FORUMS > Flexibility Training Forum Rules

Just got back from my first pilates class. I think it was modified to be a bit more intense but after the class I don't think they really need to make it more intense. It was as tough as I expected and maybe more so.

I'm wanting to gain flexibility so in a month or so I'll notice an improvement. Well that's if I'm able to move tomorrow. We'll see hehe...

I love Pilates. So many guys I know give it a bad rap, saying it's only for women. I think they say that because they've never done Pilates before... It's the best core workout I've ever done, totally killer.

If you ever have a chance to read about the guy who founded it (Joseph Pilates), do it. He developed it initially to treat war victims. Very interesting story.

I have been doing mat Pilates for over a year now. If you stick with it with regularity, 1x, 2x 3x week, you will see results in your flexibity, definition and core strength. unless you go to a very gay gym, pilates classes are almost always women. there are usually few men in the class.

Pilates has been a GREAT addition to my cross-training program for the past year and a half. I began with tepid curiosity, hoping it would help me manage some lower back issues (it DID).

Stick with it for a few classes... your first couple of sessions will likely seem overly-technical. Some of the terms ("rolling like a ball") sound silly. Once you master the basics you will find it to be a killer core workout. You'll breathe better, you'll correct muscle imbalances you didn't know you had, and you will stand taller too.

Thanks, guys. I did exhaust muscles that I'm pretty sure wouldn't have been done in another workout. I was sweating as much as I do with an intense run.

I do plan to stick with it at least once a week. I can't make the morning classes at my gym but I can make the evening class which at the moment is just once per week. And yeah, there were only 2 of us guys in the class.

I try to have no ego at the gym so I don't want to let some stupid societal perception of what men can or can't do affect me. I know I need to gain more flexibility and all the benefits that come with that. It's not something I'm going to see or change on my own. I think the only real problem for me to solve is where to stick this into my weekly workout routine.

I was looking for a flexibility program and was considering pilates, when my gym started a new progrsm called Body Flow. It combines pilates, yoga, and core training with a GREAT soundtrack! Keep and eye out for it, or check it out; google "body flow" and see what comes up...

My gym does that too. I'm guessing we may be members of the same chain of gyms. I haven't tried the flow class yet but I will this coming week.

I plan to stick with the straight on pilates as well though. Keeps things mixed up and I enjoy that.

I started doing a home pilates system and it worked great. In 10 days my lower body and lower abdominals were looking great. My only complaint about the system is that i didnt get a very good chest arms upper abdominal workout. Any suggestions as to how to get a total body workout with pilaties?

as a pilates instructor...there are many upper torso exercises to do. get a couple of private sessions to learn them.

where are the sexy gay male pilates instructors like USTriathlete?
so far I have only had female instructors.

Pilates is awesome! I should know, I teach it! Consistency is key.

there should be a ton of male instructors...especially in NYC!

I'm starting to adore it, it hurts like hell. But, it's making cardio a lot easier to handle.

Pilates is sexy and for men! I take it twice a week. I love the way I feel when I'm finished with the class. I had nagging knee pain and it disappeared after I started taking the class. Go for it man!

I just did my Pilates class today. Ohhhh, I worked my abs yesterday (week 6 day 2 of RealJock workout)and also today in the class. I hope I didn't pull anything down there... kinda feels overly stretched.

i LOVE Pilates!!!!!! Never been able to see an core definition. BUT now that i take pilates i sure ans shit can!

I'd like to get into Pilates sometime soon. Just looking for a good starting place.

Twincam... just start it. You'll love it... any little aches or pains in the joints will just disappear.

Twincam saidI'd like to get into Pilates sometime soon. Just looking for a good starting place.

There are A LOT in this city!!!! lifetime Fitness in Dublin actually has reformer machines and such. Lifetime at Easton offers mat fitness pilates classes that are included in the membership.

I've been doing Pilates for about 6 years now.

I only go once a week but it's AWESOME for your core stability which has a flow on effect to any other sports you might be doing.

For me...it's helped in my swimming, rock climbing and gymnastics.

It's definitely a "women dominated" area but you kinda get over that fact and if you're concentrating on what you're doing...you don't really notice anyone else around you.

At least, that's how it is from my perspective anyway.

i LOVE pilates and attribute my abs to it. if you want flexibility though, you're best off doing a yoga class too ;)

Is it better than yoga?

I'd like to know too since I like doing yoga.

If you're a dancer Pilates is a must! It really "centers" you (if you're a dancer you'll know what that means). So much of dance is having an extremely strong core, and pilates does just that. For flexibility, though, I do yoga. Pilates can and does promote flexibility, but yoga just works better for me when it comes to flexibility.

Still in the Pilates... doing great. I've just done the Pilates mat... has anyone gone on with the machines?

