Pilates may have a reputation for being “girly,” but a new social media trend is shattering the idea that it’s easy.
Male athletes and “gym buddies” feel humiliated by challenges such as: pilates and sculpt — A workout typically dominated by women.
Viral videos show the men grimacing, clenching and shaking as they go through classes on mats and strength machines called reformers.
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Popular Florida-based Pilates and sculpting instructor Melania Antuchas has capitalized on the trend, posting a video of her private class with a man that has been viewed millions of times.
Antuchas, who teaches a signature 50-minute class that combines strength training and mat Pilates, said in an interview with Fox News Digital: sportsman They find the classes surprisingly difficult because of their training history.
“Our target is small muscle fibers“So these are muscles that you don’t use in the gym,” she said. “In the gym you use big quads and you use heavy weights, but just your body weight and heel raises and bands and layering and that’s the real challenge.” They are not used to having their balance, mobility, and instability challenged. ”
“After I taught the first class to all the men, they all wanted the next class because of how big of a challenge it was for them,” Antuchas added.
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After recently hosting men from the Raleigh Rugby Club, North Carolina’s Raleigh Pilates posted a video of the men seemingly struggling through a set of leg lifts, lunges, shoulder presses, sit-ups and stretches.
Studio owner Ray Matthews noted that Pilates presents a different challenge for “stronger people,” requiring “deceleration, stabilization, and control of movement through the full range of motion,” whereas athletes and weightlifters typically focus on “big overall muscles.”
“This exercise surprises many people because it looks small, but it feels very intense because the movement comes from deep stabilization, not momentum or brute force,” she told FOX News Digital.
Pilates was originally developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s for rehabilitation purposes. wounded soldier That includes ballet dancers, said Brooklyn Sadel, director of group fitness strategic development at Crunch Fitness in New York.
The method aims to put muscles under controlled tension to increase strength, flexibility and mobility, which are “the foundations of effective movement,” she told FOX News Digital.
Today, Pilates incorporates more equipment and sculptural techniques. strength trainingand heated settings, Antuchas noted.
“This is a slow, controlled, nonstop, low-impact workout,” she said. “It’s all about accuracy, control and core strength.”
Sadel added that Pilates works the stabilizers around each joint, building a “special kind” of balanced functional strength.
“It means your entire body is working in harmony, from your core to your extremities,” she said. “Even our own Crunch CEO, Jim Rowley (a former Marine, lifelong lifter, and all-around athlete) credits Pilates for dramatically improving his core strength and mobility.”
Experts agreed that men can benefit from this exercise just as much as women, as it can improve overall gym performance, athleticism, posture, and more. and longevity.
“I think the key to getting more men involved is reframing Pilates as intelligent strength training and injury prevention, rather than soft training,” Matthews said.
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The main reasons most people seek out strength training and Pilates are: lower back painaccording to Mr. Antuchas.
The trainer warned that no one should feel pain during Pilates or sculpting exercises and that modifications should be made as necessary, especially if it puts strain on the neck or lower back.
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Antuchas, who teaches people of all ages from 18 to over 70, said her workouts are intentionally challenging without the need for additional equipment, as the basic movements are enough to challenge them.
If you are new to Pilates, please consult your doctor before starting to see if Pilates is right for you.
“If you have recent symptoms, you should be careful.” injury or surgery;Chronic back or neck pain. Hip, shoulder and knee limitations. Or spinal mobility may be limited,” Sadel advised.
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Matthews agreed that people with acute trauma, recent surgery, osteoporosis, and pregnancy should work with “a well-trained and educated instructor who understands modification.”
“Pilates is actually one of the safest and most supportive forms of exercise when taught thoughtfully, but expertise is critical.”
