Is Pilates a Fitness Class?

On Sundays, I lead a pace group for long runs – sometimes up to two hours – at a conversation pace. We have a lot of time to chat, and I often get asked about Pilates. For some reason, this week I started thinking about the perception of it, and that many people think Pilates is a fitness class. After all, that’s what I thought when I first encountered it! So, what is Pilates? 

When I was teaching my fitness classes in a gym, I’d show up to the high-impact classes with a plan. I’d get up on stage, turn on the music, and guide members through a fun class. I moved, they followed. The first Pilates classes I attended at the gym were taught very much in the same manner. They led, we followed. But as I went on to learn more about Pilates, I discovered a lot of differences between a group Pilates fitness class and practicing it in a studio setting. 

The Studio Difference

If you have been doing fitness class Pilates in a group gym (for example), stepping into a dedicated Pilates studio may be a shock! There is strange equipment that you likely have never seen anywhere else… I mean, what the heck is a reformer? Not only did it look different, but the session felt different, too. 

I was used to group classes of up to twenty-five people, and the studio sessions were much smaller, with only four to ten attendees. And rather than one teacher calling instructions, the Pilates instructors would get closer to us, and even use touch to help us activate certain muscles or find a specific position. While neither approach is right or wrong, I found that in the smaller classes I got more attention. I saw myself getting much more from the smaller studio sessions. 

Is Pilates a Fitness Class? Or a Practice? 

Since Pilates is usually done in a group, I suppose you can consider Pilates to be a class… But as I kept attending the studio sessions, it became so much more for me; it became a practice. I stopped comparing Pilates to the many other styles of fitness classes that I loved, and now compare it to my many years of Highland and Scottish dancing. It’s an art that takes time to master. 

And, like all forms of dance, martial arts and other sports… you never really do master it! You begin with the fundamentals, and keep coming back to them over and over again. Those skills can never be practiced too much. Through honing those skills and movements, you’ll advance to more difficult movements and variations. It is a constant progression. 

The more I do Pilates and deepen my understanding, the more I enjoy it. I understand in new ways how my body moves. I can do exercises that I never thought I would do. I was strong before Pilates, but I’m a different kind of strong now. And of course, this fitness professional who never used to stretch finally has flexibility and mobility! Over the years, Pilates has become both easier and harder, and there’s always something new to discover about myself and my practice. 

Get the Most Out of Your Practice

No matter where you are in your Pilates journey, I want you to keep in mind that to progress, you must practice. In a perfect world, I’d love it if all my clients could come to the studio every day! I know that isn’t realistic, even though doing more Pilates will get you to progress further, fatster. Some is better than none, and with time you’ll get better.  

If you want to fit more Pilates into your life, the Sweat with Melissa app is perfect for between your studio sessions. You can do mat Pilates when and where it suits you, and heck – maybe even fit in a strength workout while you are at it. 

In the end, I don’t care if you call Pilates a fitness class, a practice, or your at-home workout. I just want to encourage you to keep progressing (even with baby steps), so that you can keep moving your body happily for years to come.