What does the glamorization of pilates mean for the future of the fitness industry?
Pilates has undoubtedly become one of the world’s fastest-growing fitness trends. Created by Joseph Hubertus Pilates in the 1920s, Pilates has left its origins behind and has transcended the world as one of the most sought-after fitness regimes. The world-renowned exercise focuses on flexibility and mobility, targeting core muscles and improving overall strength. Pilates can be done on a mat in the comfort of your own home or on a reformer, which is usually accessible in a Pilates studio.
Joseph Pilates was imprisoned during World War I. While incarcerated, he created Pilates to improve the physical strength of the prisoners. He did so by collaborating with other inmates and medical professionals to enhance inmates’ strength. The exercise later became a staple for police officers and soldiers; now, over 100 years later, it finds itself in the hands of millennials and young Gen Z.
Pilates’ emasculated roots have evolved into a modern, feminine era; most people on TikTok would call this the soft girl era. Although Pilates’ mainstream rise is not new, through the cultural world of social media algorithms and trends, Pilates has solidified itself as a lifestyle for the masses. It has redefined the meaning of fitness, which was largely portrayed as strength training and cardio, to a more coordinated, aesthetically pleasing way of life.
On social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, celebrities showcase their expensive Pilates equipment, often paired with the most experienced trainers. Pilates has also made it possible to connect influencers and regular civilians with the heights of luxury. Influencers pose for their daily Instagram story in their Pilates studio with a small Matcha in hand. A small status symbol of not only wealth, and a small price to pay to be connected with the elite.
As Pilates has become a modern luxury, a significant gap has emerged in who can afford to participate in and engage with the exercise. Recently, PilatesBodyRaven, a fitness influencer, Pilates coach, and content creator, came under scrutiny for her comments about the accessibility of Pilates. In the now-deleted video, Raven explained why pilates is expensive and not diverse. Raven compared pilates to designer brands such as Bottega.
“There is no diversity and accessibility for luxury brands,” she said in the video. She pushed the notion that pilates is a luxury for those who can afford to congregate in those spaces.
Throughout the video, she explained that pilates instructors spend time and money to get certified, insinuating that fitness now comes with a luxurious price tag. Creating space for alienation has become a growing trend on TikTok since the app’s monetization rise. Pilates has become a part of this alienation, a space where the wealthy can populate.
Similarly, trends such as Matcha, Labubus and Dubai chocolate are shaping the form of this luxury universe. Characterized by geography, money, and accessibility, as well as the reformation of history into an aesthetically pleasing narrative.
The dangers of Pilates becoming inaccessible have been fears that women of colour have faced since its popularization. From black women being discriminated against in Pilates studios to the lack of diverse Pilates instructors, many racialized women are no longer seeing Pilates as a safe space. Upholding hierarchies linked to fitness and wellness perpetuates the notion that Pilates is only for a certain social class, where others must conform to be accepted.
Fitness shouldn’t come with an expensive price tag or an overpriced Matcha just to be considered cool. Fitness should be regarded as the improvement of one’s mind through movement that leads to a happy, healthy life.