With its focus on quality over quantity, Pilates proves challenging workouts don’t need to be flashy.
Today’s go-to formula for a hard-core workout routine often involves some mixture of high-intensity interval training, heavy lifting, and endurance cardio work. Those elements are undoubtedly beneficial. But once you take Pilates, you may realize that a tough workout doesn’t always need to involve performing dozens of reps, sprinting on the treadmill, or squatting a barbell that weighs more than you.
A foundational component of Pilates is that, for any given exercise, you need to perform only a few reps to perfection to nab the benefits. In a reformer workout, you might do just eight leg circles. On the mat, you might do three rollovers in each direction and a handful of swan repetitions. So long as your alignment is on point, you’ll be getting the most out of that work.
Alignment is key. Say you’re performing a biceps curl, but your shoulders are rounded forward. You can practice that movement pattern all day long, but it won’t be as effective as if you were to perform the exercise correctly just three times. But getting into this proper posture can be difficult; most people spend their days hunched over a desk, staring down at their phones, and driving. Even in sports, you’ll favor certain muscles within your body — your dominant arm during a pickleball match, your dominant leg during a rec soccer game. When you take a Pilates class with an instructor who helps you find that ideal alignment, you’re suddenly forced to use some muscles that are a lot weaker than you’d expect.
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It sounds a bit wicked, but Pilates instructors like me enjoy finding your weak spots. I’ve had athletes with massive muscles come into a class, do an exercise on the high chair, and shake like crazy — just because they’re working with a particular joint in proper alignment. It will feel like the hardest thing they’ve ever done. Of course, it becomes easier to move with ideal alignment over time, and that makes your whole body feel better in everything you do.
In the process, you become more aware of your body — how it’s feeling as you head into your workout, which muscles you’re tapping as you tackle your reps, how different exercises affect you, and when it’s necessary to tweak your form or stop the move altogether. You also realize that, sometimes, you don’t need to move as quickly or lift as heavy as possible in the weight room. You begin to recognize that it’s the quality of movement that’s most important.
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That’s not to say you should never get your heart racing. There’s a myth that Pilates involves doing micromovements slowly. In reality, Pilates is about learning how to move effortlessly — and in real life, you move with speed. So, as you become more connected with your body, you might also pick up the pace of your flow. (Trust me, I’ve had my butt kicked in mat Pilates classes before.)
But with its focus on alignment, mind-body connection, and top-tier movement, Pilates can help you craft your own definition of fitness — one that may not look like the grunt-inducing, sweat-dripping version promoted on social media, and that’s okay.
Abby Simpson is a senior Pilates instructor at Equinox Columbus Circle. Abby began her career in the fitness industry more than a decade ago as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. After taking a Pilates mat class at an LA Fitness, she was hooked! She knew she wanted to study and share the Pilates method. She's been teaching classical Pilates for eight years, first at The Pilates Firm, Las Vegas where she completed a 600+ hour apprenticeship, and now at Equinox and Printing House in New York City. Abby continues to study the Pilates method and attends workshops and seminars whenever possible with some of the method's most highly recognized instructors.