25 Professional Male Athletes Who Do Pilates in 2022

 

Posted By: Pamela Toy

 

I think many of you will agree with me when I say that most people view Pilates as an activity for either women or older people. However, Pilates has been integrated into the workout routines of many MALE professional athletes.

It’s no secret that Pilates helps to improve core strength, stability, balance, and flexibility. While you might not develop HUGE muscles as you would with heavy weight lifting routines, many professional athletes understand the importance of improving their range of motion and strengthening smaller muscle groups to prevent injury.

I decided to put together a list of 25 ACTIVE athletes that incorporate Pilates into their workout routines in 2022.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but I included athletes from major sports organizations like: the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, Ironman, PGA and athletes from Futbol/soccer.

 
Let’s go ahead and jump in.
 

Here are 25 Male Athletes Who Do Pilates in 2022:

 
 

1. Lebron James

 

Lebron James, who is known for his durability on the court, works out 5-7 days a week during the NBA season. He incorporates Pilates into his weekly workout routine (1).

 

Sport:

  • Basketball (Small Forward in the NBA)

Achievements:

  • 4x NBA Champion, 4x NBA Finals MVP, 2x Olympic Champion, 4x Regular Season MVP (2).

 

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

 

Cristiano Ronaldo, who is known for his athletic abilities on the court attributes much of his superhuman fitness to Pilates (3).
 

Sport:

  • Futbol/Soccer (Forward for Juventus)

Achievements:

  • 7 league titles, 5 UEFA Champions Leagues, 1 UEFA European Championship, and 1 UEFA Nations League title (4).

 

3. Antonio Brown

 

Antonio Brown does not lift any weights in the offseason. Instead, he incorporates Pilates into his training, which has helped to improve his balance, core strength, and explosiveness (5).
 

Sport:

  • American Football (Wide Receiver in the NFL)

Achievements:

  • 1x SuperBowl Champion, 4x First Team, 7x Pro Bowl, 2× NFL receiving yards leader (6).

 

4. James Harden

 

James Harden added Pilates into his training regiment after dealing with fatigue in the 2017 playoffs (7).

 

Sport:

  • Basketball (Shooting Guard in the NBA)

Achievements:

  • NBA Regular Season MVP, 9x NBA All-Star, 3x NBA Scoring Champion (8).

 

5. Andy Murray

 

Andy Murray has dealt with multiple injuries throughout his career. He had back surgery in 2013 and has since used Pilates as a low-impact workout to keep his back, core, and entire body strong (9).

 

Sport:

  • Tennis (ATP)

Achievements:

  • 3x Grand Slam Champion (2x Wimbledon, 1x US Open), 2x Olympic Games Gold Medalist (Singles) (10).

 

6. Jake Arrieta

 

Jake Arrieta started Pilates in 2014 and now practices 6-7 days a week with each session being 1 and a half to 2 hours long. As a pitcher, he enjoys Pilates because the impact on his joints is minimal compared to other workouts (11).

 

Sport:

  • Baseball (Pitcher in the MLB)

Achievements:

  • 1x All-Star, 1x World Series Champion (12).

 

7. Tiger Woods

 

Tiger Woods uses Pilates to improve his game and reduce pain and injury (13).

 

Sport:

  • Golf (PGA)

Achievements:

  • 4x PGA Championship Winner, 5x Masters Tournament Champion, 3x US Open Champion (14).

 

8. Mark Canha

 

Mark Canha tried Pilates shortly after his wife attended a few classes. He ended up loving it and has since incorporated it into his workouts. Pilates provides a great change-up from his normal workout routine (15).

 

Sport:

  • Baseball (First Baseman/Outfielder in the MLB)

Achievements:

  • 83 Home Runs, 264 runs batted in (16).

 

9. Tyler Seguin

 

Tyler Seguin incorporated Pilates into his offseason summer workouts to increase his flexibility and range of motion (17).

 

Sport:

  • Hockey (Centre in the NHL)

Achievements:

  • 2015 World Champion (18).

 

10. Ben Simmons

 

Ben Simmons added Pilates to his workout routine in the offseason of 2020. It has helped him to add muscle, which has made him more explosive on-court (19).

 

Sport:

  • Basketball (Point Guard in the NBA)

Achievements:

  • 3x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 1x NBA Steals Leader (20).

 

11. JJ Redick

 

JJ Redick has dealt with back injuries earlier in his career. In order to stay warm during games, he utilizes certain Pilates exercises like rolling like a ball and the hundred (21).
 

Sport:

  • Basketball (Shooting Guard in the NBA)

Achievements:

  • 13x Playoff Appearances (22).

 

12. Aaron Judge

 

Aaron Judge uses Pilates to help strengthen his core and improve his overall flexibility. He believes that having a strong core is key to being explosive and preventing serious injury (23).
 

Sport:

  • Baseball (Right Fielder in the MLB)

Achievements:

  • 2x All-Star, 1x AL Rookie of the Year, 1x Silver Slugger Award (24).

 

13. Chris Sale

 

Chris Sale enjoys Pilates workouts because it helps to maintain and increase his flexibility. On days where he feels run down, he is able to get a light workout in without destroying his body (25).
 

