It's hard to tell where some stereotypes come from, but we know them when we see them. In the case of Pilates, it's obvious that our collective consciousness now sees this kind of fitness exercise as “a woman's game”, and for many of us, the word itself conjures up some kind of almost iconic female participant, in extremely passive atmosphere. We also might think of Pilates exercises as passive, as people feebly practicing minimal physical activity, or just lying on the floor.

Anyway, all of that is total fiction. Pilates is a great way for anybody to develop better range of motion, agility, a muscle tone. Muscle with Pilates? That's right. Pilates, as part of a fitness routine, can contribute to the very abilities that lots of men try for in simple power workouts. In some cases, it's just an ingrained prejudice that keeps us from reaching our desired goals. Here are some ways that Pilates works for everybody, including the toughest, most macho dudes.

Poise

The specific activities in a Pilates routine help to develop spinal support and core strength that will promote balance, agility, and other similar characteristics. You have to wonder when that specific moment was that all of these things became irrelevant to the male stereotype. Was it when we stopped sword fighting? At any rate, there are plenty of old guys walking around wearing their decrepit health conditions as a badge of honor, because they associated a range of physical activity with the wrong words or ideas.

Stretching

Pilates gives participants a good opportunity to incorporate stretching into an existing workout. Too many of us skimp on stretching because we don't want to take the extra time. When we're done with our treadmill or weightlifting session, we wanted power off and go home. Getting a specific Pilates element into the workout plan will help condition muscles the right way to prevent injury.

Fitness aids

Another thing about Pilates is that it lends itself to the use of “props” that help keep traders occupied. These aren't gigantic, expensive machines, but small, simple things like mini fitness balls and resistance bands.

A bulked-up core

Another main selling point of Pilates is core strength. It's as simple as this: the limb strength you gain from power workouts is often going to be practically useless without a strong core. Pilates works core muscles and help support the spine and limbs so that when you “bulk up” your arms or legs, you'll have a more powerful frame to carry them around.

Help with lower back pain

Studies have also found that Pilates is an effective fighter of “lumbago” and other lower back pain conditions. We've found that the lumbar region of the lower back is vulnerable to graduate injury from either sitting or standing for long periods of time. Some people consider this a “no-win” situation; many different work settings lead to a gradual deterioration of the spine. But that's where training exercises like Pilates come in handy; someone who dedicates themselves to revitalizing their body can keep back pain at bay by stretching, working, and turning spinal support muscles to give the back a better carrier.

These are all excellent reasons why it’s in the best interest of so many men to get over stereotypes about Pilates and give it a try. Any Pilates activity, or a similar “paraphrased” routine, could get you closer to a better body capacity to develop those killer muscles.