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New data shows an increase in men trying yoga and pilates. What are the benefits?

From improving your strength and balance to lifting your mood, there are plenty of reasons to try these effective workout methods.

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A man doing a yoga pose with a tablet in front of him in the living room.
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Women are more than twice as likely to practice yoga than men, according to the CDC. While plenty of men also enjoy yoga and Pilates, there seem to be more women interested in these practices than men. That might be changing, and recently, more men are interested in exploring the benefits of yoga and Pilates. Once they start, many people love how it feels for their mental and physical health. You might find yourself doing a yoga pose and stretching and moving your muscles here, there, and everywhere because it feels so good.

Interesting new data

man doing pilates leg and arm stretch seated wooden floor
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Recent Strava data reveals that the share of men uploading and practicing Pilates or yoga increased by 15%. Strava is an app for active people that reports data on yearly fitness trends based on surveys and data from millions of people. Let’s explore the benefits of yoga and Pilates. 

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What is yoga?

forward fold men's yoga
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Yoga is a type of meditative movement involving specific physical postures and poses and a focus on deep breathing. You can try different styles and intensities of yoga, including gentler and slower practices and more physically demanding practices.

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The ancient system of yoga practices originates in India and has been passed down for thousands of years from teacher to student. 

What are the benefits of yoga?

two men doing yoga on a pier water outdoors
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Here are some of the many benefits of yoga:

  • Enhance your flexibility, stability, and balance.
  • Enhance your range of motion.
  • Improve your posture, overall athletic performance, and quality of life.
  • Lower your stress and anxiety levels.
  • Lower inflammation in your body.
  • Improve your sleep quality.
  • Promote weight loss.
  • Reduce lower back pain.
  • Work and stretch your whole body with various poses.

Research has shown that yoga can be used as an effective alternative treatment to help with depression. Some types of yoga help you build strength as well as flexibility.

What is Pilates?

Man using Pilates reformer.
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Pilates is a type of exercise involving repetitive exercises you perform on a mat. You might also work with other large and small equipment, such as: 

  • Resistance bands
  • Stability balls
  • Hand weights
  • Foam rollers
  • Pilates rings
  • The tower
  • The trapeze table
  • Dumbbells
  • Tennis balls

Much of the muscular effort stems from your core. Joseph Pilates originally developed the Pilates Method in the 1920s. Joseph Pilates was born in Germany and dealt with asthma and other illnesses as a young child. He was determined to strengthen his body when he became a young adult, so he studied martial arts, meditation, yoga, and Roman and Greek exercises. He created the Pilates Method after serving as an orderly at a hospital on the Isle of Man during World War I, where he also worked on a rehabilitation program for non-ambulatory soldiers.

What are the benefits of Pilates?

man legs up the wall pic in pilates or gym class wearing shorts
Logan Weaver / Unsplash

The benefits of yoga and Pilates are similar. Here are some of the many benefits of Pilates:

  • Improve posture, flexibility, balance, and skeletal alignment.
  • Boost your overall fitness.
  • Work your core, glutes, hips, pelvic floor, and lower back.
  • Increase your energy and muscle strength.
  • Promote weight loss.
  • Lift your mood.
  • Reduce lower back pain.

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Steph Green
Steph Green
Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…
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