How to Get Your Male Membership Into Pilates

Although the trend is slowly changing, it is no secret that at health and fitness clubs across the country there are more women participating in Pilates classes than there are men. Why?

“Traditionally men have been taught to lift heavy weights, run hard, and get sore,” says Gerard Hinderlich, owner of Spectrum Bay Club’s Pilates Revolution studio in El Segundo, CA. “Now with Pilates they’re being told ‘don’t do that – work from the abdominals.’ It’s just different than what they conceptualize ‘working out’ to be. But really, it’s the best thing in the world for men to do because of the added flexibility and strength it provides.”

If, like most facilities, your male demographic makes up a considerable portion of your membership, then you could be potentially missing out on a sizable chunk of revenue within your feebased programming. Here are some tips on getting the men of your club into your Pilates classes:

Stress the Performance 
Anyone doing an athletic activity with a lot of repetitive movements will develop muscular imbalances, which lead to injury. For the athletes in your clubs, stress that the core strength and flexibility developed by Pilates will actually improve their athletic performance and reduce the potential of getting hurt – particularly for older males who may already have suffered an injury at some point in their athletic career.

“Pilates teaches us how to access each part of our body individually. It helps a body move the way it is designed to move,” says Tom McCook, owner of the Center of Balance Pilates studio in Palo Alto, CA. “As the body becomes more functional it will help a participant increase their athletic performance. As an example, golfers learn how to torque their body the right way in order to hit the ball farther but not injure themselves.”

The Pros Do It
Pilates has become an essential strength and conditioning tool for a growing number of professional sports teams. Among the teams who have incorporated Pilates into their training programs are: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, and the Detroit Lions of the NFL, and the New Jersey Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards of the NBA.

Make sure the male sports fans in your membership know this. Many will join simply based on the fact that if the pros are doing it, then it must be effective.

Create Specialty Classes
Offer male-only group classes as part of your programming. Do you have male golfers at your club? Tennis players? Skiers? Create specialty sessions aimed at getting men with common interests together. Foster an environment of friendly competition at these classes. This will grow the level of camaraderie within the group and help create a sense of accountability between fellow classmates, so that they are making sure they attend the class and are encouraging each other to reach their next milestone.

Marketing is Key
As is the case with generating interest in almost anything, marketing becomes critical. Here are some simple promotional ideas:

• Schedule free demonstrations for your male membership so that they can get a feel for what the exercise and equipment is like.

• Create flyers to distribute at the club with campaigns like “Play Basketball Like You Were 20 Again” or “How are the Toughest Men in the NFL Getting into Shape? Pilates.”

• Write an article in your member newsletter on how Pilates is great for men, emphasizing how agility and core strength will increase their athletic performance.

• Hold a contest for your male members with a particular athletic skill (golf, racquetball, etc.). Choose one and give them free personal Pilates sessions for an extended period of time. Chart the improvement they experience in their sport and publish those results to show to the rest of the club

• Educate your internal staff on your Pilates program so they are able to answer any questions.

The beauty of Pilates is that it truly benefits everyone. For much of your male membership it is just a matter of education. Once they see the benefits, you’ll see both your Pilates program and your profit potential begin to grow.

Ken Endelman is the Founder and CEO of Balanced Body, Inc. He can be contacted at 800.745.2837, or visit www.pilates.com.