Have you found yourself wondering what professional male athletes do Pilates?

Maybe you previously thought Pilates was only done by women and want to know more about men that do Pilates?

Or are you curious and want to know more? No matter what the reason is that brought you here today, we have the answer for you!

For years, Pilates has been thought of as a female-only sport.

Performed in large classes, with a focus on stretching and low-impact movements, we often think Pilates is only done by old women or flexible women that flit between yoga and Pilates.

Well, if you think that, you couldn’t be more wrong! Sure, Pilates is done by a lot of women, but this is because they know the benefit of the workout!

Pilates not only allows you to stretch and work your muscles, but it can help improve your flexibility, posture, and mobility.

And more men than ever are doing Pilates, including professional male athletes! But which athletes are doing Pilates? And how is it helping them?

The internet is filled with many conflicting and contradicting answers to these questions, leaving you feeling frustrated and unsure who to believe.

Well, no more! Today we are here with the answers you need! Keep reading to see a list of 25 professional male athletes you didn’t know do Pilates and see how it benefits them!

List Of 25 Professional Male Athletes You Didn’t Know Do Pilates

For those of you in a rush, let’s get straight into our list of 25 professional male athletes you didn’t know do Pilates!

• Aaron Judge
• Andy Murray
• Antonio Brown
• Auston Matthews
• Ben Simmons
• Blake Griffin
• Brandin Cooks
• Chris Sale
• Christian Covington
• Christiano Ronaldo
• Eric Ebron
• Jake Arrieta
• James Harden
• Jameis Winston
• Jarvis Landry
• JJ Redick
• Jos Buttler
• Kendrick Louis
• Kolten Wong
• Lebron James
• Mark Canha
• Noah Syndergaard
• Philip Danault
• Tiger Woods
• Tyler Seguin

There you have it, 25 professional male athletes that do Pilates! How many of those names on the list shocked you?

If you have some more time today, be sure to keep on reading to learn more about these athletes and their relationship with Pilates!

1. Aaron Judge

First, we have Aaron Judge! The professional baseball player uses Pilates to improve his general flexibility and strengthen his core.

Judge believes a strong core is the key to being explosive on the field and preventing any serious injuries.

Sport

• Baseball – Right Fielder (MLB)

Achievements

• 2 x All-Star
• 1 x Silver Slugger Award
• 1 x AL Rookie of the Year

2. Andy Murray

Throughout his career, Scottish tennis player Andy Murray has had several injuries to contend with. Following his back surgery in 2013, he took up Pilates as a low-impact workout.

It has helped to keep his body, especially his back and core, strong and ready for any upcoming tennis matches!

Sport

• Tennis (ATP)

Achievements

• 3 x Grand Slam Champion (2 x US Open, 1 x Wimbledon)
• 2 x Olympic Games Gold Medalist (Men’s Singles)

3. Antonio Brown

Antonio Brown is a football wide receiver playing in the NFL. Instead of lifting weights during his off-season training, he has taken up Pilates!

Pilates has helped Brown improve his core strength and balance, which will help him become a better player overall!

Sport

• American Football – Wide Receiver (NFL)

Achievements

• 7 x Pro Bowl
• 4 x First Team
• 2 x NFL receiving yards leader
• 1 x SuperBowl Champion

4. Auston Matthews

Hockey player Auston Matthews began his Pilates journey back in the summer of 2017. Since then, he has noticed improvements in his overall flexibility and posture!

Sport

• Hockey – Center (NHL)

Achievements

• 1st Overall Draft Pick (2016)

5. Ben Simmons

Next, we have Ben Simmons, a basketball point guard playing in the NBA.

He is new to Pilates, first incorporating it into his workout routine in the 2020 offseason. Pilates has helped Simmons boost his muscles, making him more explosive on the court!

Sport

• Basketball – Point Guard (NBA)

Achievements

• 3 x NBA All-Star
• 2 x NBA All-Defensive First Team
• 1 x NBA Steals Leader

6. Blake Griffin

Basketball player Blake Griffin has had several injuries throughout his career. After knee surgery in February 2020, he turned to Pilates.

He has since added it into his weekly workout routine to gently move and stretch his body without adding too much pressure to his knee joints.

