Strong bodies, good habits & longevity
Pilates is definitely having a moment in the world of fitness.
In a landscape that has grown at the speed of light, there are endless choices of Pilates inspired classes and Reformer based studios with jam packed schedules offering interesting, and sometimes questionable, interpretations of the Pilates method.
The plethora of options has grown in proportion to shortened attention spans demanding instantaneous results often at the expense of what is perceived as inconvenience; quality, mastery, repetition, habit and longevity.
And the performative drive of increasingly choreographed, visually impressive moves on the Pilates equipment that often border on the ridiculous if not dangerous, leaves those of us deeply committed to the profession of teaching Pilates with quality and integrity, shaking our heads and asking each other,
“What is happening?”
Well, I actually think there are 2 things happening.
And oddly enough, even though I find myself hesitating when asked what I do for a living because I don’t want to explain yet again that our fully equipped, established Pilates studio employs a team of fully certified and very experienced instructors who all teach quality Pilates, I think both are positive.
“All publicity is good publicity” – P.T. Barnum
The mainstream exposure of Pilates is an advantage, even when it doesn’t look the way those of us who have trained in comprehensive, recognized Pilates programs might prefer.
Visibility and accessibility matters. And for many people, a trendy class or visually impressive workout is the doorway that gets them moving and trying something new.
In a culture dominated by sedentary lifestyles, anything that draws people toward movement, strength, and body awareness has value.
And if it encourages them to walk through a ‘Pilates inspired’ studio door, it’s an advantage for all Pilates studios because their curiosity of this particular type of movement has been piqued.
But mainstream popularity has a way of flattening meaning.
As Pilates has moved into the fitness spotlight, it has often been reshaped to meet the expectations of modern exercise culture: quick results, constant novelty, and movements designed to look impressive rather than build lasting capacity.
In that environment, Pilates can easily be mistaken for just another workout that will quickly be replaced when the next trend arrives.
But what gets lost is that Pilates was never designed as a quick fix, performance or a trend.
It is a practice.
One that rewards patience, repetition, and consistency over time. And for those of us who are committed to teaching quality Pilates, this is where the real opportunity lies.
Because as people cycle through different Pilates classes, inspired by how exercise can make them look rather than how it can support their lives, many will eventually reach a point of fatigue, burnout, injury or just plain boredom of the exercise repetition on equipment that can offer so, so much more when it’s taught by knowledgeable and experienced practitioners.
And that’s when the value and possibility of what Pilates can offer is an opportunity for fully equipped small Pilates studios and their Pilates practitioners.
“Quality is not an act, it is a habit” – Aristotle
Studio3 has been operating since 2008, and many of our clients have been practicing Pilates consistently for far longer than the 17 years we’ve been open.
When I started teaching Pilates in Toronto in 1995, many of my clients were young mothers attending small group classes after dropping their children off at school.
Today, those same clients are picking up their grandchildren with strength, ease, and confidence they’ve developed and sustained through decades of consistent Pilates practice.
Over the years, they’ve explored everything from high-impact aerobics to gentle meditation and countless fitness trends in between. But Pilates has remained a non-negotiable part of their weekly routine.
It shows in how they move, the level of Pilates workouts they’re capable of and in their confidence, vitality, and physical independence as they age.
This is the true draw of Pilates; not the aesthetics or complex choreography or vanity fitness, but the vitality that comes with understanding that functional strength, independence and quality movement exist in the habit of showing up for a meaningful, purposeful Pilates workout week after week, year after year.
Fitness trends will always come and go. But quality Pilates, Pilates as it was meant to be, is part of that quieter, steadier and more impactful movement that is consistently happening alongside them.
I believe that once the noise of vanity driven fitness eventually gives way, those who value a regular Pilates practice will be inspired to seek out the studios that offer quality Pilates training.
And by practicing in a quality focused environment, they will build and maintain an exercise habit that will prioritize their physical independence, improve their strength, balance and mobility and expand their movement ability and adaptability.
And that is what Pilates is to me.