By Paola Karroum, a Nationally Certified Pilates Instructor
Despite the most common misconceptions, Pilates is an ideal workout for men.
Pilates was developed by a man named Joseph Pilates during WWI.
As a prisoner held captive, in an internment camp, on the Isle of Man, he led his fellow detainees in a daily exercise program.
According to Joe, when the Spanish Flu broke out during 1918-1919, none of the inmates who followed his fitness regimen got sick. As a result of his success, Joe was given a group of 30 wounded soldiers to rehabilitate with his exercises.
The principles of his system are: breathing, concentration, control, centering, precision, balanced muscle development, rhythm/flow, whole body movement, and relaxation.
Men who do Pilates feel stronger, quicker, more focused and recover faster from their physical activities.
For these reasons, the NBA, NFL, MLB, professional golfers, tennis players and professional athletes of all types have discovered that Pilates is one of the best forms of conditioning to enhance a top-tier athlete’s total training repertoire.