The Reformer machines are amazing. You get a completely different workout. You may not feel it in your upper body....but your legs and core will. I thought my legs were strong....but the exercises on the machine told a different story. One of the best workouts I've had. I highly recommend private reformer training if you can afford it.

I like yoga over pilates....seems more peaceful?

LutherGooch saidI like yoga over pilates....seems more peaceful?

I can see where they may be comparable, but IMO they aren't the same. Pilates is like a machine gun ahd yoga is like a dove...



Pilates is all about building core strength, improving flexibility....all done with body balance in mind.


Yoga can be more peaceful, depending on type.

responding to nike athlete's comment about not feeling a pilates session in your upper body...

one of the best assets pilates gives (both doing it and teaching it privately) is how completley versatile it is. the machines and exercises can be completely altered to target exactly what you need work on - so if you want to work just your arms, there are myriad ways to do that so you 'feel' them later.

however, one of the driving intentions in Pilates is integration. guys who find they get stuck in a rut (and often injured) with their lifting routines at the gym often do so because they train the same muscle groups over and over in the same way. (think of that hot muscled gym guy who looks great at first but at closer inspection has big bis and chest, but scrawny legs and a round belly). pilates is pretty much designed to make that a non-issue. while u cant isolate and target individual body parts, nearly every exercise's focus is on the full body working as a whole.

example: a lot of the upper body work in pilates requires a certain amount of core strength, wrist strength, shoulder stabilization, etc (just having big arms won't help you move through a push-up position with weighted-spring resistance - try it: your abs and shoulder blades/upper spine will probably give out way before your arms do!)

all that to say two things: pilates can be tailored to work on anything - but as lots of you have confirmed - its a different approach that complements traditional weight-lifting through a more integrated/wholistic approach.

atlnvmasc said

LutherGooch saidI like yoga over pilates....seems more peaceful?

I can see where they may be comparable, but IMO they aren't the same. Pilates is like a machine gun ahd yoga is like a dove...



Pilates is all about building core strength, improving flexibility....all done with body balance in mind.


Yoga can be more peaceful, depending on type.

You haven't done much yoga have you

Yoga can be as difficult or as easy as you want it, if you'd like to really push your self you can, some days I push my self harder at yoga then I do on the weights and get a better (but different) workout.

I've done cardio classes before, they aren't really the same but you can work just as hard in yoga as you can in a cardio class, it just a different type of hard workout.

Real men take pilates. I've been doing it for almost year now and it has helped with making me longer, leaner, more flexible and has helped me build a stronger core. And being a dancer, it has helped tremendously feel my core and where my movement comes from. I highly recommend it.

And if you want a good read try "The Complete Book of Pilates for Men" by Daniel Lyon jr. Awesome, very imformative and you can find just about any exercise to work out different parts of the body.

i owe my abs to pilates
its amazing and i love it

I really enjoy Pilates but they have reduced the number of classes at my gym; so I was looking to buy a DVD to do Pilates at home. I did a google search for Pilates for Men because I am not build to do "Mermaid" well as are most men! Does anyone have recommendations for buying Pilates DVDs; I would prefer to have a male instructor on the DVD to watch instead of a female but it would not be a deal breaker. Thanks!

do you know what school of pilates they do in the gym? It would obviously make most sense to get a DVD from the same background (yes there are different types of pilates)

Hi guys,

I've just gotten back to mat pilates classes after a three year break. My gym also offers gravity pilates, using those sliding/pulley machines.

Have any of you guys tried gravity pilates, and if so, would you recommend it? I'd appreciate getting some feedback from you guys before shelling out the money to give it a try.

Thanks

I always called that one Reform Pilates as opposed to mat.

Yeah, I did it. It totally kool. You use your body's weight on a system of pulleys to stretch and strengthen. I'd recommend it.

I just started back to the mat again. Had some leg pain from running so I got to get into a routine that will stretch my legs to avoid further injury.

Try the Reform and let me know.

is it this?



If so then it looks like one of the pilates spin offs. Crushing traditionalist that I am I prefer the original stuff, or something close to the original.

In any case I hope you find something that you enjoy and that works well for you

Good thing I found this thread... I'm thinking of signing up for Pilates- just got tired of the gym routine - and yoga seems too sedentary- I'm thinking to do Pilates instead..would this be a good idea. I've read its good for flexibiltiy but is it gonna help my body be more defined?

pilates is fundamentally about control: Joe Pilates called his system "Contrology". For control you need strength, and the system is really aimed at building a strong core which enables controlled movement. What you will do depends on your teacher, but even if you don´t get the full benefits of the classic system, the mat work has some superb core work in it. You will not see gains on your arms, chest or legs, but you should see more torso definition and also it should help your back and glutes.

It´s hard to say really though without knowing what "breed" you´d be working on