Sport

• Basketball – Power Forward (NBA)

Achievements

• 6 x NBA All-Star
• 1 x NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion

7. Brandin Cooks

Wide receiver Brandin Cooks uses Pilates to improve his core and strengthen his body. As an NFL player, Cooks needs to be strong and have the endurance to play a full match.

Thankfully, Pilates has helped him achieve this!

Sport

American Football – Wide Receiver (NFL)

Achievements

• 1 x First team All-Pac-12
• 1 x Biletnikoff Award
• 1 x Consensus All-American

8. Chris Sale

Baseball pitcher Chris Sale uses Pilates to increase and maintain his flexibility.

On days when Sale feels rundown, he turns to Pilates for a light workout that will keep him fit without overdoing it or damaging his body.

Sport

• Baseball – Pitcher (MLB)

Achievements

• 7 x All-Star
• 1 x World Series Champion

9. Christian Covington

NFL Defensive Tackle Christian Covington, incorporated Pilates into his workout routine to help with mobility and flexibility.

Doing so has transformed his workout routine, and he attributes his improved hip flexibility and mobility entirely to Pilates!

Sport

• American Football – Defensive Tackle (NFL)

Achievements

• 39 Career High Tackles in 2020

10. Christiano Ronaldo

Christiano Ronaldo is a world-famous soccer player, known for his success at Manchester United and Juventus.

To help keep him fit and able to play for a full 90 minutes, he uses Pilates as part of his weekly workout routine.

Sport

• Football/Soccer – Forward for Manchester United

Achievements

• 5 UEFA Champions Leagues
• 1 UEFA Nations League Title
• 1 UEFA European Championship

11. Eric Ebron

NFL player Eric Ebron introduced Pilates to his workout routine in 2017 following a series of injuries in his career.

Pilates has allowed him to strengthen his body during the offseason period without the risk of further injury!

Sport

• American Football – Tight End (NFL)

Achievements

• 1 Pro Bowl

12. Jake Arrieta

Baseball Pitcher Jake Arrieta has done Pilates since 2014, and now practices almost every day!

Each session ranges from one and a half to two hours long, offering Arrieta a low-impact workout that doesn’t put too much pressure on his joints!

Sport

• Baseball – Pitcher (MLB)

Achievements

• 1 x World Series Champion
• 1 x All-Star

13. James Harden

James Harden is a shooting guard in the NBA who has added Pilates into his training regiment since 2017.

The addition of Pilates came to help him deal with the fatigue he suffered in the 2017 playoffs, and has helped to combat fatigue and improve his endurance levels.

Sport

• Basketball – Shooting Guard (NBA)

Achievements

• 9 x NBA All-Star
• 3 x NBA Scoring Champion
• NBA Regular Season MVP

14. Jameis Winston

NFL quarterback Jameis Winston has used Pilates exercises to help improve his shoulder stability.

He has also incorporated core workouts from Pilates to improve his overall fitness and core strength.

Sport

• American Football – Quarterback (NFL)

Achievements

• 1 x NFL Passing Yards Leader
• 1 x Pro Bowl

15. Jarvis Landry

Wide receiver Jarvis Landry took up Pilates back in 2015. Since then, he has seen significant improvements not just with his explosiveness on the field, but his speed too!

It’s surprising the impact a low-impact workout such as Pilates can have on your body!

Sport

• American Football – Wide Receiver (NFL)

Achievements

• 6 x Pro Bowl
• 1 x NFL Receptions Leader

16. JJ Redick

Basketball player JJ Redick suffered with back injuries early in his career. To keep himself warm during games he uses Pilates exercises!

In particular, he is known to use the hundred and rolling like a ball to keep himself warm and nimble!

Sport

• Basketball – Shooting Guard (NBA)

Achievements

• 13 Playoff Appearances

17. Jos Buttler

Cricketer Jos Buttler started Pilates before the IPL tournament in 2020. He has shared videos online of him and his wife completing Pilates sessions too!

Sport

• Cricketer – Batsman, and Wicket-Keeper

Achievements

• Considered England’s best white-ball batsman of all time

18. Kendrick Louis

Ironman Kendrick Louis saw other professional athletes like Ronaldo and James using Pilates and took inspiration from them!

He now throws at least three Pilates classes into his workout schedule every week!

