Pilates and Yoga: A Man’s Sport

Popularised by Hollywood celebrities and Facebook moms, pilates and yoga bear a convoluted public image. Some people think they are both way too difficult to get into, and others think there is no point getting involved in these forms of exercise because “It’s basically stretching! You’re not even working out.” These days it is very easy to dismiss yoga and pilates as women’s exercise. And yoga’s bad reputation for being ‘glorified stretching’, with pilates as yoga’s fancy cousin, have not helped to change this viewpoint at all. However, both these exercises have advantages that can last a lifetime, improving your body’s overall functioning in more ways than you can imagine, regardless of your gender.

According to Yoga for Everyone, yoga is a practice that involves exercises that are combined with meditation and breathing principles. Pilates, on the other hand, is a form of low impact exercise that involves strengthening your core, and also using breathing exercises.

Pilates can easily be incorporated into your workout routine. According to menshealth.com, some basic exercises include the following: the pelvic curl, which involves rotating your hips in a circular motion with your feet and back on the floor; the supine twist, which involves moving your legs into a tabletop position while on your back and then moving your legs from side to side. These exercises improve mobility in your lumbar region and strengthen your hip flexors.

Some benefits of pilates and yoga include the following: improved balance, increased core strength, better posture, higher energy levels and decreased stress. More interestingly, the effects of these two movement-focused forms of exercise can lead to an enhanced sex life.

With that said, let’s talk about sex baby. Increased strength, mobility and flexibility can lead to a very spicy sex life.

A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that women who engaged in a 12-week yoga programme reported higher levels of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm and satisfaction, as well as lower levels of pain, so who is to say it will not be the same for men. Poses like cat- cow, not only increase blood flow but also tone your hip and pelvis. So, when it comes down to the naked dance, participants in yoga and pilates can boast a more adventurous and more pleasurable experience.

It is very easy to list the benefits of pilates and yoga, like increased flexibility or increased blood flow, but what does that mean practically? Regular blood circulation is very important for a strong mind, a healthy heart and, of course, a strong immune system. The month of May in Pretoria signals the beginning of the weird in-between stage wherein winter kick-starts the day and summer randomly comes in with a sucker punch at some point in the day. But make no mistake, winter is on its way, and it never starts without at least one person getting sick and spreading it all around campus. And heaven knows missing out on one day of classes somehow ends up in falling an entire quarter behind. Perhaps everyone on campus might benefit from the strong mind, healthy heart and strong immune system that are promised by these exercise forms.

Pilates and yoga are also both low maintenance exercises and do not require you to spend an arm and a leg. All you technically need is a yoga mat and a device that can acess

Youtube, where there are plenty of videos of workouts that you can do alongside the instructor. If you are a member of a local gym, there are often pilates classes you can attend. Alternatively, you can google basic exercises and poses that you can slowly incorporate into your regular workout routine.

So why not man up and try doing some yoga and pilates?