by Devra Swiger
Debunking myths is all the rage these days. It seems articles appear on a near daily basis crushing yet another long held belief. Pilates has been around long enough to have also established some of its own folklore. The fact of the matter is that within each myth there may lay a kernel of truth that often becomes greatly exaggerated. So let’s clear up five big misunderstandings regarding Pilates.
Myth #1: Pilates is for dancers
Sure, Pilates is for dancers but it is also for non dancers or people with two left feet. One of the reasons Pilates was first associated with the dance community was that Joe Pilates had a studio in Manhattan that was close to many well known dance companies. Because of this, Joe built a solid reputation for being good at ‘fixing’ dance related problems. However, in addition to dancers Joe Pilates had lots of other clients including boxers, athletes and housewives.
Another reason why so many non dancers are intimidated by Pilates and feel they need to know how to pirouette before signing up is that many Pilates teachers come from the world of dance. For a non dancer that can be intimidating. The fact is Pilates is good for all bodies. It’s just as good for baseball players who don’t know first position from first base.
Myth #2. Pilates is too easy
This is the one myth that really gets me. I’ve heard it many times and I usually hear it from people who spend a lot of time at the gym. “I tried it once and it seemed more like something for older ladies,” said a female runner I know. After a little digging, I discovered she had tried it once at a big gym with mass produced classes.
There is also a market for DVDs where Pilates is performed next to a lovely fountain or at a scenic beach consisting of 20 minutes of leg lifts and pelvic tilts. This is not Pilates. Pilates if taught properly, is not easy. The sequencing of the exercises, the focus on the deep abdominal muscles, the transitions, the springs, the flow; none of it is easy. Pilates is hard!
Myth #3. Pilates is for women
This myth is somewhat related to myth #2 and it has everything to do with the marketing of Pilates.
Until relatively recently, most pictures of people doing Pilates were all svelte women with their leg extended straight over the head. Most men would see that and say: “Forget that. Give me some weights.”
The funny thing is that Joe Pilates had men in mind when he developed his method. He had many women clients as well, but it was the men he expected at his studio. The work was hard, intense and very masculine.
Myth #4. Pilates is for rich people
Well this one is a bit harder to debunk because private Pilates classes tend to be expensive. Group classes are considerably less expensive but the student doesn’t get the attention to detail that one would get in a private session. However, in this day and age of Groupons there are deals to be had. New studios sometimes offer promotions and more established studios frequently have programs where you can try Pilates for a discounted price. Also, if one looks at Pilates as a way to stay healthy, fit and mobile for many years then the classes really pay for themselves. Who wants to spend money on physical therapy, drugs and doctors?
Pilates can be thought of as an insurance policy for the body – spend now, save later.
Myth #5 Pilates will make me look like a supermodel
Well if this myth were true and I could guarantee these results, I’d be writing this article from my villa in the south of France.
The origins of this myth are none other than our celebrity obsessed culture. Yes, celebrities do Pilates and yes celebrities are usually stunning, but they would be stunning no matter what.
Pilates does help keep them looking fabulous and keeps them moving better and helps with back pain etc. but they were beautiful long before they stepped on a reformer.
If people believe they will look like a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model after 10 sessions, they might just be disappointed.
I once had a client who came to me saying that Oprah said on TV that Pilates would give her a long lean body.She was 5’2 and at least 160lbs. She took one session with me, paid her money and left looking very sad. Now if she had stuck it out a bit longer, I suspect she would have seen some great results but her expectations were far too high.
In every myth there can be some truth but there can also be a lot of misinformation. To sum it up, Pilates is a challenging workout for both men and women, dancers and non-dancers and although it may cost a bit more than a gym membership, it is well worth it in both the long and short term.
About the Author: Devra Swiger is the owner of Ab Pilates in Huntington Beach, CA. She started teaching Pilates in 1999 after 6 years of teaching fitness. She became certified with Polestar Pilates, Colleen Glenn, PhysicalMind and also apprenticed with a classically trained instructor in Charlotte, NC. Since that time she has studied with both classically and contemporary trained teachers. She is currently studying with Jennifer Kries in San Diego, CA. In addition to Pilates, Devra loves yoga, dance, cycling and running.
Photo credits: Myth 1, Myth 2 and 3 by Song Young, Myth 4
I’m almost 62 and have been taking pilates classes for almost a year. As far as I’m concerned pilates is the best kept secret and the one of best thing that I’ve ever given to myself. It’s not easy, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
Does pilates help with losing kg as well as firming up?
Wilma, Pilates will definitely help you firm up. Pilates is known for helping you lose inches (cm) instead of kg because it tightens your inner corset. If you combine Pilates with a cardio activity like walking then you will see great weight loss results.
You can try Pilates by following one of our free videos over here http://pilatesbridge.com/pilates-video/ These videos will give you a taste of what Pilates is but you can also use these videos to create a complete Pilates program at home.
Too bad the model in the last picture is in poor posture! Not a good representation on core strength…core yoga is much more effective and functional…
Thank you Bonnie for your comment. I believe that Lucy Liu in the last image was more interested in showing off her legs than being a fitness model 😉 Pilates and Yoga are very different and both have amazing benefits. It’s a question of personal taste of what people would like to do to stay healthy and active.
Yes, I believe Lucy Liu was just striking a pose and not posing for a Pilates photo.
There are also some very good Pilates videos available which have the advantage (if you pick the right one) of featuring very highly qualified trainers plus you can do them to fit in with your own schedule and save time traveling to and from the class. I know it’s not perfect but it’s much, much better than not doing Pilates at all because you can’t afford the money or the time to do actual classes. I use the ‘ten minute solution’ ones so whether I’ve got an hour or twenty minutes free there’s a workout I can do.
Great suggestion, Jo. I like to use Pilates videos myself and recommend them to my clients if they or I go on vacation. Video Pilates is still much better than no Pilates at all 🙂
I love this article! And yeah, Lucy Liu was just showing off her hot self. Now I’m gonna get back to working on my control balance dismount 😉
I know this is an old post, but I have to agree that pilates is for rich people. I think we forget just how privileged we are in this country. (And I’m not saying that in the millennial “check your privilege” way. I just mean, we have a lot of resources that other people don’t.)
I’ll be honest, I am flat broke. I’m a fitness instructor. My husband has a good job, but we both have student loan debt and we live paycheck to paycheck. I’m not blaming anyone. I made the poor choice to go to college for a degree that isn’t useful and then scrap it to work in fitness. I don’t expect anyone to bail me out or feel sorry for me. It is what it is.
That being said, I love pilates. I do it at home- yes, with dvds. But no way could I afford going to a pilates studio! I understand why it is so expensive. Certification is outrageous. And certification is outrageous because you actually have to learn a great deal of stuff and practice to teach it well. Equipment is expensive. One reformer alone costs more than my husband’s car. (Yeah. We drive a car that costs less than $4k.)
I get it. But honestly, it really IS out of the budget to a lot of people, no matter how justified the cost would be and how great it is for your health.
I really, truly wish there was a way to make pilates education more accessible to others. I feel like that was the heart of Joeseph Pilates. Yet it isn’t at all accessible to a lot of people either due to cost, location (good luck finding a place to train to become a pilates instructor in a vast majority of the rural US), or both.
So, yes. I still believe the “myth” that pilates is for rich people. Because almost all of America is much richer than we realize and even our middle class is so much wealthier than the wealthy in some places.