Sport

• Ironman

Achievements

• 1st Place Iron Series (2019/2020)

19. Kolten Wong

Kolten Wong has been a huge advocate for Pilates!

He relies hugely on agility, making Pilates super beneficial for him! He has used the workout to help stretch out all small muscle groups, improving hip flexibility before upcoming baseball games.

Sport

• Baseball – Second Baseman (MLB)

Achievements

• 3 x Fielding Bible Award
• 2 x Gold Glove Award

20. Lebron James

Lebron James is a world-famous Basketball player known for his unbelievable durability on the court! James works out five to seven days a week during the NBA season to keep him in peak physical condition!

He uses Pilates as part of this routine to stretch his body and help keep him toned and defined!

Sport

• Basketball – Small Forward (NBA)

Achievements

• 4 x Regular Season MVP
• 4 x NBA Champion
• 4 x NBA Finals MVP
• 2 x Olympic Champion

21. Mark Canha

Baseball player Mark Canha started Pilates after his wife went to a few classes and raved about it. He has since fallen in love with the exercise and uses it as part of his workouts!

Canha found that Pilates offered fantastic variety from his usual workout, providing him with enjoyment as well as exercise!

Sport

• Baseball – Outfielder/First Baseman (MLB)

Achievements

• 264 runs batted in
• 83 Home Runs

22. Noah Syndergaard

Baseball pitcher Noah Syndergaard has been using Pilates to work small muscle groups.

He mainly uses it for the small muscle groups in his core and hips, vital parts of his body he needs to do his job!

Sport

• Baseball – Pitcher (MLB)

Achievements

• 1 x All Star

23. Philip Danault

Hockey player Philip Danault first tried Pilates in 2018. He knew how important a strong core is to his career, and now attends Pilates classes three to four times a week.

These have helped to strengthen his body, and also improved his mental health!

Sport

• Hockey – Center (NHL)

Achievements

• Scored career-high 53 points in 2018/19 season

24. Tiger Woods

Golfer Tiger Woods has been using Pilates as a way to reduce pain and injuries, along with improving his game.

The lower impact workout doesn’t put too much pressure on his arm muscles, which he needs to swing his golf club on the green!

Sport

• Golf

Achievements

• 5 x Masters Tournament Champion
• 4 x PGA Championship Winner
• 3 x US Open Champion

25. Tyler Seguin

Finally, we have Tyler Seguin. The Hockey center uses Pilates as part of his offseason summer workouts. These help him to improve not only his range of motion but flexibility too.

Sport

• Hockey – Center (NHL)

Achievements

• 2015 World Champion

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you leave us today, check out our short FAQ section to get the answers to your last-minute questions!

Is Pilates Good For Men Over 50?

Yes, Pilates is great for men over 50! It can help older men deal with injuries, and increase mobility, and flexibility! It is also a good way for them to improve their core strength.

If you have never tried Pilates before or have an injury, we recommend heading to a Pilates class.

Make the instructor aware of your injury or any limitations and they can help provide alternative moves or positions and hands-on assistance that ensures you are working out correctly without making your injury worse!

How Do Men Start Pilates?

You can start Pilates by either following some tutorials online, or you can attend a class. Classes can be taught one on one, in small, or large groups.

They do tend to be female-dominated, but don’t let that put you off! They are there to work out just as you are!

You can always do some research to find some male-only Pilates classes in your local area.

Or you can check out videos online. You can use online videos and tutorials to learn some moves that you can incorporate into your current workout routine.

Can You Gain Muscle With Pilates?

Yes, you can gain muscle with Pilates! This muscle that you gain is different from the ‘bulk’ associated with lifting weights or other strength training. Instead, you will develop and increase your deep core muscles.

This helps keep your muscles looking tight and toned, without becoming bulky.

It is a good workout for anyone looking to subtly gain muscle or to use alongside their strength workouts to maintain the tone of their muscles.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it, 25 professional male athletes that use Pilates as part of their regular or off-season workout. The variety of sports shows just how diverse Pilates is!

It can be incorporated into anyone’s workout routine to improve balance, posture, flexibility, and range of motion!

You can use the low-impact exercise to tone your body, and we bet you will be surprised by the results!

Why not try some Pilates workouts online or head along to your local class? We bet you won’t be disappointed!