One of our team is a 40-year-old guy who is doing reformer Pilates classes four times a week for around 5 months. Here’s their advice if you’re thinking about doing Pilates (or your wife is making you).
Is Pilates for Men?
There is a common misconception that Pilates and reformer Pilates are for women only. That stigma is probably caused by men wanting to build more muscle instead, which requires different types of exercises. However, Pilates, being strictly an exercise regime for women, is not the case, and plenty of guys and even celebrities that do Pilates or use a reformer machine.
The other reason is that men may perceive Pilates as ‘easy’ or ‘soft’ due to its slow and low-impact nature. But low-impact and slow simply mean it's easier on your joints.
Pilates is for men who want more flexibility, better core strength, and toned muscles. For the most part, men who do Pilates fall into two camps: those who do it in conjunction with other exercises (for example, building muscle) and those who do it purely for the benefits of greater core strength and flexibility.
Why Men Should Do Pilates
If you experience stiffness in your back or lack flexibility in your hamstrings, lower back, and glutes, Pilates can really help. Typically, these physiological issues only arise in men who are a bit older and encountering guys in the studio who might be 30 years old or younger is a rarity.
Pilates focuses on improving spine flexibility; many common exercises performed in a studio setting aim to achieve this. Men who suffer from tightness or discomfort in the spine should consider Pilates.
However, men who have been doing Pilates for some time know that the physical benefits are just part of it. Breathing is paramount to performing Pilates successfully (and your instructor will keep reminding you of this). And what is the result of getting your breathing right? Feeling great with a moment of zen after each class. Pilates might be for you if you want to find your inner yogi.
What Men Should Expect In Their First Class
If you’ve signed up for a membership or trial, your studio will send you details on what you must bring and wear. These include wearing loose and comfortable gym clothing, a water bottle, a towel, and a pair of men's Pilates socks.
Upon arrival, the instructor will do a brief orientation where you will learn how to set up a reformer machine and how it works. The instructor will also ask if you have any injuries or body issues. This is important because many exercises can be modified to cater to these issues.
How Many Guys Do Pilates?
The percentage of fellow guys in your Pilates class might range from 0% to 25%, depending on the suburb's demographic or the area where the studio is located. I know this from my own experience attending two different reformer Pilates studios.
The first studio, a local establishment in a residential suburb, had a customer base of almost exclusively middle-aged women. The only guy I saw was myself.
However, my current Pilates studio is Goodlife. Located in a bustling and trendy inner-city suburb, the clientele is a healthy mix of men and women. Usually, multiple guys of different fitness levels attend each reformer's Pilates class. For its maximum capacity of 20, I've seen the highest number of men in the same class was 4.
Reasons Why Some Men Don't Do Pilates
The follow-up question is why not many guys do Pilates. Here are some factors behind it.
- It can be intimidating. Entering a Pilates studio can be daunting for many men because Pilates has long been linked with dancers and individuals who are extremely flexible. It can be overwhelming to walk into a Pilates reformer class and witness a middle-aged woman surpassing your abilities. This experience can be humbling, and ego definitely comes into play.
- There are some misconceptions. Another important obstacle is the misunderstanding that Pilates only focuses on flexibility. Many males see it as a gentle exercise without recognising its potential for building strength and endurance. It's not just about stretching; it's also about building strength, maintaining control, and increasing endurance.
- Studio styles. Different Pilates studios have different approaches. Some emphasise choreography, which might not appeal to men. However, reformer Pilates can be effective when approached like other forms of resistance training, focusing on strong resistance and proper form.
- Men think it’s for women. As the weights gym is seen for men, Pilates is typically seen for women. However, this stereotype is slowly being broken down.
Help I'm The Only Guy In The Class
Let’s be honest, being the only guy in a reformer Pilates class filled with women can be a bit weird, especially when you first start. But who cares?
While most women in your class will be better Pilates performers, this can be intimidating. Turn that intimidation into power and use it to motivate you. You are the boss.
Expectations around Building Muscle
If you think that doing reformer Pilates will help you gain mass and bulk up, then prepare to be disappointed.
Contrary to conventional weightlifting, which primarily aims to increase muscle mass, Reformer Pilates prioritizes deliberate, exact movements that activate several muscle groups at once. This method enhances muscle strength and flexibility, stability, and overall muscle stamina. But it does little for those who want to bulk up.
Instead, Pilates is highly effective for developing strength and muscle tone, thanks to the resistance provided by the reformer's springs and pulleys.
Reformer Pilates can greatly benefit men as it focuses on engaging deep stabilising muscles that are often overlooked in other types of workouts. The intensity of the exercises can be adjusted, making them suitable for individuals at all fitness levels, whether beginners or advanced participants.
Consistent participation in Reformer Pilates can help men slowly develop lean muscle, improve core strength, and attain a more proportioned and well-defined physique if you do the right Pilates workouts.
In addition, Pilates's low-impact nature reduces the likelihood of injury, providing a safe approach to building muscle and sustaining overall fitness in the long run.
Will Guys Find Pilates Challenging?
Whether you haven’t set foot in a gym or have been busting the weights out for years, Pilates will be challenging for most.
Traditional weight sessions focus on specific muscles or isolate them. Instead, Pilates works on a group of muscles simultaneously, often the smaller muscles neglected in other types of workouts.
This is why men tend to find that their core strength is rather lacking when first starting out. They prefer to focus their attention on large muscles like the quads, glutes, and biceps where the lower and upper portions of the body are stronger.
But as time goes on and with more practice, the exercises you find challenging will get easier. Soon enough, you’ll be adapting those exercises to be more challenging.
My 5 Tips For Guys Who Want To Start Pilates
These are the things I wish I knew before committing to several Pilates studios.
- Find a cheap or free introductory offer. Joining a Pilates studio class can get pretty expensive so it’s worthwhile finding a low-cost option, especially if you aren’t sure about it. We worked out the average Pilates class cost here.
- Find an inner-city studio. If you are a younger guy and prefer a younger or more diverse crowd, a studio situated in a bustling area with vibes is more likely to have younger patrons.
- Ditch the ‘no pain, no pain’ attitude. The point of Pilates is not to do exercises under the highest spring tensions. In fact, the greatest benefits are seen when you perform movements slowly and load the relevant muscles under tension for longer.
- Remember to breathe. If you’ve been in a gym before and have a good familiarity with how to best do weights, then you know that breathing is crucial. It’s the same for Pilates.
- Slow and steady wins the race. As long as you attend classes regularly, you will see better spine flexibility and core strength. Of course, this depends on how many sessions you attend, but going hard too fast will prolong results and probably incur an injury.
