It’s a plain fact that the majority of people who practice Pilates identify as female. We’ve spent more than a few words debunking the myth that Pilates is a “girl thing,” for the fitness system extends a multitude of benefits to male bodies as well. [See “PILATES MYTHBUSTERS 2: IT’S A GIRL THING” https://www.pilates-sarasota.com/blog/item/id/28, and “PILATES BENEFITS MEN, TOO” https://www.pilates-sarasota.com/blog/item/id/26] Just look at the method’s founder, Joseph Pilates: a wrestler, professional boxer, beer-lover, and quite the physical portrait of a “man’s man.”
That said, when someone decides to add Pilates to their lifestyle, it can be a very different experience for men versus women. The Dynamic Fitness studio has been in business long enough for our instructors to notice the challenges that men face due to general differences in morphology. We stress the word “general,” here, as every body is unique and responds to an introduction to Pilates in kind.
Many aspects of Pilates are completely gender agnostic — let’s not forget that in Pilates one’s mind and breath are equal players with one’s musculature. The main difference that we see affecting men and women’s Pilates practice is flexibility, particularly in the hamstrings, hips, and lower back. As a result, our male clients can have a harder time with certain exercises on the Reformer, such as the Tree, the Elephant, and the Stomach Massage series.
Challenges for men extend to work on the mat, too. For women, the body’s center of gravity is typically lower than that in men, due to having (again, in general) a longer trunk, wider pelvis, and shorter legs. By comparison, men possess a heavier trunk with denser musculature. Picture the Neck Pull mat exercise: Performed with the legs straight and hands placed behind neck, keeping the elbows open wide, this variation of a Roll Up is easier for women to perform. The weight ratio of the average woman’s torso is lighter than that of a male, making it harder for men to lift their heavy trunks up while keeping the elbows open wide in the proper form.
In addition, exercises such as the Saw and Spine Stretch Forward often require men to sit with their hips elevated higher than their heels, which are placed on the mat, so that they can successfully hinge forward from the hips.
In terms of performance, men tend to excel in exercises that expend quick bursts of energy. When it comes to a flow-based method like Pilates, however, our female clients “get the hang of it” much more quickly.
That’s not to say that men can’t get the hang of Pilates. Here’s another thing we notice about men and women who train at Dynamic Fitness: The differences even out over time. With dedication and focus, a Pilates practice builds strength and stretches flexibility to impressive new levels for all our clients. After all, this fitness system was engineered to improve any and every body.
