Men Only Pilates, Core Strength Flexibility Clases – with Martin
1. Increase Core Strength
2. Improve Mobility & Flexibility
3. Prevent Injuries & Back Issues
Join my last two Thursday 6.30pm-7.30pm in December 2021 – Men Only Pilates Classes in Sandyford Community Centre, Dublin 18, D18.
1. Thursday 9th December 2021 – 6.30pm-7.30pm 2. Thursday 16th December 2021 – 6.30pm-7.30pm
Trial or Drop-Ins, Pay-As-You-Go (for €15) Classes are possible. Martin
If you join – one or both Thursday classes – in December 2021 you automatically secure your place for theThursday 6.30pm Classes in January 2022. First preference will be given to current class participants – for all other classes.
The January classes 2022 will either start during the week of Monday 3rd January or Monday January 11th 2022. I will check possible starting dates with the venue managers in the next few days.
Simply register your interest via below form and I aim to contact you within 24-48 hours (Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, or contact, call Martin via the “Contact-Us” page.
A *new Only Men Pilates class* starts Wednesday 8th January 2020, this will be my fourth Men Only Pilates class per week in the greater South Dublin area. All classes are taught by a male instructor (qualified in 2003, fully insured ). :
The class is suitable for all levels, Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Pilates level, as I will demonstrate two or three different versions of the same exercise. Each participant chooses then the right version for himself, depending on any back, neck, shoulder issues etc..
. One-to-One Pilates and Personal Training are also available. .
[1} Class venue: Belarmine Community Centre, Belarmine Plaza, Sandyford, Dublin 18, near Stepaside, Kilternan, Leopardstown, Cabinteely and Foxrock. . [2] Time: 6.30pm-7.30pm .
In this Posture Video you are going to learn three Posture Improvement Exercises >>> with a Foam Roller <<< that (1) Stretch your Back and Spine out, (2) Mobilize and Loosen your shoulder area, (3) Stretch your chest out to prevent rounded shoulders. . Keep your core muscles, your TVA (Transverse Abdominis) slightly engaged throughout to make these exercises safer for your lower back. Always consult a GP / physician before starting a new exercises regime, especially if you haven’t exercised for a long time on a regular basis.
(1) Foam Roller – Side Sway to Right & Left ( massages the area between your shoulder blades, stretches your chest out ) _
Lie flat on your foam roller, your feet are flat on the ground, your knees are bend. Make sure your mid and lower back stay reasonable close to the foam roller. Avoid overarching your lower back, lumbar spine, as this would put pressure on your back. Ensure that the back of your head is well supported, avoid dropping the head over the edge of the roller, as this would overstretch your neck.
Then simply sway one to two inches from side to side, to massage your mid back and either side of the spine. Most class participants find this exercise very relaxing. This will also help you to prevent rounded shoulders, bad posture, as your pectoral muscles, your chest gets stretched out as well.
Sit w. (2) Foam Roller – Full Body stretch – Back Stretch and Shoulder Mobility ( focuses on stretching your whole spine and back, increasing shoulder mobility, includes a chest stretch ) _ This a very simple yet effective exercise. Start in the same position as in exercise number one, then stretch and lengthen your legs away on the Pilates mat. It might be slightly challenging to keep your balance, which will activate your general core muscles a small bit. Aim to keep your mid and especially your lower back, reasonable close to the foam roller, avoid overarching your lower back. Reach with your hands towards the wall behind you, stretch as far as possible through your fingers away to increase the back and spine stretch. This will work on mobility of your shoulder area and stretches your chest out, preventing rounded shoulders >>> Posture Work ! 🙂
Hold for around 10 long, deep breaths and aim to lengthen further away each time you exhale.
(3) Shoulder Mobilizing with a Foam Roller ( focuses on shoulder mobility, posture improvement, a small chest stretch and a bit mid-back strength ) _
Another simple exercise to loosen and mobilize your shoulder area and improve your posture. Start in the same position as in exercise number one. Reach with your fingers towards the ceiling, let your palms face towards each other, straighten your arms nearly completely, keep your neck long and relaxed. Draw your shoulders down your back, away from your earlobes.
Breath in as you aim to lift / round your shoulder as much as possible off or away from the foam roller towards the ceiling, stretch your fingers as high as possible up towards the ceiling, while keeping the back of your head on the foam-roller. Breath out as you draw your shoulders back toward the ground, it is a bit like wrapping your shoulder blades around the foam roller, aim to keep your arms straight as you do this. Breath in as you restart. Repeat 10 times. Same as above, just crisscross your arms in front of your chest to intensify the movement..
Let me know how you get on and e-mail or facebook me your questions, comments or feedback.
Thank you _ Martin
In this Pilates Video you are going to learn three Pilates & Core Strength Exercise, that tone and strengthen your whole midsection or midriff. . Keep your core muscles, your TVA (Transverse Abdominis) slightly engaged throughout.
