Boxer Andre Ward won the Olympic Gold Medal for the United States in the 2004 Athens Games. Before these games Ward added Pilates to his training regimen. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Ward's trainer Virgil Hunter added Pilates and stability ball exercises to the "old standbys such as running stadium steps, jumping rope and sparring". Says Ward, "I use Pilates to strengthen my core, which creates balance and leads to velocity."
photo by PETER MEECHAM/Fairfax Media
On Saturday night New Zealand cyclist Hayden Roulston won a silver medal in the men's individual pursuit. Roulston came in second to reigning world champion Bradley Wiggins of Britain. According to Stuff.co.nz, "For Roulston, 27, it marked the end of a bumpy journey which included two brushes with law and a health scare that had forced him into early retirement."
About 2 years ago his doctors told him to stop competing lest he aggravate a heart condition. Roulston didn't listen. Instead he tried Reiki healing, which he credits for keeping his heart healthy and getting him to Beijing. He believes in it so much that he vrought his Reiki practitioner with him to China, in the same way that others may bring in a Pilates teacher or personal trainer.
Hey, Reiki works!
Meet Mike Kamunas, staff writer for the Tampa Bay Times and male Pilates explorer.
"I walked into Breathe Pilates and Movement of Wesley Chapel, noticed I was on the only male in the room, and doubted myself as I was going to attempt Pilates — the hyped workout which seems to done only by socialites and Hollywood movie stars — for the first time."
While many men do Pilates and swear by it, including professional athletes, Pilates still has the stigma of being for women only. In fact, if you look at Middle East pilates studios, such as Pilates and More in Kuwait, they are only open for women. No men's Pilates there!
"That's good, I guess, considering I felt like I struggled. Pilates works deep core muscles, particularly in the chest and abs. I had an extremely hard time doing those "extreme crunches.""
Pilates when done correctly is difficult! But are the rewards worth it?
"Saying I was sore was an understatement, but strangely enough, I felt Pilates worked.
My body, a few days later, felt tighter and more fit than it had in a while, and when I stretched for my very next workout, it felt smooth, as though they were being warmed by a massaging hand.
And, then my muscles responded more. My aerobic workout was faster and extensive. I could actually feel my muscle endurance had improved.
I ran better, I biked longer and my back, which has been strained holding up my excess weight, didn't bother me at all. That's right — I'm just 25 and I have aches and pains I shouldn't be having.
My point is that this is what I get for being stereotypical, for writing something off and judging it because of something People or Cosmopolitan wrote.
Pilates can be for anyone, especially if I can do it, survive no less, and then praise it to the point where I'm trying to get more people to try it."
Improved athletic and sports ability, better muscle response, more flexibility, and that's after only one class! Men, go try Pilates.
Just read some great news about an old friend, Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle of The Pilates Center of Austin in Austin, TX. Her husband Michael Arbuckle used to make Pilates equipment, and his company, Progressive Dynamics, expanded into Peak Pilates.
Anyway, Wendy trains Olympic track star Sanya Richards, dubbed "the fastest 400- meter woman in U.S. history" at the young age of 23. Richards does Pilates twice a week in the Austin studio, and credits her work with Wendy for teaching her how to distribute her weight evenly through her body and feet for a more fluid stride AND for teaching her to breathe while moving so she doesn't hold her breath while running anymore!
According to Pilates Style Richards is taking LeBlanc-Arbuckle with her to Beijing. Go Wendy!
Washington DC now boasts a world class tennis team and newest members of the World Team Tennis league, the Washington Kastles. This team includes such luminaries as Serena Williams, Anna Kournikova, John McEnroe, and the infamous big mouth Justin Gimelstob.
In an interview in the Washington Post Express, Gimelstob comments on his love of Pilates.
"EXPRESS: What are your workouts like?
GIMELSTOB: I have a bad back injury. So, I have to keep it healthy. I've been doing Pilates and yoga as cross -training to protect my back. I really enjoy Pilates, and I wish there had been that focus on core training earlier. I do machines and mat classes, so I can take it on the road.
EXPRESS: What sort of moves do you do?
GIMELSTOB: I have a routine I go through of stabilization exercises — stuff like lifting opposite arm and leg, and downward dog. That works the core. I do normal stretches for the shoulders, groin."
