If you’ve scrolled through Instagram lately, chances are you’ve seen someone doing Pilates in a matching set, legs extended on a sleek reformer machine, with sunlight pouring through the windows and maybe a matcha latte sitting nearby. Everything about it is calm, minimal, and just looks good. It was only until a couple years ago, I started to become actively involved in the wellness scene. When I was growing up in the figure skating world, I had a set routine – wake up early, drink lots of water, stretch consistently, eat well, and most importantly engage with your core. By the time I was 13, I finally felt connected to my body more and was able to understand how to take care of it. I began doing my own forms of exercises that made me both look and feel good – that is when I started going to pilates. Pilates is a type of physical activity that has individuals improve their core strength, flexibility, and posture. As someone who gets overwhelmed easily, doing this form of exercise helped me stretch out my tense muscles, and connect with my body on a deeper level, plus I was wearing a cute outfit (the best part).
However, as a lover of origin stories, I was curious to how this Instagram-worthy form of exercise came to be. Beneath all of the perfectly positioned videos and images you see on social media, there is a beautiful beginning that is often overlooked.Â
The idea of Pilates was created during World War I by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates. He created the movement during the war as a way to rehabilitate fallen soldiers, for them to strengthen their damaged muscles. Prior to the war, he was working in a hospital and became inspired to use the spring based bed to create exercises that any injured, sick, or disabled patient could do comfortably to regain strength and mobility from the bed. These physical practices were known as “Contrology,” improving the overall physical conditions of the soldiers, today this invention is now known as a reformer machine.Â
Mr. Pilates was moved by the practices of zen, yoga, tai chi, and the stretching movements of cats to create each of his poses. Some of the most popular poses include, the roll up (begin on your back and engage with your core and slowly bring your arms parallel to your head, coming up slowly stretching your spine), single leg stretch (lie down with one leg straight and the other knee close to you and hold), and the plank (place your body onto the floor in a straight line, flexing your feet, and keeping your back and core aligned with each other, holding for 30 seconds or whatever your body can handle). Joseph Pilates had one clear mission with his pilates idea: this was a movement system that was inclusive and accessible to all. No matter your body type, background, or ability level, Pilates was designed to be something anyone could benefit from.
As time went on, Pilates made its way from Germany to the U.S. in the early 1920’s and gained popularity among dancers and other performers. In 1928, Joseph and his wife Clara opened their first studio in New York City. The location brought in dancers and artists from the nearby New York City ballet who were looking for a way to build strength, improve flexibility, and recover from injuries without strain. Its low-impact, full-body strength training quickly gained traction for dancers, and around the same time, yoga, an ancient practice rooted in physical and spiritual connection, was growing in the West as well. The two practices, both mindful and personal, began to coexist in shared studios and routines ofr performers. Fast forward to today, you’ll find pilates and yoga in nearly every influencer’s morning routine, complete with calming playlists, aesthetically pleasing photos, and a drink to the mix. The workouts are sleek and quiet, perfect for the Instagram grid, but their impact goes far beyond telling followers you have the photographic evidence to participate in the exercise. Pilates to me is about connecting with your body on a personal level, gaining strength and healing what your inner self told you was not possible. From wounded soldiers recovering in hospital beds to everyday people looking for a moment of mindfulness, pilates is the perfect form of self love.Â
So next time you’re on a mat or a reformer, moving through poses or pulsing in that hundred, remember where it all started. Behind the sleek studios and influencer routines is a practice built on strength, healing, and intention. The matching sets are cute, but the real glow-up comes from how Pilates and yoga make you feel: centered, powerful, and connected.