| Men
on Mats
By Leslee Bender
 While
Pilates is one of fastest-growing programs ever seen
in the fitness industry, this explosion in popularity
has brought with it an increased risk of low-back strain
for both men and women—especially men. The Pilates
repertoire of movements, though well suited to dancers,
does not necessarily work for men in the general population
unless ample modifications are taught.
In an effort to win men over to Pilates—especially
mat-based Pilates—I developed “Men on Mats,”
a small-group, “just for men” specialty
program that offers a safe, functional approach to the
exercises.
Tips on Getting Started
1. Preferably, limit “Men on Mats” classes
to eight participants so students get plenty of individual
attention from the instructor.
2. Design the course to run for 5 weeks (two classes
each week).
3. Have participants sign up in advance.
4. Charge according to the market and demographics
in your region.
5. If possible, time the program to coincide with the
preconditioning season for a specific sport. Possible
titles for “Men on Mats” courses include
“Pilates for the Guys,” “Improve Your
Golf Game” “Get Ready for the Slopes”
and “Improve Your Core Strength and Flexibility.”
Most men who sign up for our program are extremely
tight in the low back and hamstrings, owing to posture-related
issues. Most obvious among these is increased thoracic
kyphosis, characterized by a forward-leaning head and
rounded shoulders; this issue is caused by overtraining
the pectoralis and latissimus dorsi muscles and undertraining
the rhomboids, lower and middle trapezius and upper
erector spinae. Another common condition is “flat
back,” a long flattening of the lumbar region,
usually accompanied by paraspinal spasm. In many men,
the hamstrings, gluteus maximus and paraspinals are
all tight and weak—which contributes to low-back
pain.
To assist male clients in achieving their Pilates goals,
always begin with a postural assessment. Check for neutral
spine, hyperkyphosis and flat back. If you skip this
step, you increase the risk that clients will injure
themselves and develop poor movement patterns.
Posture Points
1. If a client cannot maintain neutral spine during
a movement, decide what will make that possible. For
example, you may need to place a towel under the client’s
head and neck.
2. If the client is already hyperkyphotic, flexion
exercises—for example, the hundred, the roll-up
and many more—are only going to increase the problem.
3. If the client has a flat back without curvature,
place a small towel under the middle of the spine to
give him awareness of neutral spine. Again, avoid the
roll-up.
4. Make sure the client does only what the core can
handle. Watch for signs of poor form or loss of alignment
as these may indicate core weakness or fatigue. Stop
and correct bad movement patterns rather than continuing
an exercise for the sake of doing it!
Some popular Pilates exercises can put strain on the
low back in men with typical postural imbalances. However,
when modified with male bodies in mind, these exercises
can be safe and helpful. For specific examples on modifying
Pilates exercises for men, see “Men on Mats”
in the March issue of IDEA Fitness Journal
or online at www.ideafit.com/article_archive_index.asp.
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