(AMIR GAMZU/U-M photo)
University of Michigan football defensive tackle Terrance Taylor may not strike you as a Pilates fan. Or as someone who thinks Pilates is hard!
His new coach Rich Rodriguez has instituted some new and interesting training challenges, one of which is compulsory Pilates classes! Of this Taylor says, "'We were doing Pilates, ....Man, that stuff is hard. Some of the things we do are crazy. We've never done that before, but it makes us more flexible.'"
So, was Taylor able to get his legendary tree-trunk legs over each other during the Pilates?
'Not yet, but hopefully soon.'"
Go Coach!
Six time Canadian Champion figure skater Jennifer Robinson is a fan of Pilates. Currently skating with the Smucker's Stars On Ice, Robinson works a grueling schedule of performances and training.According to The Windsor Star staying fit is crucial to her regimen and the main part of it is pilates.
"Thank God for Pilates," Robinson said. "One of the big differences between professional skating and competitive is your training is all on you. You can't rely on coaches to help you out."
How about those Giants!? I watched the Superbowl Sunday with a group of fellow ex-pat workers here on Parrot Cay and was so proud of my hometown team. (I lived in Philadelphia before moving to TCI, but was raised in NYC.)
After watching that incredible win in the last quarter of the game I opened my new issue of Pilates Style and there was a great little articel about how Giants' cornerback R.W. McQuarters does Pilates.
According to the article McQuarters' does Pilates 3 night a week after a full day on the field. Says our winning player, "'Pilates has helped me stay on the field and off the training table.... I feel a lot looser, I sleep better, my hamstrings feel open, my hips are more aligned. And even the next day, I feel better.'"
I couldn't have said it better.
photo by CRAIG T. KOJIMA
From Brandon Lee of the Star BulletinJayme Newhouse, owner and lead instructor of the Pilates Training Center Hawaii in Kailua (pictured above adjusting student Louise Kuba) had a big tall brush with fame last fall when the Los Angeles Lakers came to Hawaii for training camp.
Kobe Bryant [photo from Game Time Workouts is a big fan of Pilates and has been for years, since his wife and her trainer introduced him to the exercise method. He is such a big fan that he insists on having a piece of Pilates equipment wherever he calls home.
Newhouse received the call and helped him set something up in his hotel room. Now that's dedication!
The Sun's very own Gordon Smart seems to think that Pilates is not manly enough for the West Ham Footballers (soccer players for those of you still living in the US). His 11th December piece, cheekily entitled "At It Hammer & Tones" claims that "The West Ham lads are going to get a hammering over their latest footie fitness regime."
Anton Ferdinand, Freddie Ljundberg, and David Beckham's good friend, goalie Rob Green have all started doing PILATES to keep them supple during season. Come on, Gordon, be a Real Man and try a Pilates class. We can kick your butt!
According the Just Like My Dreams..., George Cooper, certified Pilates teacher and the new head of Physiotherapy and training for West Ham United, is a huge fan of Pilates for his players' conditioning and rehab. "Pilates is a massive thing we do here," explains Cooper. "It's optional but the majority of the players do it. We screen them and see who needs what and if they're a good candidate for it. I've easily got a third of them up to speed where they just do it on their own."
According to Mike Duffy on the official Baltimore Ravens website, Pilates Presents Challenge For Ravens. That's right, these 300+ pound athletes are challenged by Pilates!
"'I've never seen a Pilates class before, but that was tough,' said safety Dawan Landry. 'It really gets the blood flowing. I like it because it helps you with your flexibility and helps you avoid injuries. You have to look out for the tail end of your career while you're still young.'"
Landry was joined by Kyle Boller, Dwan Edwards, Mike Kracalik, Derrick Martin, Evan Oglesby, David Pittman, Ronnie Prude, Brian Rimpf, B.J. Sams and Bart Scott, all of whom had a positive reaction to [Pilates teacher Megan] Rich's teachings."
"'It's challenging because your weight works against you,' Rimpf noted. 'You're doing things against your own body weight, and it's a lot more work for the big guys. But, I really enjoyed it. It concentrates on things you don't normally focus on, like your feet and stretching your hamstrings in different ways. Also, balance will help anybody on a football field - especially offensive linemen.'"
Core work, stretching, body weight exercise--Pilates is so great for athletes! It keeps them limber and less prone to injury.
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