(1) Pilates Roll-Up >> Focuses on straight abdominal muscles, your rectus abdominis)
This variation is for those who’s mid and lower back is ok, avoid if you have any lower or mid back issues. Aim to control the movement, slowly easy vertebrae by vertebrae onto the mat and roll the back in the same way off the mat. Stretch the whole body out in between. Avoid any jerky or rushed moves, especially as you roll up. . (2) Pilates Side-Bend >> Focuses on toning and strengthening your waist, your sides or love-handles
This exercise is not for somebody with neck or shoulder issues. Place your elbow below your shoulder, choose your leg and knee variation. Breath out as you lift your hip, breath in to lower your hip. Control the movement, slow it down a good bit to intensity the exercise. You will ultimately benefit more from the exercise if you do it slower, plus you increase your body awareness as well. .
(3) Pilates Swimming or Super-Man/Woman >> Focuses on mid & lower back strength, includes a small bit of a stretch for the whole back as well.
This exercise is generally very good for strengthening your lower back and simultaneously stretches your whole back, neck and spine out, if done correctly. Pay attention to keeping your chin tucked in, your neck long, stretch through one pair of limbs away as you breath out, breath in when switching over. . To-Do-List: (1)Do a brief warm-up of 5-8min including some rotational moves for your neck, back, shoulders and your lower back or do some cardio exercises for 5-8min e.g. brisk walking. (2) Do each exercise up to 10 times, assuming your back, neck, shoulders etc. agree with the movement and there is no pain. Do three sets of each exercise. (3) Be aware how easy or challenging it is to roll-up or to lift the hip up (compare right and left for the Pilates Side-Bend – class participants often experience differences, as one side might be stronger than the other). (4) I suggest to keep an exercise and activity diary, which will allow you recognize progress. Make a note of
(4.1) when you exercise time/date/duration,
(4.2) how many reps / sets you do,
(4.3) how the exercises are getting easier over time. Come up with a rating system.
I use a scale from 1 to 10 ( 1 = very very easy; 10 = extremely hard, nearly impossible). .
Let me know how you get on and if you have any questions.
Martin
In this short Pilates video I’m demonstrating a sample Pilates routine that could be done:
as a Morning Pilates Routine after getting up to boost you energy levels, wake up and loosen up after a good night’s rest.
as a Warm-Up Routine before a work out or a run etc..
in between when working at a desk / in a office for several hours to break up the day (you might just do the Neck, Back and Upper-Body Stretches and Loosening moves).
I plan to create one video per week from now onward, where I demonstrate different Kettlebell, Pilates, Body-Weight Exercises, Resistance Training and other exercises. Nutrition and diet advice videos, with various tip, recommendations, food reviews etc. are also planned.
A new set of 2016 Summer Pilates & Fitness Classes started this week in South Dublin, (1) Rathfarnham, Willbrook (Rathfarnham Pastoral Centre, off Willbrook Road) and (2) Sandyford, Leopardstown (Sandyford Community Centre, Lambs Cross).
. Join Anytime ! Beginners are Welcome ! 13 Years teaching experience Small Classes: 8-10 participants max. Free Parking . (1) Pilates – Thursday 10am-11am – Mixed Level, Beginners to Intermediate.
Classes take place in Rathfarnham Pastoral Parish Centre, off Willbrook Road, Dublin 14, D14
(2) Men Only Pilates – Wednesday 6.30pm-7.30pm – Mixed Level, Beginners to Intermediate. Classes take place in Sandyford Community Centre, Lambs Cross, Leopardstown, Dublin 18, D18
> A *new* set of Men Only Pilates classes start during the week of Monday 7th March 2016. << Mens Pilates classes for men, taught by a man. .
I generally mix up the Mens Pilates and Core StrengthClasses ( in the various South Dublin based venues ) in different ways to keep the classes interesting and motivating. This will give you ideas what you can do at home or as part of your own exercise and fitness routines.
Some class participants do three or four variations of exercises at the end of their own workouts, runs, resistance or weight training, or after a game of golf or tennis, or they incorporate it into their club training at the end of a ruby, GAA, or soccer training session. .
This includes the use of various fitness and exercise props e.g.
(1) Foam Rollers
(2) Pilates Rings
(3) Resistance Bands
(4) Smalls Balls
(5) occasionally Swiss Balls or sometimes called Gym Balls
Pilates Exercises can be combined in Duos, Trios, or just done as an ongoing sequence. There are various ways of teaching and incorporating these Pilates and Core Strength moves into your general daily or weekly workout routine and other exercise programs.
