Pilates Corps Blog

I think to myself, “I’m an athlete for crying out loud. What on earth could Pilates offer a former football player? Is it like aerobics? Is it just for women?” Admittedly, these are the thoughts running through my head prior to my first professional session with Katie at Pilates Corps. Katie is my wife and has challenged me to a training session.

I consider myself someone who can handle any level of activity. I have trained in the past for endurance, speed and flexibility, utilizing the most common methods of running, free weights and strength training and living by the macho mantra of “no pain, no gain.” While participating in sports, I’ve done wind sprints, run bleachers, and had intense body building sessions. More recently, I’ve trained to keep in shape and stave off the effects of the 30-something metabolism dive. Being fit and strong for any activity has been a priority of my routine. My mindset has been that in order to get fit and stay there you must follow all the traditional cardio/weight routines. Never before had I been introduced to the challenge of core training. Katie explained that Pilates is so much more than just an ab workout. And I was just about to find out!

This is the chronicle of my first experience with the true authentic method.

Upon entering the studio, I see three other people working their way through a Tower Class. I am very happy to see that one of the participants is male. In some way, this makes me feel more comfortable. So I pop my shoes off and look around. No weight stacks or something for me to bench press. Hmmm, I’m wondering exactly what is going to give me enough resistance to create results. It’s here that I am coached to sit on the reformer. I proceed to go through several positions, and Katie, just by viewing my attempts, is diagnosing the imbalances present in my core–abs, hips, and even pelvis. As I continue to work through the positions, my glutes and hamstrings actually begin to burn a bit. As I adjust to proper form, I’m surprised at the amount of focus required to control the movements. Breathing becomes measured. I’m focused on my rib cage, spine, lower abdominals, obliques and glutes. I’m sure if someone were looking through the large glass windows of the studio it would appear like a most simple exercise. In truth, the beads of sweat are beginning to form in the first few minutes. I am surprised that controlling my own body actually creates the resistance I am used to in weight training, simply by engaging the core and releasing certain muscles within a specific posture.

Expertly, Katie develops a routine that addresses my muscle imbalances. I learn that my dominant side actually creates weakness in areas that need to be adjusted to protect my back and increase range of motion with flexibility.

After 55 minutes, it is clear that this is one of the most challenging workouts I’ve ever experienced. Yet, rather than hitting a wall or experiencing the lactic burn, I feel energetic. My head is clear. Upon waking the next day, rather than feeling muscle aches or pulls, I’m more aware of my core and the complex series of muscles that will allow me to achieve and maintain my goals of fitness, strength, and energy. No longer a skeptic, I believe in Pilates.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at 11:33 am and is filed under Men and Pilates. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.