pilates
Most pilates participants are currently women, yet men can also benefit from
the regime, offering operators a significant opportunity to grow the category. Kate Cracknell asks the experts for advice on drawing men to pilates
Ken
If they need proof, you need to look Endelman
Founder & CEO, Balanced Body
female, and that drives me crazy. It was designed by a man to rehabilitate internees in World War I, yet somehow has the stigma that it’s more of a woman’s exercise. It’s a whole body exercise that will benefit everybody. In fact, men may need it more, because in general we tend to be a little harder on our bodies than women are. I see a two-pronged method to
T
increase participation. Every man wants to be a better athlete, so first you need to market the programme by explaining that the benefits of pilates (added flexibility, core strength and agility) will both increase their performance in the athletic activities they are involved in – golf, football, running, skiing, etc – and decrease their chances of getting hurt.
oday I’d estimate that pilates participation in clubs and fitness centres is still 80 to 85 per cent
no further than the one area of the male population that fervently believes in pilates: elite athletes. Many of our customers – from Premier league teams to Olympic athletes – swear by pilates as an absolutely crucial part of their strength and conditioning. Google ‘pilates and professional athletes’ and you’ll get all the proof and reference material you’ll need to pique your male members’ interest. You also need to make sure that
everyone at the club is on-board and able to answer questions about the programme – from people at the front desk to group exercise instructors in other areas. After you get their interest, the second
phase really becomes a matter of smart programming. If they see a group of women doing movements they can’t do, men may get intimidated. Give them more balance and strength-orientated exercises in the beginning. And make them sweat – men love that. As they progress, you can give them mini-tests to demonstrate improvement and start to work on other exercises so they can see the full benefits. Lastly, you can set specific athletic goals with them – are they hitting the ball further? Running faster? Less pain? Once they see results, you’ll have them for good.
54 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
Ada
Wells Physiotherapist, pilates teacher & owner, ProBalance
I see three basic groups. First, there are the younger males who simply want to look better. Visual stimuli and measurable results are important to them. Second, there are the athletes who want to improve their sports performance. They want to understand the impact exercise has on their bodies and how it relates to their sport. Finally, there are the men who exercise because they just want to feel better. This usually includes the middle-aged, as well as clients who have either never exercised much in the past or perhaps trained incorrectly when they were younger. Injury prevention and treatment are important to this group. Marketing strategies should cater to all three groups. Move past the marketing materials that feature slender
W august 2012 © cybertrek 2012
hen marketing to men, consider why they are exercising in the first place.
MARCIN BALCERZAK /
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
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