Misconceptions About Pilates (How Silly of Me to Think…)

Pilates can be very difficult to explain and it has many renditions – from clinical to the original classical work, to variations of fitness that actually don’t incorporate any Pilates exercises at all. Based on images and videos you find online, one might get the idea that Pilates is for a certain demographic. Joseph Pilates himself wasn’t the best at explaining the “why” behind his method, so it’s no wonder there are so many misconceptions about Pilates out there. Here are just some of them: 

How silly of me to think that I needed to be flexible to do Pilates.

• Pilates will help you to become more flexible.  
• Each exercise helps with flexibility and mobility, among many other things.
• Yes, you can stretch and work on flexibility before starting Pilates, but will you? Why not use Pilates as a way to improve your flexibility?

How silly of me to think that once I learned all of the exercises there was nothing more to learn.

• There are 500 exercises in the classical Pilates system.
• Each exercise can be broken down into smaller pieces to help you learn it, and then built up to the full version of the exercise.
• Once you know the choreography of the exercise, you can keep on making tweaks. You can work on improved control, range of motion, finding more reach, your breath, and finding flow. 
• As your strength, flexibility, and mobility improve, you’ll be able to achieve more within each exercise. 

How silly of me to think that if it’s called Pilates that it is Pilates.

• I’ve attended Pilates classes where we did only one or two actual Pilates exercises. I’ll never know if they were interpreting their own version of Pilates or if they hadn’t trained in Pilates at all.
• Reformer Pilates is super trendy thanks to social media. Many of these videos are of exercises that are “fitnessy”, but not Pilates.
• Wall Pilates was a huge trend for a bit, too. Pilates does have some wall exercises, but what I was seeing online was not Pilates.
• Look for a teacher with mat or full comprehensive training. If you don’t do the hundred in the first few minutes of a class, there’s a good chance that you aren’t going to be doing much Pilates. 
• I could go on… don’t get me started!

How silly of me to think that Pilates is only for women.

• The Pilates system was created by a man for men.
• It was when Joseph Pilates moved to New York and opened his first Pilates studio that he started to teach women. This is mostly because there was a ballet school in his building, and the dancers started to learn that he could help them with their injuries and get them back dancing.
• Joe was a boxer and wrestler, and used Pilates to help himself.
• Many professional athletes (male and female) use Pilates as part of their training regimen.
• Some of my most dedicated clients are men!

How silly of me to think that Pilates is only for rehabilitation.

• Pilates is a form of corrective exercise. We all have imbalances in strength, mobility, and flexibility, which can lead to injuries, aches, and pains. Pilates helps to even things out. 
• Pilates can be for rehabilitation. We get plenty of clients after being cleared for exercise post injury, surgery, or illness because Pilates can be a great starting point.  Most people stick with it for years after.
• Some Pilates studios will niche down and work mainly with rehab clients. It depends on where you go.

How silly of me to think that Pilates is all about moving slowly.

• Pilates is not a sprint but it’s also not a stroll.  
• When you first start learning a Pilates exercise you will likely start by moving slowly to get the movement pattern; but as you get better, you’ll start to move at a quicker pace.
• Control is key. Remember, Joe originally called his method Contrology.  
• My mentor always said to move on the edge of control. You may get a bit out of control as you pick up your pace, but your body will quickly figure out how to get it back.

How silly of me to think that the Pilates mat work was easy.

• I first started doing Pilates at a gym, so all we did was the mat work. I liked it but I only thought that some of the exercises were hard.
• When I started doing Pilates in a studio, I absolutely loved the springs on the apparatus and felt it was harder than the mat. That is, until I did the mat work again and wow, it was hard. My newfound awareness of how to move and resist by using the springs taught me how to move better in a mat class.
• Many people dread exercises like push ups, burpees, squats, and lunges – all which can be difficult body weight exercises. Pilates is a body weight exercise, too. The apparatus with the springs was designed to help support you so you can build strength for the mat work. 

How silly of me to think that Pilates is mostly about strengthening the core.

• It’s core but it’s so much more! Pilates strengthens your full body.
• Pilates is about finding symmetry, control, flow, awareness, breathing, flexibility, mobility, and precision.

How silly of me to think that the foundations of Pilates weren’t important.

• These exercises seem simple but they are incredibly important as they’re the base of all of the other exercises.
• If there’s an exercise that you are struggling with, going back to the foundations to break it down and build it back up will help you get there.
• Sometimes you have to stick with the foundations longer than you think and you need to go back to them regularly.

How silly of me to think that Pilates is just a trend.

• As I mentioned, Pilates is super trendy right now. I do think that many of the made-up, fitnessy-looking, non-Pilates “Pilates” studios will fade if that’s all they teach. 
• On the other hand, I can list tons of local and worldwide studios that have been in business for a decade or more. These are classical and contemporary studios that are staying true to the mission and method of Pilates, which is to help people physically move through life with more ease and awareness. 
• Joseph Pilates opened his first studio in 1926, and here we are nearly 100 years later still practicing his method. That’s pretty impressive!

Even with a century of history and practice, Pilates continues to be misunderstood by many. Maybe it’s because it takes a long time to fully understand what Pilates does for you. Maybe we can blame a bit on social media. Or maybe it’s simply because many people give up before they’ve even started. Whatever the reason, I’m happy Pilates is making its way to people around the world, and I’m proud to be part of it all.