Why Every Man Should Be Doing Pilates (Even If You Lift Weights)
Have you ever walked into the gym, laced up your hiking boots, or hopped on your bike only to realize your body just doesn’t want to cooperate? You know you’re strong enough, but something feels tight, stiff, or restricted. It’s frustrating.
As men, we’re often taught to focus on getting stronger, lifting heavier, and pushing harder. What we don’t spend nearly enough time on is mobility. The reality is that strength without mobility eventually catches up to us. Tight hips, stiff shoulders, aching backs, and sore knees start becoming part of the routine, and we begin accepting them as simply “getting older.”
It doesn’t have to be that way.
For me, Pilates has been one of the biggest game changers in my fitness journey.
I’m 47 years old, and I’m more active today than I’ve ever been. I love lifting weights, trail running, hiking, and challenging myself physically. But a few years ago, I developed SI joint pain that made many of those activities difficult. Running hurt. Heavy lifts didn’t feel right. Even long hikes started taking a toll on my body.
That’s when Pilates became more than just another workout—it became part of my foundation.
Pilates improved my mobility, strengthened muscles I didn’t even realize I was neglecting, and helped my body move the way it was designed to move. My recovery improved, my soreness decreased, and I found myself returning to the gym and the trails feeling stronger instead of more beat up.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that Pilates isn’t just about flexibility. It’s about creating balance throughout the body. It develops stability, coordination, control, strength, and mobility—all qualities that make every activity you enjoy feel better and reduce your risk of injury.
One of the questions I hear most is, “How often should I do Pilates?”
The answer depends on your goals, but for most active people, one to three sessions per week can make a noticeable difference. Even one consistent session each week can improve mobility and body awareness. If you’re lifting, running, cycling, or hiking several days a week, Pilates doesn’t compete with those activities—it supports them.
Unlike heavy strength training, Pilates isn’t designed to break your body down. Instead, it helps restore movement, improve muscle balance, and reinforce healthy movement patterns. That means you typically don’t need long recovery periods between sessions the way you might after an intense lifting workout. In fact, many people find Pilates helps them recover better and perform better in their other activities.
I’ve also learned what happens when I stop doing it.
Whenever life gets busy and I skip Pilates for a couple of weeks, I notice it. My hips become tighter. My lifts don’t feel as smooth. My hikes feel harder than they should. My body reminds me pretty quickly that Pilates isn’t optional if I want to continue doing the things I love.
People sometimes ask whether Pilates will make them weaker or take away from their strength training.
My answer is exactly the opposite.
Pilates has made me a better lifter, a better runner, and a better hiker because I move more efficiently. I recover faster, experience less pain, and spend more time enjoying the activities I love instead of managing injuries or nagging aches.
If you’re a guy who’s never considered Pilates because you assumed it wasn’t for you, I’d encourage you to give it a try. You don’t have to stop lifting. You don’t have to stop running. You don’t have to change who you are.
Think of Pilates as the training that helps you keep doing the things you love—not just this year, but for decades to come.
And honestly, as I’m finishing this article, I’m realizing it’s time for me to schedule my own Pilates session this week.
Sometimes even the instructor needs the reminder.
Matt Havlik
Pilates Instructor
