Real Guys Do Pilates

It's one thing to be a guy trying, awkwardly, to learn Pilates. It's another to be that same guy at a spa, smirked at by females to whom Pilates, yoga, tai chi, seaweed wraps, Roman showers and all other such black arts come as naturally as eating a Niçoise salad.

To provide men relief from such self-consciousness, a number of spas now offer programs tailored specifically to men. Some even offer guys-only weeks. Yes, certainly, you can get a facial. You can, if you want, be loofahed to within an inch of your life. But at some of the guy-friendly spas described below, you also can go rock climbing or kayaking. You can put on the gloves and duke it out with an ex-military instructor. There may be evening lectures by football coaches, star athletes or management and leadership gurus. Read enough guy-spa brochures and you begin to think that even Tommy Franks or Ernest Borgnine could be in the cot next to yours, getting their first pedicure.

Amy McDonald, director of spa programs at Miraval in Arizona, says her spa recently played host to an all-male group from the Young Presidents Organization. They experienced "Quantum Leap"--climbing to the top of a 25-foot pole and jumping off.

"The virgin male spa-goer," says McDonald, "does not want to do anything in a room with women." Spa authority Linda Troeller, whose forthcoming book, Spa Journeys, depicts 25 of the world's premier spas, says men are beginning to master their spa shyness. Until recently, they accounted for only a small percentage of spa traffic. Now, thanks in part to programs like the ones described below, they account for more like 30%.

Rates vary by season and type of room, so check with each spa's Web site for prices and conditions.

How to find a Pilates instructor

The proliferation of Pilates classes makes it a buyer-beware market.

As with hiring a personal trainer or entering a group fitness class, the student wants to know that the instructor is properly trained.

Certification programs can range from requiring an instructor to attend a weekend workshop to doing some 600 hours of apprenticeship training.

Quiz instructors about their training. Note if they are also trained in other fields that enhance their understanding of the function of the body. Such related fields might include physical therapy and massage therapy. Other areas of training aren't necessary but can be helpful.

Here are three sources of information to review before you go in search of Pilates instruction:

- American Council of Exercise Fit Facts, Pilates Primer. Go to www.acefitness.org. Click on "Find ACE Fit Facts." Then scroll down to "Strength-Resistance Training" and look for "Pilates Primer."

- Go to www.ideafit.com/PR2003August4.htm to read "Ten Questions to Ask Your Pilates Instructor," suggested by IDEA, an organization for fitness professionals.

- Check out www.pilatesmethodalliance.org to see what the nonprofit Pilates Method Alliance has to say about what kinds of qualifications you should look for in a Pilates instructor. Click on "Looking for a Qualified Instructor?"

JetBlue offers "Flying Pilates"

Low-cost carrier JetBlue Airways on Wednesday launched a fitness program called "Flying Pilates," in partnership with Crunch Fitness International, a fitness and recreation sports brand.

Pilates is a series of non-impact exercises, based on coordinating mind, body and breath to strengthen mainly the abdominal and back muscles. It is also designed to increase flexibility and balance.

The airline now offers a "Flying Pilates" card in the seatback pocket on all flights, offering passengers Pilates core-strengthening moves to help make the flight more relaxing.

The cards, made exclusively for JetBlue, illustrate four moves, all of which can be done without leaving your seat.

"The Single Leg Stretch' is my personal favorite," said Amy Curtis-McIntyre, vice president of sales and marketing for JetBlue.

The carrier, known for its leather seats and live television, recently added two extra inches of legroom to more than 65 percent of the seats on all its planes.

So sit up and relax. Enjoy the flight.