Pilates can often be looked upon by your average man as an exercise for females. There is a large misconception around men that Pilates is a female based exercise. Fun fact: Pilates was actually invented by a man, with the aim to manage problems that men often face in their body. Now footballers are reaping the benefits of improved strength and flexibility to improve their performance on the field.
The Invention of Pilates
Joseph Pilates was a German boxer who was working with the British military during World War 1 to strengthen their soldiers. Joseph was a fit and strong man who, like your typical bloke, also enjoyed drinking beer and smoking cigars (even while teaching his students)! (Pilates Association Australasia, 2020). Joseph created his Pilates method by using bodyweight resistance exercises and, where more resistance was required for exercises, he pulled the springs off hospital beds in British wards and creating spring resisted exercise beds, now commonly known as reformers (Latey 2001).
Pilates Benefits for Men
As men we can often find ourselves in gyms, mindlessly lifting weights to become larger and stronger in muscles that are more for show than function (biceps, chest, abs). This can lead to muscle neglect, often in the stabilizing muscles (transversus abdominis, gluteus medius, rotator cuff) that can often make the largest improvement in our strength, flexibility and performance in athletic ventures (e.g. footy). This can be found in common footballer issues such as poor lumbopelvic control (often leading to back pain), poor core strength (decreased stability on bumps and tackles), poor glute strength (decreased ability to keep your balance on moving side to side and also being bumped/tackled), decreased lower limb flexibility (hamstring and calf tightness and cramping) and decreased body awareness on movement (coordination difficulties and peripheral awareness) (Hides and Stanton 2014). All of these issues can limit our performance on the field and, in the event of an injury, can prevent participating in the sport you love.
Why Aren't More Men Doing Pilates?
Pilates features heavily in the women’s wellness industry alongside green smoothies, yoga and chai lattes. Perhaps this is a turn off for guys? From the outside, Pilates is perceived as a gentle stretch class that seems far removed from the power, speed and contact of many sports.
The movement of Pilates exercises from the realm of rehab to performance was in large part due Joseph setting up his New York studio right near a ballet school. The dancers soon found the strength and control they gained with Pilates gave them an edge in their dance routines and returned them back to the stage sooner after injuries (Latey 2001).
This same effect can be seen in elite footballers who have picked up Pilates as part of their routine. Love him or hate him, Joel Selwood, one of the most enduring footballers of the current era attributes his performance and longevity in the game to his adherence to his recovery and preparation. Part of this preparation includes Pilates reformer work to target often missed muscles from gym programs to give himself the edge week in, week out.
Other footballers who have been vocal about their involvement in Pilates and its effect on their game include Scott Pendlebury, Tom Hawkins, Noah Answerth, Nick Haynes, Tom Mitchell and even back in his heyday, Chris Judd.
Is Pilates for Me?
You don’t need to be an elite sportsperson to benefit from Pilates. Pilates could be for you if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- You are stiff and sore for three to four days after a game and you want to reduce this
- The post-game soreness you get is not just in the muscles used (i.e. tight calves from running), but you feel it in your neck, back and shoulders
- You want to improve your jump height
- You’ve suffered a knee or ankle injury in the past and you want to avoid re-injury
- You know you don’t stretch enough or do any recovery exercises
If you are interested in joining a Pilates class, we at PhysiYoga have reformer and mat classes available for a time that suits you, check out our timetable for details. Our Blokes Pilates runs on Wednesday evening at 7.30 – but guys are most welcome to all classes. Book here.
Read More
Don’t just take our word for it – men (especially footballers) are discovering the magic of Yoga and Pilates:
Power of Pilates helps Players Push On – AFL
References:
Pilates Alliance Australasia 2020, A Few Fun Facts About Pilates, viewed 27/04/2022, <https://www.pilates.org.au/a-few-fun-facts-about-joseph-pilates/>.
Latey, P 2001, ‘The Pilates method: history and philosophy’, Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 275-282.
Hides, JA, Stanton, WR 2014, ‘Can motor control training lower the risk of injury for professional football players’. Med Sci Sports Exerc, vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 762-768.
Credit
This article was written by our Physiotherapist Tom Paech.
