Experts will tell you that while modern fitness trends are working out well for a large female audience in many local gyms, some males are missing out on routines that they could really use.  Many would go as far as to say that fitness routines like pilates, that tend to attract a female group audience, would be really beneficial for a lot of men who usually choose individual weight-training and cardio routines.

While some trainers might put things in technical terms, praising a male client’s development of the latissimus dorsi and shoulder muscles while lamenting the sorry state of the erector spinae, another way to say this is that some males are just not paying attention to their core.  Basically, if you develop the upper body without developing the “lower uppers” or torso core near the base of the spine, you’ll suffer from lumbar issues – and that’s what a lot of chiropractor’s offices are seeing: otherwise healthy men with lower back problems.

So what does that have to do with pilates?  The answer is that similar routines working on subtle core training can have an effect on the specific part of the body that supports the lower back, as well as carrying the upper body strength that many males have built.

The first part of getting all of this knowledge into practice is getting the message out to men, with good fitness programs that will attract them to the gym floor.  The second part is in identifying common conditions and looking at personal conditions that may warrant slight modifications in a core building routine.  Today’s men are becoming more proactive in finding trainers that will help them with this task.

In addition to the above process, there are some general fitness activities that will help most men develop their core well.  Among them are several variations on traditional activities that use a mini ball, a common fitness tool found in many local gyms.  These include:
The Roll
In this exercise, the participant sits on a mini ball.  On a specific cue, the participant rolls the ball over the spine.  Variations of this will help correct back problems if done in the right way.
Bridge
The user puts the exercise ball between his legs and raises the spine off of the ground.
Side Turn
For this and similar activities, the user puts the mini ball behind his back.  The purpose of this is to relieve pressure on the lower back for activities that generally rest on the lumbar region.  The mini ball “cushions” the back for comfort in performing a range of core building positions.

All of this and more can help a fitness participant work the core without putting as much strain on the lower back.  And, with the proper education, male and female alike can learn to stop lower back problems with attention to posture, where tools like wobble boards, and balance balls can make a day at the office into a core-building routine.  So, for males who are “power workout” focused, consider paying attention to the core with some useful pilates modifications.