Knowing is not enough; we mus apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Pilates Sample Program for Men:
Exercises were picked in a way to maintain balance in the body, avoid overuse of one particular muscle group and therefore injuries. I see it over and over again that people work only on their abdominal, stomach muscles and neglect back strengthening and mobilizing exercises, which will ultimately lead to back trouble and possibly injuries. .
(1) Warm-up: Various neck, shoulder, upper back, and spine mobilization, loosening and stretching exercises (these are generally good as most of us sit for hours in front of various screens and build up tension in the neck and shoulder area), sometimes a few simple body-weight moves e.g. squats, Pilates Push-ups, etc.. . (2) Main Section: These Core and Pilates exercises are generally done in sets of 10-12 moves.
(2.1) Shoulder Bridges – to give the back and spine another good stretch before more core and abdominal exercises. This exercise is also good for glute activation. (2.2) Single Legs Stretches – focus mainly on abdominal / core strength, rectus abdominis. (2.3) Pilates Swimming or Superman – works on lower back strength and lengthens the back and spine at the same time, if done correctly, without putting pressure on the lumbar spine. (2.4) Straight Arm Plank – mainly core / abdominal strength, plus a bit of upper body strength. (2.5) Back extension – a mid and/or lower back strengthening exercise, depending on which version you do. (2.6) Side Bends or Elbow Side Planks – another move to maintain balance in the body, it focuses mainly on the waist, the mid-riff also called obliques. I generally recommend that you keep moving during this Pilates movement, to get more out of it. (2.7) Roll-Up – an exercise that works on your straight abdominal muscles, a bit spine mobility/mobilization and adds in a very good hamstring/back of the leg stretch, all meaning is a great combination exercise (flexibility and mobility). (2.8) Check opening or Crocodile: a pure mobility and loosening exercise for your spine, mid and lower back. This exercise can stretch the neck muscles as well depending on how the exercise is done. . (3) Cool Down and Stretching:
We focus here on loosening and stretching the muscles we used during the Pilates and Core Strength exercises, of the main section. This will include a lot of back, neck, hip flexor and hamstring, etc. stretches.
>> The *New* set of Mens Pilates and Core Conditioning Classes start: << [1] Tuesday 8th March 2016 6-7pm Sandyford Community Centre, Lambs Cross, Dublin 18, D18
[2] Tuesday 8th March 2016 8.15-9.15pm Taney Parish Centre, Dundrum, Dublin 14, D14, close to the LUAS Bridge.
[3] Wednesday 9th March 2016 6.30-7.30pm IrishFit Shop, Running.ie Shop, Sandyford Industrial Estate, 5min walk from the Stillorgan LUAS stop, a view minutes drive from Stillorgan Village. . Please contact Martin before paying online, to check class suitability and availability. Class fees are €100 for 8 consecutive weeks (classes last for 1 hour), €14 Drop-in, Trial, or Pay-As-You-Go.
I’m going to start a new set of PIlates and other Fitness classes in South Dublin, in the Dublin 14, Dublin 16 and Dublin 18 area early, mid March 2016.
Do you want to
(1) Tone-Up
(2) Improve your Core Strength
(3) Boost your Energy
(4) Increase your Flexibility (5) Prevent back issues and other injuries
(6) Up general Strength ?
A lot of us sit for hours in front of a computer or on a desk and rarely get up and take breaks. Even if we know a short stroll around the office, down to the canteen or even to a local park would be good for your back, give you a mental break, so you would come back refreshed and re-energized.
Pilates is great for loosening and strengthening your back, maintaining good posture and increasing core strength (abdominal and back). It will also help you to prevent or tackle various back, neck and other issues, as the majority of exercises are performed in a controlled and slow manner. This will allow you to increase awareness, you could even compare it with certain aspects of being mindful as you move.
Sports people also benefit from increased core strength to prevent injuries. All types of athletes and sporty individuals do Pilates and Core Work exercises. This included e.g. soccer player, rugby player, GAA player, people who play Golf etc. etc..
Individuals in their more mature years find Pilates beneficial as it helps them to (1) stay supple (2) maintain flexibility (3) keep their balance (4) increase and maintain mobility.
New March and April 2016 Classes start:
[1] Tuesday 8th March 2016 – 6pmMen Only Pilates – Sandyford Community Centre, Dublin 18
[2] Tuesday 8th March 2016 – 8.15pmMen Only Pilates (Progression Level) Taney Parish Centre, Dublin 14
[3] Wednesday 9th March 2016 – 10amOver 60s Pilates & Fitness, St. Mary’s Parish Centre, Rathfarnham, off Willbrook Road, close to The Yeallow House Pub.
