Pilates myth number four... pilates is for girls... so, where to start with this one! Let’s being with the beginnings of pilates. Pilates was founded by a man, Joesph Pilates to be exact. He worked as a circus performer, boxer and self-defence instructor. He also refined his method during the first World War, where he developed the reformer we know today, regularly training soldiers. Moving to NYC, he set up a “body-conditioning gym” where he focused on improving the technique of his clients or aiding them in recovery from injury. And, in fact, during this time, 60% of his clients were men! Fast forward to today, and sportsmen and athletes the world over use pilates in their training, including the England football squad and many of the tennis champions at Wimbledon. Take a look around your gym and I guarantee that the serious weightlifters you see will also add in an element of pilates into their workout too, to ensure they keep range of movement and alignment when building muscles. Further still, the pilates circuit also boasts a number of awesome male pilates teachers (UK based Paul Howe and James Crader in the US being two of my personal faves) so, chaps, what are you waiting for? Why not join the elite sportsmen you were likely watching yesterday and give pilates a try! And maybe, just maybe the girls are onto something....