Why is it I hear so many times from my female clients...'I wish my husband would come and take Pilates...but he thinks we just stretch’?
To find the perfect answer to convince more men to discover and do Pilates I enlisted my husband of 25 years, who finally had a break from many years of being on the road to take a little more time to look after himself and get back in shape.
Background - 52 years old, successfully completed 3 Ironmans several years ago, still loves to swim, bike and run for sport. He is a tried and true triathlete at heart.
Goals - regain flexibility and strength; get rid of tightness in neck, shoulders and hips and be able to enjoy the sports he once so loved to do without being in pain.
He came to the right place - ABsolute Pilates, an Authentic Classical Pilates Studio.
The first few lessons on the Gratz apparatus were taken as private sessions - then I let him enter an 'apparatus class' where he and his classmates soon discovered that even though men and women are very different, the genius of Joseph Pilates Authentic work is for EVERY BODY and goes with EVERY THING!
I need not say more as my sweet hubby so graciously shared his own testimony straight from his 'powerhouse'.
Pilates as a Man
Admittedly I am a relative newcomer the world of Pilates, so when the love of my life (aka my wife and best friend for life) asked me to write a testimony please take this words as such.
My first observation for some time is that there are few men in the world of Pilates that is of course with exception of its author. Speaking of which, Joseph judging by the various pictures at advanced age was pretty badass, which one would think would give plenty of guy’s reason to study this art form of movement. Alas, it appears not be so.
Of course the question is, why it is so? The answer I am afraid is that if Pilates is perceived as easy its simply not done right. Of course the paradox is that when practicing this amazing form of exercise one does not sweat nor work the usual ligaments (i.e. biceps, triceps, chest, ham strings, calf’s, etc.). What good could a workout like this be then really?
The answer lies in a very simply concept, which sounds quite counter intuitive. Of course, many of you female readers already filled in this next phrase: the power - house, also known as the three B’s within your box: your Belly, Butt, & Back. Who would have guessed?
As a practitioner alongside the best instructor anyone could wish for (aka my sweet wife), I regularly use muscles that I did not know existed as part of
my otherworldly constructed body, learn that my abs govern the proper use of all my other limbs, and have gained an increasing sense of awareness of my being (body, mind, and spirit) like never before.
And, of course you fellow men still ask – but does it work: are you getting stronger and gaining muscle tone? The answer, yes surprisingly I feel and look stronger like never before. Not bad for a fifty year old something and quite the testimony to Joseph who would kick my butt at any time.
Cornelis J Hoekstra
52 Years Old
Pilates Strong!