Sport:

  • Baseball (Pitcher in the MLB)

Achievements:

  • 7x All-Star, 1x World Series Champion (26).

 

14. Christian Covington

 

Christian Covington changed up his workout routine by incorporating Pilates into it. He credits Pilates for improved hip mobility and flexibility (27).
 

Sport:

  • Football (Defensive Tackle in the NFL)

Achievements:

  • Career High 39 Tackles in 2020 (28).

 

15. Eric Ebron

 

Eric Ebron has battled numerous injuries throughout his career. However, he added Pilates into his workout routine in the 2017 offseason to strengthen his body (29).
 

Sport:

  • Football (Tight End in the NFL)

Achievements:

  • 1x Pro Bowl (30).

 

16. Jameis Winston

 

Jameis Winston incorporated Pilates exercises like backside shoulder stability and other core workouts (31).

 

Sport:

  • Football (Quarterback in the NFL)

Achievements:

  • 1x Pro Bowl, 1x NFL Passing Yards Leader (32).

 

17. Kendrick Louis

 

Kendrick Louis added Pilates into his workout after hearing other top athletes utilizing it like Lebron James and Cristiano Ronaldo. He mixes in at least three Pilates classes into his schedule every week (33).
 

Sport:

  • Ironman

Achievements:

  • 1st Place in 2019/2020 Iron Series (34).

 

18. Phillip Danault

 

Phillip Danault started Pilates in the summer of 2018. He recognized the importance of having a very strong core and now attends three to four Pilates classes a week. Not only has it helped strengthen his body, but Danault also enjoys the mental/cerebral benefits from training (35).
 

Sport:

  • Hockey (Centre in the NHL)

Achievements:

  • Scored a Career-High 53 points in the 2018-2019 Season (36).

 

19. Auston Matthews

 

Auston Matthews started his Pilates journey in the summer of 2017. He has noticed improvements in his posture and overall flexibility as a result (37).
 

Sport:

  • Hockey (Centre in the NHL)

Achievements:

  • 1st Overall Draft Pick in 2016 (38).

 

20. Jos Buttler

 

Jos Buttler has posted videos doing Pilates sessions with his wife ahead of the IPL tournament in 2020 (39).
 

Sport:

  • Cricketer (Batsman, wicket-keeper)

Achievements:

  • considered by some to be England’s best white-ball batsman of all time. (40).

 

21. Kolten Wong

 

Kolten Wong is a big advocate for Pilates. For someone who relies on agility, Pilates training has been super beneficial for him because it stretches out all the small muscle groups (41).
 

Sport:

  • Baseball (Second Baseman in the MLB)

Achievements:

  • 2x Gold Glove Award, 3x Fielding Bible Award (42).

 

22. Brandin Cooks

 

Brandin Cooks also uses Pilates to strengthen his body and core (43).
 

Sport:

  • Football (Wide Receiver in the NFL)

Achievements:

  • 1x Biletnikoff Award, 1x Consensus All-American, 1x First-team All-Pac-12 (44).

 

23. Noah Syndergaard

 

Noah Syndergaard uses Pilates to work all the small muscle groups in the hips and core (45).
 

Sport:

  • Baseball (Pitcher in the MLB)

Achievements:

  • 1x All-Star (46).

 

24. Jarvis Landry

 

Jarvis Landry started doing Pilates in 2015. He has seen noticeable improvements in his speed and explosiveness as a result (47).
 

Sport:

  • Football (Wide Receiver in the NFL)

Achievements:

  • 6x Pro Bowl, 1x NFL Receptions Leader (48).

 

25. Blake Griffin

 

Blake Griffin has dealt with his fair share of injuries over the course of his career. After recovering from knee surgery in February of 2020, he added Pilates to his weekly workout routine (49).
 

Sport:

  • Basketball (Power Forward in the NBA)

Achievements:

  • 6x NBA All-Star, 1x NBA Slam Dunk Contest Champion (50).

 

Convinced that Pilates is useful for people of all ages and genders?
As you can see, some of the best athletes in the world swear by Pilates training! Not only has it helped athletes to improve their flexibility and strength, but it has proven to be very beneficial for injury prevention as well.

We also wrote a post on why men should do Pilates if you wanted to dive a little deeper into this topic.
 

Looking for in-person training?
Come check out our studio if you are looking for Pilates training in Philadelphia!
 


 

References

1. LeBron James swears by this unusual workout class to keep in shape during the offseason. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-james-workout-classes-keep-shape-basketball-off-season-nba-2016-8.

2. LeBron James. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James.

3. The Secrets That Make Cristiano Ronaldo a Physical Phenomenon. Studio Pilates. https://www.studiopilates.com/secrets-make-cristiano-ronaldo-physical-phenomenon/.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristiano_Ronaldo.

5. Antonio Brown Built His Ridiculous Footwork With Pilates. Stack. https://www.stack.com/a/antonio-brown-footwork/.

6. Antonio Brown. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Brown.

7. Rockets’ James Harden slimmed down, fired up for upcoming season. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2017/08/19/houston-rockets-james-harden-slimmed-down-fired-up-upcoming-season/582418001/.

