Health
Viral videos show ripped gym bros collapsing during Pilates workouts
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Pilates may have a reputation for being “girly,” but a new social media trend is crushing the assumption that it’s easy.
Male athletes and “gym bros” are being humbled by the challenge of Pilates and sculpt — workouts that are typically dominated by women.
Viral videos show men wincing, clenching and shaking their way through classes, both on mats and on strengthening machines called reformers.
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Melania Antuchas, a Florida-based hot Pilates and sculpt instructor, jumped in on the trend, posting videos of private classes with men that have received millions of views.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Antuchas, who teaches a 50-minute signature class combining strength training and mat Pilates, said that athletic men find the class surprisingly difficult due to their training history.
“We target the tiny muscle fibers, so it’s the muscles that you don’t use in the gym,” she said. “We’re using those big quads in the gym, we’re using heavy weights, but with just your body weight and heel raises and a band and the layering, that is the true challenge. They’re not used to challenging their balance, their mobility, their instability.”
“After I taught that first initial class for all men, every single one of them was asking for the next one because of how much it challenged them,” Antuchas added.
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After recently hosting the men of the Raleigh Rugby Club, Raleigh Pilates in North Carolina posted a video where the men appear to struggle through sets of leg lifts, lunges, shoulder presses, abs and stretches on the reformer.
Athletic men are trying out Pilates in a viral social media trend and finding it to be a challenge. (TikTok @raleighpilates/TikTok @fitbyma)
Studio owner Rae Matthews noted that Pilates challenges “stronger people” differently, as athletes and weightlifters typically focus on “big global muscles,” while Pilates asks them to “slow down, stabilize and control movement through full range of motion.”
“A lot of people are surprised because the exercises look small, but they feel really intense because the work is coming from deep stabilizers rather than momentum or brute force,” she told Fox News Digital.
What is Pilates?
Pilates was originally developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s to help rehabilitate injured soldiers and ballet dancers, according to Brookelyn Suddell, director of group fitness strategy and development at Crunch Fitness in New York.
The method aimed to put muscles under controlled tension to build strength, flexibility and mobility, which is the “foundation for effective movement,” she told Fox News Digital.
Today, Pilates has incorporated more equipment, sculpt techniques for strength training, and heated settings, Antuchas noted.
“It’s a slow and controlled, non-stop, low-impact workout,” she said. “It’s about precision, it’s about control, it’s about core strength.”
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Suddell added that Pilates builds a “special kind” of balanced and functional strength, working the stabilizers around each joint.
“That means your whole body is working in harmony, from your core to your limbs,” she said. “Even our Crunch CEO Jim Rowley — a Marine vet, lifelong lifter and all-around powerhouse — credits Pilates with skyrocketing his core strength and mobility.”
Melania Antuchas, a Pilates and sculpt instructor, has gone viral on social media for her challenging workout videos. (Melania Antuchas)
The experts agreed that men can benefit from the exercise just as much as women, as the practice can improve their overall gym performance, athletic pursuits, posture and longevity.
“I think the key to getting more men involved is reframing Pilates as intelligent strength training and injury prevention, not a soft workout,” Matthews said.
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Words of caution
The primary reason that most people seek strength training and Pilates is to help with lower back pain, according to Antuchas.
The trainer warned that no one should feel pain during a Pilates and sculpt workout, and that modifications should be made as needed, particularly when there is strain in the neck or lower back.
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Antuchas, who teaches all ages ranging from 18 to 70+, said her workouts are intentionally challenging without requiring extra equipment, as the foundational movements are demanding enough on their own.
Pilates is built on principles like breath, control, precision, alignment and flow, according to a studio owner. (iStock)
Those new to Pilates should consult a doctor before starting to make sure it is appropriate for them.
“People should be mindful if they have recent injuries or surgeries; chronic back or neck pain; hip, shoulder, knee limitations; or limited spinal mobility,” Suddell advised.
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Matthews agreed that those with acute injuries, recent surgeries, osteoporosis or pregnancy should work with “well-trained, educated instructors who understand modifications.”
“When Pilates is taught thoughtfully, it’s actually one of the safest and most supportive forms of movement available, but expertise matters so much.”
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A simple lifestyle adjustment could potentially slow down the body’s biological aging process, according to new research.
The study, published in the journal Aging, investigated how a diet change and easy exercise regimen affected men between the ages of 50 and 74 over a three-month period.
Researchers designed a clinical trial involving 48 overweight men in Japan. Over a 12-week period, half of the participants followed a strictly structured wellness routine, while the other half maintained their usual habits.
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For the intervention group, the routine required consuming 100 grams of plain yogurt every day.
This group also received individualized dietary counseling that advised them to curb overeating, avoid excessive snacking and cut out sugary drinks.
A simple lifestyle adjustment could potentially slow down the body’s biological aging process, according to new research. (iStock)
They were also instructed to walk or use a stepper machine for roughly 30 minutes a day, at least three days each week.
