I’m here to admit, Pilates is quite humbling to say the least.
I’ve been going strong for a little over a month now, and I’ve actually started to notice some more definition in my body; my mobility has improved drastically, and I can proudly say that I no longer feel winded when squatting to grab things from the lower shelf of the fridge.
It’s a method of movement that’s challenged me in ways that more conventional cardio and strength training haven’t. Don’t be fooled by the slower movements and lack of heavy weights. Although Pilates is a low-impact form of resistance exercise, it’s notoriously challenging. (If you’re not plagued by a torturous fit of shaking and trembling about three reps in, something’s off… or so I’ve heard.)
Founded by German boxer and gymnast Joseph Pilates during the early twentieth century, this form of exercise was inspired by the need for improved rehabilitation practices for injured soldiers during Word War I. A practice focused on controlled movement, core strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance, Pilates was introduced to the United States in the late 1920s, where it flourished for the next several decades.
Now, close to a century later, Pilates has made its bold return in the digital age through the hoards of fitness gurus and health influencers showcasing their skills to the masses. It’s a trend I’ve noticed in the past few years, and I can finally say that I too have been influenced. I’ve come across several viral videos of these influencers – these Pilates Princesses touting their Pilates bods – and, naturally, I tend to head straight for the comments. What I’ve noticed, however, is a little alarming. More often than not, I come across comments with undertones of self-deprecation and body dysmorphia and an obsession with the influencer’s “thinness”. They all hone down on one major theme: the perpetual desire to be “skinny.”Â
It reminds me of the culture that dominated much of the early 2000s. Before the appeal of the more well-endowed “bubble butt”, there was the era of “super skinny” – the era of Regina George in Mean Girls. Everyone wanted not only a small waist, but also small hips, a small butt, and the list goes on. Unrealistic beauty standards have existed for generations (since probably the Stone Age if we’re being honest) and will likely persist despite many efforts to eradicate this rhetoric. And yet, I personally cannot think of a single instance where chasing the ideal has ended in complete and utter satisfaction; there’s always going to be something – some epitome hopelessly out of reach.Â
Amidst the rise and fall of trends and ideas like those that have come about with Pilates, it’s important to reinforce the fact that health appears different on each individual; that’s just how the science works. Between the influence of genetics and environmental interactions, it’s quite impossible for two people to have same exact body composition, to look exactly alike. When we continue to let the appeal of aesthetics take precedence, we lose sight of why we really partake in healthier habits and lifestyles – for our intrinsic health, longevity, and sustenance.
On that note, let’s turn to Pilates not as an exercise to get skinnier or to achieve that looming and somehow always out-of-reach ideal of perfect proportions, but as how it was intended, as a form of movement to strengthen, repair, and improve multifaceted coordination. Whether you’re doing hot or power, reformer or mat, Pilates can be transformational and enlightening in more ways than one, so master your form, hone your breathing, and embrace the tremble. It’s worth it.