Pilates: Is It Enough?
Recently, I was talking with a new student who was curious about my own personal fitness routine: “Do you do anything outside of Pilates?” I considered the question for a moment, before replying, “Nope!”
Sure, I ride my bike (short distances, as a preferable means to commute around the city) but that’s about it. Pilates gives me everything I need to maintain my physical fitness. I feel the need here to make the point that my personal Pilates practice is also the means through which I keep my mental health in check. The two are inextricably linked; can’t have one without the other!
Because I’m naturally interested in the subject, I often browse Pilates articles on the Net. I’m always curious to see how Pilates is written about in the media, as it helps me to anticipate common questions new students may have or identify barriers for people coming to class. There’s a lot of Pilates info on the internet + - as with anything else - it is written about with varying degrees of accuracy. This has given rise to some curious assumptions + myths about the Method. One such (unfounded) claim that I find particularly peculiar, is that Pilates is a ‘supplementary’ form of exercise; it can’t be a ‘main event’. I have a sneaking suspicion this belief has surfaced because Pilates is popular with dancers + professional athletes, many of whom use it as cross-training (or as an injury rehabilitation tool.) The fact that it has been adopted - + adapted - for this specific purpose is a wonderful thing! However, I feel an intense urge here to highlight that this is not the ONLY application of the Method. Joseph Pilates himself saw his creation as universal - for everyBODY. He developed Pilates equipment for the express purpose of making the exercises accessible to those who couldn’t get down onto a mat. It was intended as a full-body regime to be practiced regularly, with purpose + commitment, the ultimate objective being to align ‘body, mind + spirit’.
I’d like to take some time here to ‘flesh out’ a few of the commonly held assumptions about Pilates, to provide context + a little more ‘balance’ in the online sphere.
Myth #1: Pilates doesn’t count as cardio
Maybe. Maybe not. The cardiovascular demands placed on the body are dependant on the intensity + duration of exercise. Generally speaking, I include a cardio component in my morning sessions to get students’ heart rate up + prepare them for the day ahead.
Myth #2: Pilates isn’t strength training
Let’s tackle this one by starting out with a definition: strength training is exercise that challenges muscles via the use of a counterforce. It is based on the principle that muscles will work to overcome the resistance force; in order to meet the added demand,the nervous system must produce more force + contractile function of the muscles. The goal is to make strength gains (but training this way has myriad other benefits, such as improving our ability to perform functional (day-to-day) movements, slowing cellular ageing, increasing bone density, lowering risk of injury + increasing metabolism.) In mat-based Pilates, we use our own body weight, hand weights, resistance bands + other small apparatus to create the overload required to develop long, lean muscles. Pilates WON’T make you into Arnie; indeed that is not the point. Think less Conan the Barbarian + more dancer in Swan Lake.
Myth #3: Pilates is for women only
Pilates was developed by a man with a background in boxing, self-defense + wrestling. Joseph Pilates smoked cigars, drank beer + whiskey, had a glass eye + tattoos. During WWI, while interned in a POW camp on the Isle of Man, he refined his method, working to rehabilitate bedridden prisoners by MacGyvering the first ‘Pilates equipment’ via the use of bed springs + such. One word: BADASS. Yes, there’s the connection to ballet dancers + (later) Hollywood celebrities, BUT to make the assumption that the Pilates method is exclusively for women is a mistake! Pilates benefits everyBODY. Fortunately, a quick search of ‘Pilates for men’ will show up results of Kobe Bryant, Sylvester Stallone, Cristiano Ronaldo + Tiger Woods. They know what’s up.
Myth #4: Pilates is just about physical fitness
Well this one is a bit of a half-truth. Yes, Pilates is a system of physical conditioning, it’s also training for your mind + - if you want it - an opportunity for self-discovery. In his original writings, Joseph Pilates placed emphasis on his method as integrating ‘body, mind + spirit’. Unfortunately (in my opinion) the modern approach to his work seems to downplay - or downright ignore - the mind + spirit aspects. In my classes, these stand up as important parts of the overall Pilates experience. We are holistic beings + honouring the vital aspects of what is means to be human, I think, is key to overall wellbeing (but if that’s not your jam, that’s a-okay! You’ll still benefit from the exercises.)
Myth # 5: Pilates is limited to developing core strength
We do tend to bang on a bit about the ‘core’. Indeed, I often describe Pilates movements as ‘initiating from our centre + flowing outwards to the extremities’. However, Joseph Pilates was concerned with the ‘uniform development’ of the entire body; to strengthen what is what weak + release what is tight. Pilates is a full body workout + a well-designed class will often start with small, isolated movements before progressing to whole body integrated sequences. You’ll move in different planes of motion, in different orientations to gravity. You’ll build upper + lower body strength + endurance. The Pilates system will also challenge your balance, coordination + cardiovascular endurance. We work muscles concentrically, eccentrically + isometrically, + include mobility exercises to improve flexibility + function. Yup, in Pilates, we do it all!
Conclusion:
Just as every BODY is different, everyone’s experience of Pilates will differ, also. For me, Pilates ticks all the boxes + gives me the tools I need to maintain my physical, mental + spiritual wellbeing. The more I practice, the more I learn (about the human body + about myself) + the greater my appreciation for the Method + the man that developed it, Joseph Pilates. The only way to know what Pilates can do for you is to try it for yourself!