Athletic Conditioning, Fitness For Everybody, Share Your Successes
Where Are All The Men?
This was emailed to us and we thought others might be interested!
Six months on I have learned a lot more about Pilates, its benefits and limitations. One thing remains consistent in that it is unpopular with men. I do hear more openness towards it and a better understanding of what it is but there remains an unfortunate reluctance to participate. I started Pilates to improve my flexibility and to engage in a new practice that would drive me to challenge myself to think differently and learn new skills. I believe I have been very successful on both fronts. I’ve found some measures of flexibility which show me how much I have been able to improve my hamstring flexibility but more important than any measure is the feeling I get after working out. I come away with a feeling of lightness in the back of my legs up through my back which is wonderful and it illustrates to me I had no idea how my inflexibility felt. This is akin to the feeling of the frog that is being slowly boiled and doesn’t recognize the gradual increasing of the water temperature.
The biggest surprise for me came the morning after I started playing indoor soccer again after a gap of several years. I expected to be extremely stiff and too my surprise I felt great with no stiffness at all. Now that doesn’t mean I am in great shape, aerobically the soccer kicked my butt, big time! I had hoped I could use jump boarding to maintain my aerobic fitness but I’ve concluded I need to do more aerobic work beyond Pilates. The other disappointment is that my left knee was unable to take the strain of twisting and turning and so that’s the end of my indoor soccer season. If I had started Pilates 10 or even 20 years ago I would have learned that the biomechanics of my knee movement puts strain on the outside of my knees and I wouldn’t have worn away the meniscus on the outside of my left knee. I did not realize Pilates focuses on proper biomechanics as well as developing strength and flexibility. I can only look back at what might have been had I started Pilates earlier!
Back to my observation that men are not engaging more actively in Pilates, given my experience above, this is disappointing as learning how to use your body more effectively could be a huge benefit to young athletes and in reality all of us. I was encouraged listening to a radio interview with one of the Portland Trailblazers staff that Brandon Roy will be focusing on Pilates and Yoga this summer. Brandon wants to develop the ability to be stronger and tougher and was looking to do more weight training and instead the Trailblazers coaches have convinced him to focus on strengthening his core and improving his agility. I expect to see an even stronger and faster Brandon Roy next season.
As for myself, I’ll keep on working on my Pilates practice and keeping my female classmates amused, I hope I’m not slowing you down too much. Maybe I’ll be successful in convincing one or two male friends but if I don’t it will be their loss and I’ll continue to enjoy my all female company.
I would love to hear your views why Pilates is not more popular with men or why you enjoy it and what you have got out of it.
Andy Robbins
Special Health Issues, Tips For Teachers
SHARE PILATES is a NEW community forum for pilates instructors.
SHARE PILATES is what we are calling our “in-house” educational workshops. Now we are opening them up to other instructors in the community! Come join us for a one-hour exploration about different pilates topics or issues related to movement.
Only $10 for each workshop!
These workshops range from a fun and innovative workout to an anatomy based review. Check out our upcoming listings below:
Dancing Without the Stars with Leslie Braverman
July 18th 12:15pm-1:15pm
Ideokinesiology & Laban Movement Analysis with Jean Leavenworth
Aug. 15th 2:15pm-3:15pm
Foot Mechanics with Melanie Byford-Young
Sep. 26, 12:15pm-1:15pm
Gyrokinesis with Melissa Framiglio
Nov. 7, 2:15pm-3:15pm
Call or email the studio today to register or for more information!
(503) 292-4409 or info@pacificnwpilates.com
Tips For Teachers
Is Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back? Comments about The New York Times Article
There has been alot of “talk” about an article written for The New York Times by Gretchen Reynolds entitled “Is Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back?”
We thought others might want to join in on the conversation! We welcome your thoughts.
Here’s the original article:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/core-myths/?emc=eta1
Comment #1:
That’s kind of confusing. What is he saying exactly? No transversus/no scoop? Yet, some of the exercises are like what we do. What’s your take?
My take on it is that having a stable trunk is far more complex and integrated then just asking someone merely to pull in their abs and do thousands of crunches a day.
