Pilates has a reputation for being a glorified stretching session, but that misconception is not far from its origins. It was developed by Joseph Pilates, a German self-defense instructor and professional boxer, while he was incarcerated in a British concentration camp during World War I as a form of physical training for his fellow inmates. .
For four years, Pilates led the prisoners in their daily training, refining his methods using a variety of equipment, which he called “apparatus.” He attached springs to hospital beds, the blueprint for the design of his Pilates reformer, and used the same controlled, ultra-precise movements that are still utilized in Pilates today to help incapacitated patients develop muscle strength. We provided support to strengthen the.
There are many benefits to arranging bi-weekly meetings with a Pilates reformer (or mat). Here, we explore everything you need to know about the practice with the Ultimate Guide to Pilates for Men.
What is Pilates?
“Pilates is a low-impact exercise method that uses resistance to improve core stability and increase strength, endurance, and flexibility,” says BLOK trainer Johnny Caguioa. He focuses on “the mind-body connection, with explicit attention to the breath.” This may sound like yoga talk, but it’s really just about establishing form to get the most out of each movement, a skill that translates into bigger lifts.
Traditional training aimed at men makes you stronger, but it also makes your body stiffer. They tend to focus on muscle contraction and shortening, which can lead to stiffness and decreased range of motion. Caguioa says most Pilates exercises require you to use your muscles “eccentrically,” meaning you stretch them, improving both strength and flexibility.
You may even be incorporating Pilates exercises without realizing it. For example, the glute bridge is “a typical Pilates movement used to focus on spinal articulation, pelvic stability, and engagement of the gluteal and hamstring muscles,” says KARVE’s Pilates trainer. Matt McElligott says.
Is Pilates just for men?
yes. “A misconception is that Pilates is often associated with workouts for dancers and women,” says Marcia Lindsey, creative director at Nobu Pilates. There are also beliefs that it is “too easy” or “too slow.” But less impact doesn’t mean less strength. It simply means less stress on the joints.
“Pilates is a full-body workout that promises the ultimate blend of strength, stability and flexibility,” she says. “Each session teaches you how to connect with deeper muscle groups to keep your body balanced. It also brings awareness to better posture, with her 360-degree view of your body’s alignment.”
You can’t escape from it. To add mass, it is mandatory to move the tin. But by diversifying his workout routine with regular flexibility training, especially Pilates, he can lay the foundation for stronger movement patterns and eliminate weaknesses that get in the way of his lifts with heavier weight compounds. can. Conversely, if you ignore your posture, not only will you not get the most out of your hard-earned gains, you will be more prone to injury.
“In my experience, men tend to come to class with similar physiological issues such as tight glutes, hamstrings, and lower back,” says Caguioa. “Pilates helps reduce lower back pain by increasing spinal mobility and pelvic stability, and releasing the glutes and hamstrings.”
How is Pilates different from yoga?
Although Pilates and yoga usually fall into the same category, given their shared penchant for “breathing techniques” and “mind-body connection,” they differ in essentially every way. Yoga is his 5,000-year-old holistic practice that aims to integrate mind, body, and spirit. Pilates was invented in the early 20th century to rehabilitate injured soldiers in concentration camps.
Of course, spirituality, or lack thereof, is not the only thing that separates the two. While yoga exercises primarily focus on flexibility, Pilates focuses on strength and conditioning, especially strengthening the core (where the exercises focus on controlling the muscles of the mind and body). Pilates originally called his method “Contrology”.
Then there’s the cue. Although there are no Sanskrit words in Pilates, you will hear certain expressions many times in class. “Through each vertebra is the common term,” Caguioa says. There’s also a “head to coccyx,” which refers to the entire spine, he says. “From the belly button to the spine” is a reminder that the lower abdomen is there to support and stabilize the lower back and pelvis.
different types of pilates
There are several different derivations of Pilates teachings, but the main difference is between mat-based Pilates and equipment-based Pilates. Classical Pilates, which combines matwork and equipment, is considered the truest form of practice.
There are three important parts of Pilates equipment that you should be familiar with, and unfortunately, they all look like medieval torture devices. There’s the Pilates Reformer, which is a “spring-loaded movable trolley with a built-in pulley system for stability and strength,” says McElligott. Cadillac, “a raised horizontal table with levers, springs, and straps.” And the barrel is “designed to improve breathing and posture by focusing on spinal correction,” he says.
While it’s important to practice both mat-based and equipment-based Pilates, first-timers may want to try a reformer-based class first, Lindsay says. Not only is it an (incredibly) easy option, but you’ll be teaching your body the correct movement patterns to reproduce on the mat.
“Mat work can be the most difficult part of your repertoire because you have to manage your weight against gravity,” she says. To progress fastest, she says, “understand how to use springwork to employ the correct connections, then challenge your body by removing the spring support and see if your body can accomplish the movement independently.” confirm.”
Benefits of Pilates
Correcting your slouch isn’t the only reason to practice Pilates regularly. To get the most out of the benefits listed below, try incorporating two or three Pilates sessions into your weekly training plan. “The most famous Joseph Pilates quote is, ‘In 10 sessions you’ll feel a difference, in 20 sessions you’ll see a difference, and in 30 sessions you’ll have a whole new body,'” Lindsay says.
She says her clients immediately feel better after one Pilates session. “Like anything worth doing, Pilates requires dedication and consistency to achieve long-term strength and conditioning. The benefit is that once you start getting used to the movements, muscle memory kicks in and it becomes easier. To become.”
Pilates increases flexibility
“Good flexibility improves posture and alignment,” says McElligott. “Generally, as muscle mass increases, flexibility decreases. Pilates not only helps with flexibility, but also joint stability and strength.”
Pilates promotes stability
Well-oiled joints and a solid core increase stability and prevent injury. “The abdomen, pelvis, lower back, and diaphragm are all part of our core,” says McElligott. “The stronger and more stable these areas are, the better the core strength and stability will be.”
Pilates promotes better posture
Better posture = more confidence. “Pilates focuses on distributing your weight evenly across the soles of your feet, improving stability, balance, and posture,” Caguioa says. “Focusing on shoulder and spine mobility and upper back strength in your Pilates session will help relieve tension in your chest and back and improve your overall posture.”
Build strong abdominal muscles with Pilates
Avoid repetitive crunches. With Pilates, you can strengthen your core from all angles and build strong abdominal muscles. “Lateral breathing and deep core muscle recruitment will engage your abdominal muscles in the right way, which not only supports your spine but also flattens your stomach,” says Caguioa. says.
pilates relieves pain
If you spend the majority of your workday hunched over your laptop like a human croissant, Pilates can give your spine some much-needed TLC. “Improving spinal mobility, pelvic stability, and releasing the glutes and hamstrings with certain Pilates exercises all contribute to lower back pain relief,” says Caguioa.
Pilates improves mental health
These breathing techniques stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s rest and digestion mode. “Within minutes of ‘side-breathing’ and connecting your mind and body to the present moment, your stress will begin to decrease dramatically,” Caguioa says.
pilates movements for men
Add these classic Pilates moves to your repertoire to increase core strength and flexibility.
roll up
Lie on your back, stretch your arms and legs, raise your arms, and “rotate” your torso forward. Expand it back to the beginning.
hundred
Once again, lie on your back, arms at your sides, legs raised and bent at 45 degrees. Raise your shoulders and pulse your arms 100 times.
open leg locker
Sit with your knees bent and your hands on your shins. Extend your legs into a V position. Return to the top of your shoulder blades and then lift upwards.
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