[4] Tuesday 15th March 2016 – 9.30amToning & Conditioning Circuits, Foxrock Parish Center, Dublin 18
[5] Thursday 24th March 2016 – 10amIntermediate Pilates, Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club, beside Marley Park, Rathfarnham, close to Ballinteer, Churchtown, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Dublin 16
[6] Thursday 25th March 2016 – 11.15amOver 60s Pilates & Fitness Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club, beside Marley Park, Rathfarnham, close to Ballinteer, Churchtown, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Dublin 16
[7] Wednesday 6pm (ongoing)Mens Pilates – Sandyford Industrial Estate, close to the LUAS, Beacon Hotel and Hospital.
Contact Martin for Bookings or with any further questions you might have.
Skip the first few paragraphs and start reading below the video if you are not interested in New Years Resolutions and go straight to the Mens Pilates Class information.
It is that time of the year again …. some folks set “New Years Resolutions” or NYRs as I call them.
I’m not a fan of NYRs. Most of us are just about able to stick to them for the first three or four weeks of the year. Then it’s back to the old routines, habits and procrastination. Is that you?
What about picking a theme for the year in different areas of your life, e.g. “Freshness” in terms so of what you eat (bin processed foods) or “Positive Outlook” in terms of mental self-talk or “Healthy Habits” in terms of being active and exercising.
Once you identified three or four themes, jot them down,writethem into your diary, onto yellow Post-Its and place them into your wallet, at the dashboard of your car, on your phone, maybe set alarms to remind you of the themes regularly, ideally daily and ask yourself “What simple action can I take today to align my day with that theme and have fun 🙂 ?”.
Here a sample for above themes “Freshness” + “Positive Outlook” + “Healthy Habits”:
Get two pieces of fresh fruit for your in-between snacks in the office or when studying,take the stairs when bringing that important report to your manager or cycle/walk to the library when dropping off that novel or text book, encourage others to join in and “Always look at the bright side of life …. ” or think of James Brown’s song “I Feel Good”.
Make it easy for yourself to succeed and have fun doing so ! Get those post-its and your diary out and start writing … come on lets do it now !
Martin
Now to the Mens Pilates Classes in South Dublin, Dublin 16 – Dundrum and Dublin 18 Sandyford, Lambscross.
I’m teaching these classes for around six years now. Most guys join initially because of some lower back issues, some as they want to improve their core strength as they play golf, others look to get a bit more flexible and to loosen their back after a regular running sessions and so it goes on.
I mix (1)traditional Pilates with (2) general core strength exercises, similar to what you might have done as part of your GAA, Football, Rugby, Golf or other training, think 5-6 variations of planks and add (3) a good bit mobility and (4) flexibility work in, as most guys are simply to stiff. I round it up with (5) various body weight exercises e.g. squat or press-up variations to boost general strength.
The age profile of past class participants in the “Men Only Pilates Classes” varied from mid 20s to early to mid 70s, whereas the age of the majority of class participants probably ranges from early to mid 30s to early to mid 60s. All ages are welcome.
I generally look at what participants can do and what the exercises allow them to do if they keep them up.
Every class participants takes it at his own pace, as everybody has different exercise backgrounds or possibly back issues or minor niggling bits. I show always two or three different variations of the same exercise, so you can pick which every version is right for you.
Drop-Ins classes or Trial classes are possible. Please contact me a few days in advance to check availability, if you plan to try a class.
The fee for 8 consecutive weeks is €100 one class per week, Drop-Ins are €14.
These classes take place:
1. Tuesday 6-7pm – Dublin 18 – Sandyford Community Centre, Lambs Cross _
2. Tuesday 8.15-9.15pm – Dublin 14 – Dundrum, Taney Parish Centre
Contact me with any other questions you might have or to book your course.
Martin
I’m going to start a new set of *Pilates* and *Fitness* Classes in the greater South Dublin area during the week of Monday 11th January 2016. Classes will include:
Men Only Pilates / Mens Pilates and Core Strength Classes
6pm and 8.15pm – Tuesday evenings (in Dundrum D14 and Sandyford D18)
Over 60s Pilates and Fitness Classes
10am Wednesday and 11.15am Thursday morning (in Rathfarnahm, close to Ballyboden, beside Marlay Park – Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club and Rathfarnham Parish Centre)
Intermediate Pilates Classes
10am Thursday morning (and possibly Friday morning as well, to be confirmed)
Toning & Weight Loss Classes 9.30am Tuesday morning (in Foxrock D18, close to Deansagrange, Stillorgan, Cabinteely, in Foxrock Parish Centre)
HIIT Toning & Conditioning Class
7.30am Thursday morning (in D18 Central Park, Sandyford Industrial Estate as part of the Live-Work-Grow Program)
Contact Martin for further information or to book your Pilates Classes, Trial & Drop-In Classes possible if availability allows.
Get FREE Monthly Pilates Routines, Videos & Seminar Workshop Class Info...
Subscribe to my monthly updates.
Stay up to date with my FREE *Newsletter* re new Classes, Online-Video Courses, Seminars, Videos, Workshops and etc..
* Read my updated Privacy Policy here.
