Jordan Soto
IM=X Pilates studio located in Gilroy has rows of Reformer pilates stations located inside the establishment.
Pilates is a form of strength training that focuses on core muscles, improved flexibility and posture, according to the Cleveland Clinic health essentials website.
Pilates has been rising in popularity recently and growing at an exceptional rate.
77% of pilates studios are growing and 67% are selling out classes and spots in the studios, according to a Business Wire report.
There are two ways to do pilates, which is using reformers or mat pilates.
Reformer pilates is a special bed which is used to provide resistance and feedback for exercises that lengthen and strengthen the body which uses a push or pulling action, according to Complete Pilates website.
Mat pilates is a floor based, low-impact exercise that also focuses on core strength and flexibility using only your body and a mat, according to The Club AC website.
I’ll admit, my first experience doing a pilates class was a little frightening. It took some convincing from my friend, but I finally booked a class with reformers.
I go to IM=X Pilates Studio in Gilroy, which uses reformers and my main instructor Vikki O’Hara was really warm and welcoming when I arrived.
She was excited to see a guy in her class and she was giving me tips on what to do during each exercise.
I was really nervous and thought I looked stupid doing these workouts.
You know that feeling of walking into the gym when you first get your membership?
Where you’re a little anxious and feel like you have no idea what to do?
That’s exactly what it felt like and what made me even more nervous was looking like a fool in a room full of women who have been doing this for some time now.
When I finished the class, I felt exhausted because of all the core work we did and I had the great pleasure of taking a class on a dreadful day known as “sideline day.”
Sideline day at IM=X is when the workouts are lower body and lower abdomen focused that involves doing workouts on the jumpads which are add ons to the reformers.
You perform these workouts on your side and I felt every muscle in my legs pounding from how sore they were.
It was a great feeling because I knew I was getting a great workout considering my hips and glutes were on fire.
After my first class, it became addicting and I was eager to go back and book more classes throughout the week.
This is an exercise that offers a new style of strength training and I felt a lot more flexible after a handful of classes.
I started to notice results when I attended classes on a consistent basis.
Men need to start ditching their fragile masculinity and take a pilates class.
If men are afraid of taking a class that they think is only meant for girls, news flash – there’s college athletes and professional athletes that implement pilates into their routine.
NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo implements pilates into his routine workouts.
He can be seen struggling in the TikTok video posted by Bleacher Report.
Arch Manning, the starting quarterback for the University of Texas and a highly touted prospect, mentioned in an interview with Complex Sports that he did pilates once and he was sore for three days.
Manning said he wanted to attend more classes with his teammate DeAndre Moore Jr. who goes consistently, according to the same interview with Complex Sports.
It’s ironic that more men are afraid of doing pilates or that there’s a narrative that pilates is mainly for women considering the person who creates pilates is a man.
Joseph Pilates created the exercise and he was an avid boxer, body builder and gymnast.
The only con about pilates is that classes can be pretty pricey.
The class that I pay for is $40 per session, but there are plans and memberships offered at different studios around the area which help you save money while attending classes.
The cost shouldn’t prevent you from experiencing this workout and San José State offers free classes for students at the Spartan Recreation and Aquatic Center (SRAC), according to its website.
Aside from a great way to stay fit, pilates can also help prevent osteoporosis according to the RTR Pilates website.
Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease where bone mass and density decreases which can lead to increased fragility and an increased risk of fractures, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Pilates has been a great experience and has helped me feel stronger when I lift weights in the gym and I’ve felt like I’ve gained more strength.
It’s time to put the pride aside and take advantage of an exercise that is extremely beneficial to overall health.