After Shari Berkowitz was injured during a live dance performance on stage, the actress was told by doctors that one wrong move could leave her paralyzed for life. She had suffered three herniated discs in her neck, one of which protruded into her spine. Months of physical therapy got her out of the danger zone and then she discovered Pilates.
Although excellent doctors and physical therapists helped her through the initial healing, she said Pilates gave her “strength and confidence in my ability to move, the confidence that could move again,” he said. Her training brought her to a full recovery and inspired her to become a Pilates instructor and studio owner herself. “Pilates was so transformative for me, when I see a client start to develop that same physical and emotional strength,” she said, “it’s extremely satisfying.”
Ms. Berkowitz isn’t the only Pilates devotee to speak about the transformative powers of the workout. Many studios tout a quote attributed to its founder, German boxer and strongman Joseph Pilates, who declares: “In 10 sessions you feel better, in 20 sessions you look better, in 30 sessions you have a whole new body.”
While no exercise can give us a new body, devotees say that light resistance training can help our current bodies in important ways, strengthening the core muscles around the spine. Pilates first came to attention in the late 1990s, as Famous as Madonna and Uma Thurman touted its benefits, aerobics enthusiasts sought a lower-impact option.
But a few years ago, the exercise seemed to be on the decline. The doomsayers predicted a “pilates apocalypse” as newer, sweatier fitness trends like spinning and boot camp exploded.
But thanks in part to the pandemic, many people’s exercise priorities have changed from intense workouts to burn calories to activities that also foster a mind-body connection, said Cedric Bryant, president and chief scientific officer of the American Council on Exercise.
Pilates is on the rise again. Most market researchers don’t track it separately from yoga, but the International Association for Health, Racket and Sports Clubs has ranked it as the most popular gym activity for women. It now includes a wide range of offerings, from small private studios with one-on-one instruction and national Pilates franchises to app-based virtual classes and amplified “power” Pilates.
So is it worth trying to incorporate Pilates into your exercise routine? And which flavor is right for you? If you’re intrigued by training, here’s what you need to know.
What is Pilates?
A Pilates workout is often done on a mat or in a chair and includes many strength and flexibility exercises found in other forms of resistance training. “There’s nothing mysterious about Pilates,” said Alycea Ungaro, owner of Real Pilates in New York City and author of several guides to the method.
But there are some elements that make Pilates unique. First, the method encourages participants to focus on the breath and cultivate a mind-body connection, paying close attention to how all movement originates from the core. The exercises are repeated in series that strategically work the muscles without exhausting them.
Many Pilates workouts also incorporate special equipment, including spring-based resistance machines designed to support the spine and target specific muscle groups. The most popular machine, called a reformer, looks like a small bed frame with a sliding platform connected to a system of springs, ropes, and pulleys.
While no amount of exercise can give us a “whole new body,” scientific research supports a variety of impressive health benefits. Studies suggest that Pilates can help improve muscular endurance and flexibilityreduce chronic pain and decrease anxiety and depression.
Who can benefit from Pilates?
The short answer is: everyone. In fact.
Pilates can be tailored to a spectrum of fitness goals, ages and abilities: professional dancers, athletes, pregnant women, octogenarians looking to improve their balance.
“Any body can do it,” said Carrie Samper, director of Pilates education for Equinox. “You don’t have to be 25 years old and be a Cirque du Soleil dancer. You can be 85 years old and start doing Pilates.”
While doing Pilates will be rewarding on its own, some people approach it as a complement to other physical activities. “It really taught me how to move my body,” said Chris Robinson, a San Diego-based martial artist and owner of the Pilates and Sports studio. “And I found that I could apply that education to anything.”
Doctors and physical therapists often recommend Pilates as a path to rehabilitation for people recovering from injury. “It can serve as a bridge to return to more normal activity,” said Dr. Bryant. It can also help reduce the chance of injury, he said, because of its ability to improve core stability, balanceflexibility and position. “We know that when they are inappropriate, the risk of a variety of musculoskeletal and joint injuries increases.”
Pilates can also benefit women who are pregnant or postpartum by safely strengthening the core and conditioning the pelvis. “It’s a great way to strengthen your pelvic floor without doing hundreds of Kegel exercises,” said Sarah Clampett, a physical therapist and director of clinical operations at Origin, a Los Angeles-based health company. “Anyone with pelvic floor issues or dysfunction would benefit from Pilates.”
What can not Pilates do?
Traditional Pilates is not a cardiovascular exercise. “The more advanced a person is, the more it resembles cardio,” said Ms. Berkowitz, who now trains instructors through her online studio, The Vertical Workshop. “But you’re never going to get to the point where you’re really challenging your cardiovascular system.”
It is also not equivalent to lifting heavy weights. “There are limitations to the force it generates,” Ms. Samper said. “It’s not the same as doing a trap bar deadlift or bench press. You’re not going to build that same muscle, because you never do Pilates moves to exhaustion.”
It’s also not the best exercise for catching up with a friend or watching TV. “You have to be really present and pay attention to where your body is in space and what it’s doing, and not everyone wants to do that,” Ms Samper said. Without that level of focus, you likely won’t get as much benefit and risk injury.
So how often should you do it?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises adults to spend 150 minutes on moderate-intensity aerobic activity and two days on strength training per week. Pilates would fall for the latter.
But while you’ll see the benefits of doing Pilates once or twice a week, exercise experts agree that three times a week is ideal. That’s the “sweet spot,” Ms. Samper said.
Is there such a thing as too much Pilates? Not really, if you mix up the way you practice. “If you find that it is what floats your boat, there is nothing wrong with doing it up to five times a week or more,” said Dr. Bryant.
What type of Pilates is best for you?
Not all workouts that call themselves “Pilates” are created equal.
Experienced Pilates instructors generally recommend starting with individual or small group training sessions, so you can learn the basics. “The ideal situation is to be in the studio,” Mr. Robinson said. “You have all the apparatus to help you and an instructor to guide you.”
But for a lot of people, he said, that’s just not feasible. Individual training sessions often start at $75 or more per session, while virtual classes can be a fraction of that. “There’s still a lot to be gained virtually, if that’s all you can do,” Mr. Robinson said. “You know, a little Pilates is better than no Pilates at all.”
The method with which you connect may depend on your specific goals and needs. “If you’re a healthy person and you don’t have any musculoskeletal problems, you just want to get a good workout, absolutely join a Pilates class at the gym,” said Carrie Lamb, a master instructor with the national Pilates company Balanced Body and physical therapist in Golden, Colo. But if you’re recovering from an injury or dealing with chronic pain, you may benefit from a more intimate setting.
For people looking for a workout that will help them achieve both cardio and muscle-building goals, consider checking out Newest Hybrid Pilates Offerings that rev up classic moves and promise to get your heart pumping.
Finding the right instructor is crucial.
To get the most out of Pilates, look for “a well-trained and qualified instructor” who puts clients’ safety first, Dr. Bryant said.
As Pilates has become more popular, more people with very little training are promoting themselves as Pilates instructors. “There are some people who will tell you that they teach Pilates and have gone to a weekend class,” said Dr. Lamb, while others “have received comprehensive training and have invested hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to learn. . ”
Before signing up for any form of Pilates, check the instructor’s credentials and look for someone who has completed a certification program that requires at least 400 hours of training and continuing education, Dr. Bryant said.
Ask the prospective instructor how they can help you achieve your specific goals. Find someone who listens carefully and understands you as an individual, Dr. Bryant said, “instead of being the expert who will tell you what you need.”
Danielle Friedman is a journalist in New York City and the author of “Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World.”