To measure the impact of these changes, the scientists collected blood samples from all participants before and after the study, and also analyzed DNA for chemical changes that act as indicators of cellular age.
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Specifically, they used a measurement tool called DunedinPACE. Rather than assessing a person’s chronological age in years, this tool calculates the precise rate at which an individual’s body is currently aging.
The men who consumed the probiotic yogurt, adjusted their diets and exercised showed a statistically significant reduction in their pace of aging compared to the control group, the researchers said.
The anti-aging benefits cannot be attributed to any single component on its own due to the variety in the study, the researchers noted. (iStock)
On average, the speed of their biological aging slowed by approximately 2.2%. This reduction is roughly comparable to the slowing of biological aging observed in a previous two-year U.S. study, in which participants reduced their daily calorie intake by 25%.
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This reduction in aging speed happened independently of weight loss , meaning it did not directly correlate with changes in the participants’ body mass index or the exact number of exercise sessions they logged.
The researchers also recorded a noticeable improvement in a specific DNA marker that is linked to kidney function.
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Because this study combined three distinct factors — probiotics, diet and exercise — the authors concluded that the anti-aging benefits cannot be attributed to any single component. Instead, the slowed aging rate appears to be the result of a combined effect.
The reduction in aging speed happened independently of weight loss, the study found. (iStock)
The researchers also acknowledged clear limitations of the study, including its small sample size and short duration. Also, the participant pool was restricted to overweight men of a single nationality.
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More research is needed to determine whether these short-term biological shifts can translate into permanent, long-term health benefits, the study stated.
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The simple act of noting how fast your heart is beating while you’re at rest may be the key to measuring your overall health.
Resting heart rate is defined by Mayo Clinic as the number of times your heart beats each minute while you’re awake, calm and not moving.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults. A slower resting heart rate means the heart does not have the work as heard to pump blood through the body — something typical of someone who is more fit.
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Athletes who are very fit may have a resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute, according to Mayo Clinic.
Your resting heart rate can vary due to a variety of factors, including age, physical activity levels, sleep health, smoking, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, stress, anxiety, hormones, body type and certain medications.
A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute for adults, according to medical experts. (iStock)
But a resting heart rate that’s often too high or too low may signal a health issue.
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A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body, such as anemia, an infection or a thyroid problem, according to Cleveland Clinic.
A high resting heart rate, even if it’s slight, is usually a sign that something else may be going on in the body. (iStock)
If your heart rate is regularly above 100 beats per minute, this is a sign to talk with your heart care provider.
The same advice applies if you are not a trained athlete and your resting heart rate is frequently below 60 beats per minute.
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Talk to your doctor if other symptoms such as fainting, dizziness or shortness of breath occur.
How to measure your heart rate
You can check your own heart rate by tracking your pulse on your wrist or neck. The best time of day to measure resting heart rate is first thing in the morning, says Mayo Clinic.
Place your index and middle fingers inside the wrist below the thumb, to feel the radial artery; or, do so on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery.
Place your index and middle fingers on the side of the neck, to feel the carotid artery — and count how many beats per minute. (iStock)
Count the number of times your pulse beats in 15 seconds, then multiply this number by four to calculate beats per minute.
Wearable devices can also detect and track resting heart rate, although this may not always be accurate.
How to lower your heart rate
If your resting heart rate is higher than normal, there are a few ways to work toward lowering it.
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Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate and increase the heart’s aerobic capacity and max heart rate, according to Harvard.
For those who don’t exercise regularly, it’s important to work your way up in difficulty when following a new workout routine.
Vigorous exercise is “the best way” to lower your resting heart rate, Harvard Health says. But it’s vital to work your way up carefully. (iStock)
Some medications, such as beta blockers, can also lower heart rate. In the same way, managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can also help.
Cleveland Clinic also recommends cutting back on harmful substances such as drugs and alcohol, which can dehydrate you and raise your heart rate.
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Adequate sleep can also help bring your heart rate down, in addition to maintaining a healthy weight.
Cardiologist Tamanna Singh, M.D., shared with Cleveland Clinic that lowering your heart rate takes time as various lifestyle changes kick in.
Managing stress through holistic methods such as meditation or yoga can help lower your resting heart rate,
“Just like building your biceps and triceps, it takes time for your heart to become stronger,” the doctor said.
Singh recommended focusing on heart rate patterns rather than dialing in on just the number.
Take note of how your heart rate changes after eating certain foods, when you’re dehydrated or after you’ve begun a new exercise or stress management routine.
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“If you notice that your heart rate is consistently over 100, mention it to your doctor, especially if you’ve tried making lifestyle changes and they don’t seem to be working,” she said.
“Your resting heart rate isn’t the be-all, end-all of your health, but it’s definitely a marker that you should pay attention to.”
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