About 10% of my clients are male which is typical of most Pilates/yoga classes and consistent with a recent British Medical Journal study.

Men tend to favour the gym, but injuries are common because they haven’t warmed up properly or they are unfamiliar with the activities and equipment.  Other problems occur because men take up sports such as running, cycling or golf and spend all their time doing it without any complementary exercise.  Studies show that activities including stretching and core stability, like Pilates build resilience against injury.

Specificity refers to training designed around one movement pattern, but this approach doesn’t build overall strength, mobility or stability which is why we see professional sports people taking up complementary exercise programmes to reduce injury risk.

Exercises that involve slow controlled movement patterns are harder than you might expect and although the benefits may not be immediately felt, they can be sustained.

So come on men, what are you waiting for? Join a Pilates class today.  And ladies, bring your partners, brothers and sons along to class and see what it’s all about.