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Those who say that “Pilates is for women” just don’t know what they’re talking about.

More Men of Pilates

According to Men’s Health Journal, here are 5 Reasons Men Should Do Pilates.

  • Develop often neglected muscle groups. Some of your muscles, particularly those that dominate your daily movements, are stronger than others, and a big part of Pilates is focusing on those muscles that don’t typically get a lot of attention.
  • Improve flexibility
  • Build core strength
  • Live more consciously
  • Have better sex

Click here for complete article:  https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/5-reasons-men-should-do-pilates/

I say it all the time; Pilates is for EVERYONE!  I recently wrote a few articles about Men and Pilates..well, here’s another one!  I have many male clients of all ages, in Mat classes and Equipment classes.  I love sharing personal feedback from my clients and their personal experience with Pilates.  Here are a few words from just two of them!

 

Brian Gandolfo

Brian and Dina

My name is Brian Gandolfo. A work-related back injury has left me in a lot of pain and unable to do everyday things. I turned to Pilates to build muscle in my back and better my posture. Starting out slow with mat Pilates has helped me tremendously. I’ve noticed a decrease in pain and felt like I was standing straight up again. I’ve learned how to use my inner core muscles. Being taught the proper way to use these muscles has helped me with my everyday life. Like bending down to pick things up or properly getting up from a sitting position. I’ve been doing mat Pilates for five years now with a very talented teacher named Dina M. Voigt at Fitness Incentive. Dina has taught me to use muscles I have never used before. I have lost four inches off my waist and lost a total of 15 pounds. Doing this two times a week for an hour a day has changed my life for the better. Pilates is the perfect workout for me without the strenuous workout with weights that can potentially hurt me.

Robert Conyers

Bob Conyers
My Pilates Experience

I have been a member of Fitness Incentive for over twenty years.  Like other men, I rarely ask for instructions, so for the first decade, I simply went to the gym and tried different equipment, not bothering to ask how it should be used.  Naturally, I didn’t get much out of it and wasn’t much inspired to do anymore.

At some point my wife, also a member of FI, started working on private sessions with Dina Santamaria (now Voigt) and suggested that I should take some private lessons as well.  “Nah, Pilates is for women,” I said.

I was interested enough to read “Fit to Print” though.  I was intrigued by an article that Dina wrote about Pilates and golf.  While she does not play the game, it was evident from that article that Dina had researched the action of the golf swing and related those movements to Pilates. “Hmm,” I thought, “this woman knows what she’s talking about.”  So I had my wife set up a session for me with Dina.  That was about eight years ago, and I’ve been a consistent attendee since then. Presently I have one private session and one group session every week, plus mat Pilates and stretch classes when I can make them.  I don’t do any weight training or aerobic exercises, though.  I find them boring.

As an experienced instructor myself, I can appreciate Dina’s skills in communicating with her charges. When we first started working together I told her that I don’t understand “the flow of energy.” She found other ways to explain what I should do and feel, using verbal and visual cues as well as tactile cueing to identify and help me understand the muscles that should be working.

Even though my clothing she can tell whether I’m using the muscles she wants me to use.  Often she’ll say, “Yes!” as if she had just won the lottery – even if my correction was so small that I couldn’t sense it myself. Also, she has an endless repertoire of exercises that keep our sessions interesting and fun as my skill level and fitness progress.

While my golf game has improved (slightly – she can’t work miracles), Dina’s own training and knowledge of the body have enabled her to help me overcome the aches and pains that come with advanced age (73). Over the past years I have had aches in every joint from my shoulders to my ankles.  While always stressing not to aggravate a condition, she chooses exercises that will strengthen the muscles around the bothered joint.  Presently, I am happily pain-free.

Those who say that “Pilates is for women” just don’t know what they’re talking about.

——-

Well,  there you have it!  A few words, from just two Pilates men!  What are you waiting for!  Pop into a Pilates Mat class today!  Email me:  dina@fitnessincentive.com with any questions or for more information.

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About the Author

Dina Voigt

Dina Voigt is the Manager of Fitness Incentives Pilates and Yoga programs.  She is a PMA-certified Pilates trainer, a certified Yoga instructor, a Personal Trainer, Group exercise instructor, and Cycle instructor.

Contact her at dina@fitnessincentive.com with any questions or for further information.

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