He is not saying that we shouldn’t do them at all but says, “(i)nstead…a core exercise program should emphasize all of the major muscles that girdle the spine, including but not concentrating on the abs.” He points out doing exercises as plank and swimming prep (bird dog)- again exercises that require integrated stability in neutral positions. This supports everything that we already teach at our studio, and our mentors (Melanie, Greta and others) have been expounding for years. As we know, “the core” is comprised of not only the abs, but the deep psoas, multifidis and pelvic floor. The article does not go into these specifics, but instead, points out that “if you concentrate on strengthening only one set of muscles within the core, you can destabilize your spine by pulling it out of alignment.” This idea of balance in fitness is something that I think all of our teaching supports.
The only thing about this that could be bad is that it is not specific enough and some people will now believe that doing ALL pilates and personal training is bad for the them; those people that actually read it, with some knowledge base, that have done work with someone that doesn’t just give thousands of crunches, roll ups and imprinted back exercises sees that good exercise requires balance from all the muscles groups, will see the validity of the article. My take on the “pulling the belly button in” is the fact that most people can’t do this without flattening their back and putting undue stress on their discs.
That’s what I think anyway.
Comment #3
Thank you - this is very interesting. I hope we will have a “Share Pilates” about this and possibly other research and experiences that we are learning about that inform how we exercise.
Comment #4
Thanks, Leslie, for forwarding this article. It was interesting and, for me,affirming that the work we are doing with people is actually focusing on the whole of the body and the whole of the core muscles thruout. Pilates is helping their “abs”, their spines, their joints and their overall body alignment, symmetry, strength and flexibility.
On a positive note, I think there is always a place for modern movement applications and advancements in the understanding of functional anatomy to be incorporated and applied to health and fitness instruction. I would also agree with this author that the oversimplification of the Pilates Method (or others that attempt to address “core support” and functional movement) to simply telling people to do crunches and suck in their abs is one that has the potential to endanger people’s overall posture and make them injury-prone. I would also say too that it reduces and impoverishes the benefits/contributions that Pilates and others attempted to make to overall fitness and wellness.
However, I can’t help but respond to what seems to still be a good bit of nebulous understanding about “the core” that even the writers of this article seem to have….
Here’s a few i.e.’s from the article:
1. Transverse Abdominus is the only/primary core mucsle (leaving out the PF, rest of the deep abs and all the deep spinal muscles)
2. People who are working their core(per article TA) are getting 6-pack abs…that’s Rectus’ domain not the deep abs and, of course, they may hurt their backs that way.
3. Working the core in Pilates-type classes focuses only on the abs (I would agree this is probably the case in the gym format classes and people can get hurt). However, Joseph Pilates says several times that the uniform development of the muscles of the whole body and its balance is primary to his work and to moving well in the world.
There’s my off-the-cuff response to the article. Thanks for contributing to my brain working a bit today, 
Comment #5
I had similar feelings…I thought the article was great in some respects, but the fact that some of it was vague would make a less-informed individual assume that all pilates could be bad. I think that the writer or person interviewed could have been more specific about what is considered “the core” too.
Comment #6
I agree with your take as well. Posting the conversations on the blog could be good. Makes me want to respond to the NY Times too.
Fitness For Everybody
Home Workout Workshops
Each of these workshops involves a unique piece of equipment that will either provide resistance, challenge your balance or help release tension. Check out the listings below:
- Wobble Cushion Workout with Melanie! June 27th 12pm-1:15pm
$35 which includes the wobble cushion or $25 for just the workshop (must bring your own wobble cushion) - Flexband to the Max with Traci! July 25th 2pm-3pm
$35 which includes flexband and STOTT PILATES DVD, or $25 for the workshop and bring your own flexband. - Yamuna Body Rolling Balls with Jean! Aug. 15th 12pm-1pm
$35 which includes the Yamuna calf rolling ball, or $25 for the workshop and bring your own Yamuna Calf Ball. - Travel Workout with Tubing Kits with Leslie! Nov. 7th 12pm-1pm
$60 which includes the J-Fit Tubing Travel Kit, or $25 for the workshop and bring your own kit.
Call the studio for more information and to sign-up.