Summary :Originally, Pilates was devised as a means to provide relief and succour to the ill and diseased. Those who suffered captivity during World War I or those who bore the brunt of the influenza pandemic that occurred in the year 1918 were supposed to be the main beneficiaries of Pilates. However, Pilates has been equally effective in strengthening the bodies of healthy people. Pilates for men focuses on strengthening the core of the body in order to achieve overall health and wellness. .

The Core

Joseph Pilates thought that strengthening the body’s core would show the way to overall well being. According to him, the core was the muscle system within the torso. These are the muscles that stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulders and support the scapula. With strength in these areas, powerful movements in the arms and legs are easy to achieve. With the help of this, Pilates for men can condition a man’s body and help avoid injury during sports.

Strong core muscles assist in developing a balanced posture and improved fitness that has positive effects on every aspect of life. The thought behind the Pilates program is harmonization of mind and body and the development of graceful, fluid movement and healthy breathing techniques. Rather than isolating segments of the body as weight lifting does, the stability exercises of Pilates for men work on the whole torso at the same time.

Core strengthening Pilates for men is founded on abdominal bracing which contracts the abdominal muscles while breathing regularly. The strengthened core is capable of supporting and controlling the movements of the spine. As a result of this the entire body is able to move swiftly and surely in controlled ways while also avoiding injuries. What more could a sportsman ask for?

Pilates for men is an exercise regimen that works on the whole body as a single entity. While for the core the emphasis is on strength, the extremities are worked to stretch the muscles and train them to draw strength from the core. The body undergoes a succession of precise movements while carrying out a specific breathing regimen. After a few sessions, the whole body works elegantly as one, controlled by the newly trained mind. Joseph Pilates guaranteed that thirty sessions of his Pilates program would produce a totally new body.

Pilates gained popularity among dancers initially and so even today some men consider it to be a less manly form of exercise. However, nowadays the importance of stretching as well as strengthening of muscles has been well documented. At the same time, precision and controlled breathing is also accorded great value. Now, men have woken up to this reality and are taking strongly to Pilates for men exercises in order to get the body that would be the envy of all.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, February 21st, 2008 at 6:03 pm and is filed under Pilates. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.