8. James Harden. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Harden.

9. Andy Murray Makes Pilates Core to His Comeback. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/murray-makes-pilates-core-to-his-comeback-1433258647.

10. Andy Murray. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Murray.

11. JAKE ARRIETA’S FULL-BODY PILATES WORKOUT. Muscle and Fitness. https://www.muscleandfitness.com/routine/features/active-lifestyle/jake-arrietas-full-body-pilates-workout/.

12. Jake Arrieta. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Arrieta.

13. Pilates and Golf: A perfect match. PGA Tour. https://www.pgatour.com/news/2007/05/23/pilates.html.

14. Tiger Woods. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Woods.

15. Canha feels ‘really strong,’ praises Pilates. MLB. https://www.mlb.com/news/a-s-mark-canha-discovers-benefits-of-pilates-c165688740.

16. Mark Canha. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Canha.

17. Behind the Body: Dallas Stars Center Tyler Seguin. Sports Illustrated. https://www.si.com/edge/2014/05/15/behind-body-dallas-stars-center-tyler-seguin.

18. Tyler Seguin. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Seguin.

19. 76ers’ Ben Simmons: ‘I’m feeling better than I was when I started the season’. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29400776/feeling-better-was-started-season.

20. Ben Simmons. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Simmons.

21. How JJ Redick stays loose on the bench | RSN. NBC Sports. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/76ers/how-jj-redick-stays-loose-bench.

22. JJ Redick. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JJ_Redick.

23. Yankees Star Aaron Judge Talks Training, Hitting Home Runs, and Why Core Is So Important. Men’s Journal. https://www.mensjournal.com/sports/the-aaron-judge-fitness-plan-how-the-yankees-star-trains-and-eats/.

24. Aaron Judge. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Judge.

25. Pilates could be the new secret to success for Red Sox pitchers Chris Sale, David Price. Mass Live. https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2017/02/david_price_chris_sale_other_r.html.

26. Chris Sale. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Sale.

27. Christian Covington embraces Pilates, better training to help his game. USA Today. https://texanswire.usatoday.com/2017/05/25/christian-covington-embraces-pilates-better-training-to-help-his-game/.

28. Christian Covington. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Covington.

29. Detroit Lions’ Eric Ebron adds Pilates to regimen, anticipates a big year. Detroit Free Press. https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2017/05/16/eric-ebron-detroit-lions-predictions/325509001/.

30. Eric Ebron. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Ebron.

31. Jameis Winston ‘even hungrier’ as he embraces second chance with Saints. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/blog/new-orleans-saints/post/_/id/34267/jameis-winston-even-hungrier-as-he-embraces-second-chance-with-saints.

32. Jameis Winston. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jameis_Winston.

33. How pilates has helped Manly-based Ironman Kendrick Louis go from No.5 to No.1. Daily Telegraph. https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/more-sports/how-pilates-has-helped-manlybased-ironman-kendrick-louis-go-from-no-5-to-no-1/news-story/ccfe1e260035f2ed2d21855a3852fb77.

34. Kendrick Louis. Iron Series. https://ironseries.com.au/meet-the-athletes/kendrick-louis/.

35. Danault: Trying something new. NHL. https://www.nhl.com/canadiens/news/phillip-danault—summer-training—pilates/c-299735744.

36. Phillip Danault. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Danault.

37. Maple Leafs’ Matthews unwound, tried out Pilates during low-key summer. Toronto Sun. https://torontosun.com/2017/09/01/maple-leafs-matthews-picked-up-pilates-during-quiet-off-season.

38. Auston Matthews. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auston_Matthews.

39. Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes training with mid-April IPL start in mind. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/cricket/story/_/id/28957509/jos-buttler-ben-stokes-training-mid-april-ipl-start-mind.

40. Jos Buttler. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos_Buttler.

41. Pilates the new Cardinals’ clubhouse craze. MLB. https://www.mlb.com/news/cardinals-turn-to-pilates-for-training-c166201204.

42. Kolten Wong. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolten_Wong.

43. 11 Ways Brandin Cooks Trains to Bring Blazing Speed to the NFL. Men’s Journal. https://www.mensjournal.com/sports/7-ways-brandin-cooks-trains-bring-blazing-speed-nfl/6-resistance-training/.

44. Brandin Cooks. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandin_Cooks.

45. NY Mets Pitchers Noah Syndergaard and Jacob DeGrom Reveal Their Training Secrets for MLB Domination. Men’s Journal. https://www.mensjournal.com/sports/ny-mets-pitchers-noah-syndergaard-and-jacob-degrom-reveal-their-training-secrets-mlb/.

46. Noah Syndergaard. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah_Syndergaard.

47. The Secret to Miami Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry’s Success? Pilates. Stack. https://www.stack.com/a/jarvis-landrys-intervie/.

48. Jarvis Landry. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarvis_Landry.

49. Pistons’ Blake Griffin feeling ‘world of difference’ as he comes back from knee surgery. Detroit News. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2020/08/13/detroit-pistons-blake-griffin-feeling-world-difference-after-knee-surgery/3364391001/.

50. Blake Griffin. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Griffin.