Before coming to UC Davis, I was a volleyball player. Currently, however, I enjoy participating in ultimate frisbee.
Strangely enough, I never truly enjoyed working out despite knowing the importance of doing so. The big question was: What about exercise is so unappealing to me?
For one, most workout classes and instructors that I explored had great expectations for participants. These people must have been fitness fanatics and be accustomed to moving quickly and knowing proper form without reminders. I, like many others, was never naturally agile or muscular. Therefore, projecting this “weakness” in front of everyone else was somewhat embarrassing and made me feel insecure about going to the gym again. The concept of progress over perfection was nonexistent: Instead of learning techniques to defeat my tiredness and sluggishness, maintaining stamina throughout exercise was not always doable.
Rather than a success, every workout seemed pointless. It did not matter whether I cycled on a Peloton bike or carried bulky, steel dumbbells to build upper body strength. It seemed as if I only wanted to work out in hopes of achieving decent health or an attractive physique. What about doing something out of passion and personal enjoyment? How could I possibly choose what was beneficial, but also worthwhile to me? The answer suddenly popped up in December 2025: Pilates.
Based on YouTube videos and Instagram reels, I for some reason believed that Pilates could miraculously transform me into a petite model with flat abs. As someone self-conscious about her body image, the idea of having a “perfect” one initially drew me to try Pilates. The plan during the holidays was to achieve this golden standard of mine and maintain it throughout the future. Due to limited break time, I decided to participate in a two-week trial period with a Reformer Pilates studio back in my hometown. Reformer Pilates is a specific Pilates style where you perform exercises on a machine with two main parts: a carriage and a set of springs. These springs hold different amounts of resistance to adjust for the preferred intensity of a workout. Even by completing only three to four workouts per week within this brief timeframe, I still practiced many unique exercises and variations, including glute bridges, leg raises, the 100s abs series, and more. Although I noticed myself to be in better shape after these two weeks, I realized that there was more to it than just a superficial change.
For once, fitness finally resonated with me through having a clearer mentality. Pilates provided me with much more, beyond physical metrics and achievements. Therefore, there are other reasons why I would recommend this activity to others regardless of gender or athletic background. For one, my experience showed me how beginner-friendly and accessible Pilates is to all skill levels. Pilates is not unnecessarily difficult like High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or powerlifting. Rather, it strikes the ideal balance of challenge and relaxation through slow and international stretching and toning. Also, every instructor I met was attentive and accommodating to each participant’s needs and physical limits during group sessions. They made sure to constantly monitor the workout room to give individual feedback during exercises. With this came praise and encouragement rather than harsh criticism to “work harder,” like what most personal trainers do. This makes Pilates doable for almost anybody as it is not designed to be just for those who are built a certain way.
Pilates teachers realize that individuals can have and eventually reach similar fitness goals even from different starting points and rates. Additionally, Pilates is a self-esteem booster since it enables me to take risks by attempting new exercises or routines. As a result, I was never judged for doing so, and there was no expectation to work extremely hard without taking care of myself. Now, I am no longer afraid to work out with total freedom over my movements, pace and mindset during any given day. I am confident in pursuing anything exercise-wise because of the Pilates mindset: working out should always be attainable and manageable. Overall, I can proudly say that so far in 2026, I have consistently had fun exercising thanks to Pilates, a hobby, not a painful chore to me. I became a firm believer in the Pilates method because of the positive outcomes that I mentioned, and so I encourage you to explore this as well!