circuit Court Judge in Washtenaw County. Patrick is the guy you can all relate to reading this blog. He’s reached that over-50 stage in life where he can’t work out the way he used to, but knows firsthand how important movement is and has 3 sons to keep up with. Spoiler alert…If you didn’t already know, Patrick is also MOVE co-founder Elaine Economou’s husband. He has been doing PIlates for more than 20 years. Basically, as long as he’s known Elaine. He added Gyrotonic to his workout mix around the time MOVE Wellness opened 6 years ago. Patrick knows the value of exercise and the powerful impact it has on his life and longevity. 

 

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