What’s Pilates and why the hype?

For the majority of my life, I refused to work out.

The thought of exercising, doing high-intensity workouts or running terrified me. On top of that, the idea of having to go to a gym and figure out how to work the machinery or looking dumb was not going to cut it. 

Growing up, I did some sort of movement daily with ballet and every once in a while we would take a Pilates class. 

Pilates was first started by Joseph Pilates to help improve strength, toning and flexibility for patients who were still bed-bound during WWI. 

His method combined Western exercises, like gymnastics and bodybuilding, with Eastern practices like yoga, tai chi and meditation. 

In 1923, he opened his first studio in New York with his wife, Clara. Pilates became popular among dancers, including Martha Graham and George Balanchine, who used the method to recover from injuries, prevent future injuries and improve their own movement. 

This form of exercise was something similar to the stretching in ballet, but gave me something more that I always enjoyed, but as I got older, I forgot about it. 

During 2020, after being continuously bored throughout the day, I thought why not at least try to work out like I was supposed to for my online gym class?

I would look up different workout videos on YouTube, but halfway through I would give up and just lay down instead. I stopped trying until I got to college. 

When I first started at UK, my friends would always invite me to go to the gym, but between my inability to wake up early and my busy schedule, it never seemed appealing. But, when they invited me to try mat Pilates instead, I decided to give it a chance.

Pilates of today may look a bit different than the original studio, but it is mainly practiced in two different ways: reformer uses a specialized sliding carriage that uses adjustable springs, ropes and straps, and mat is usually just a yoga mat and other equipment like a yoga ball, ring and weights. 

I started out taking mat Pilates once in a blue moon, usually whenever my friends invited me. But recently, I have gone from occasionally joining a class to consistently making time for Pilates in my routine. I have even started trying heated classes, anywhere from two to five times a week. 

What I enjoy most about Pilates is how much it reminds me of doing ballet when I was younger. I have never been someone who enjoys high-intensity workouts or the idea of running miles on a treadmill, but Pilates gives me a way to move my body that feels familiar. 

It is low-impact, focuses on strength and flexibility and still allows me to see a difference over time.

For me, finding a form of exercise I actually enjoy has made all the difference. Instead of feeling like I have to force myself to work out, I have found something I genuinely look forward to doing. 

What started as an occasional activity with friends has become something I make time for on my own, and even in the early mornings, which I never thought would be true.