I’ve heard people ask me, “But, what IS Pilates?” SO many times in the last 2 decades. It’s such a short, seemingly easy to answer question, but it’s actually really hard to briefly answer!
That's because Pilates is not just ONE thing. It’s ALL the things, wrapped up in a lot of focus, challenge, and intention. It's a lot of work, that makes you feel AMAZING.
It’s not relaxing, but you need to be intentional, feel your way in your own body and focus on where the movement’s coming from.
It’s not Yoga.
Joseph Pilates was inspired by Yoga (and martial arts, and trapeze, and many other movement forms), but Pilates doesn’t have the same spirituality you associate with Yoga. There’s the connection to self, because you are focusing on your body, your connection, and your positioning, but it’s about your connection to YOU, not the Universe.
It’s not strength training.
It WILL make you stronger! Using your own body weight, resisting against gravity, and moving through positions that challenge your muscles will do that, but you don’t have to add weights to do it (although sometimes we do, just for fun!). It improves your strength, but that’s not its focus.
It’s not cardio.
But you’ll get sweaty and warm! More intermediate classes get your heart rate up higher than beginner ones do, but it’s still not cardio focused.
Don’t be fooled - just because it’s not considered cardio won’t mean you’re not wondering why your smart watch doesn’t realize how much effort you’re making!
Pilates is like one-stop shopping.
You move for efficiency and connection, focus on holding strong while releasing tension in muscles that don’t need to participate, and utilize all the small muscles you’ve ignored the rest of your life in order to support the fluidity of your movements.
It challenges your strength, balance, and stability. It makes you shake. You wonder how your body will ever do all that it’s supposed to do at once.
It balances all of the best parts of all the things it’s not – relaxation, Yoga, strength training, cardio – so your exercise for half an hour, or hour, or heck, 15 minutes even, is efficient, intelligent, and makes you feel so damn good!
But feeling is believing. Pilates is supportive and creative. It flows and encourages the body to be graceful. Instead of ‘woo-woo’, it’s ‘Woo-Hoo!’, and the BEST thing about Pilates?
There’s no prerequisite, and there’s no age limit!
Whether you’re tight AF, have lingering injuries or discomfort, whether you're overweight or underweight, whether you’re 15, 40, or 75, Pilates is accessible.
It'll meet you where you’re at.
Pilates is endlessly customizable and can work for you whether you have injuries, body challenges, any kind of coordination, or a lack of body awareness.
All the good stuff comes to you, if you stick with it for more than a session or two.
That’s why it’s called a PRACTICE.
You and I are never going to be perfect at Pilates. It’s about progress. It’s finding your balance when you step off the sidewalk funny. It’s about being able to lift up your kids or grandkids and carry your own groceries in from the car. It’s about being able to get up from the floor without holding onto anything.
It’s keeping your body fluid and functional, forever.
Don’t take *my* word for it though. Tell me, what do YOU think Pilates is??
I’d love to hear you describe it in the comments below! Xo, Kimberly
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