Pilates is Back: The Timeless Workout Redefining Wellness

BY NAWAILAH MAHOMED
Nov 21, 2024
5 min read

Amongst other activities such as yoga, mixed martial arts and spinning, pilates has come to the fore, and has become a trending activity within the past year. This is mainly due to social media and influencer culture, but also an overall desire from individuals to take care of their personal well-being in varied ways.

Pilates has recently become ‘trendy’ again, from the onset of 2023, and has spiked in popularity and ‘common-ness’ as a fitness and wellness regime.

Pilates possesses many benefits, and this article will highlight its origins, how it came to be, and emphasise the long-term benefits and advantages of incorporating pilates, should you be interested, or are willing to hop on to this somewhat ongoing, yet emergent trend.

Origins of Pilates

A Class With Joseph Pilates

Pilates is a, ‘type of exercise and body conditioning, first used as a way for dancers to recover from injury’. It has since become a form of exercise that many people subscribe to and enjoy diligently, due to the strength and relaxation it provides to the body and its functioning.

The practice comprises, ‘precise movements, controlled breathing, and muscle engagement’, which easily permits increased flexibility, strength development and physical discipline should you stay consistent and committed over a fixed period of time.

The movement programme was founded by German soldier, Joseph Pilates, who developed the practice whilst he was imprisoned during World War I. The practice was conducted with many fellow prisoners, and eventually ‘immigrated’ to the United States during the 1920s when he was released. It was prefaced as a recovery programme for injured dancers, focusing on regaining strength and stability in movements and body functioning.

Pilates is also different from yoga, in that yoga falls more towards the spiritual side of body movements and mind-body connections. Pilates works to improve body strength and functioning over time, and like any sub-sector of exercise, possesses a set of specific movements and patterns that facilitate meaningful change over time.

Ever since its ‘migration’ to the US, it has become ‘trendy’ and ‘popularised’, especially through popular culture. Let's explore why it's becoming a go-to fitness trend and the history behind it.

Emergence and Popularity Within Popular Culture

Pilates has become one of the, ‘most sought-after ways to train’. It has actually been over 100 years since Joseph Pilates established the practice, and it has seen many fluctuations in demand and popularity, especially within the last year or so.

1. Reformer Pilates

During his internment, Joseph Pilates worked as a hospital orderl and while caring for bedridden patients, he began experimenting with attaching springs to hospital beds, creating a system that allowed patients to strengthen and rehabilitate their muscles without leaving their beds.

This practical solution laid the foundation for what would later become the Pilates Reformer. The earliest version resembled a sliding bed, using spring-based resistance to support controlled movement, a design that would evolve into one of the most influential pieces of equipment in modern fitness.

2. A Global Movement

Joseph Pilates, Clara Pilates, Kathy Grant and Lolita San Miguel

In 1923, Joseph Pilates emigrated to the United States with his wife and collaborator, Clara Pilates, whom he had met during the voyage across the Atlantic. Together, they opened their first studio in New York City, where the method quickly gained a devoted following. Located near the New York City Ballet, the studio quickly became a destination for dancers seeking to recover from injuries, improve strength, and refine their performance. Legendary figures including Martha Graham and George Balanchine were among those who embraced the method.

Long before it became known simply as Pilates, Joseph referred to his method as Contrology, a philosophy rooted in the belief that true physical strength begins with the mind. He often quoted the German poet Friedrich Schiller: "It is the mind itself which builds the body," reflecting his conviction that movement should unite mental focus with precise physical control. Rather than viewing exercise as a series of repetitive motions, Pilates envisioned a disciplined practice that cultivated balance, coordination, and total-body awareness.

Despite the growing popularity of his work, Joseph Pilates never developed a formal teacher-training program or a blueprint for commercial expansion. Instead, he focused on refining his method and mentoring those who shared his commitment to mastering it. He never established a formal teacher training programme and is widely believed to have personally certified only two instructors, Kathy Grant and Lolita San Miguel.

When Joseph Pilates died in 1967, he left no will or formal succession plan. The responsibility of preserving his legacy fell to Clara Pilates and a close circle of dedicated protégés, including Romana Kryzanowska, Ron Fletcher, Carola Trier, Kathy Grant, Lolita San Miguel, Eve Gentry, and Mary Bowen. Today, these pioneering instructors are recognized as the First Generation Teachers, carrying Joseph Pilates' original teachings into studios around the world and laying the foundation for the global wellness phenomenon the practice has become.

From the 90s, cultural icons such as Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Anniston became trendsetters for the practice, where they were ‘spotted’, and reported to have been attending pilates sessions. This was seen as the catalyst for pilates becoming so prominent and trendy in popular culture today.

3. Variety of Movement

Another reason for why it has reached maximum popularity again, is the various ways in which it can be enjoyed and performed as an activity. 2023 was a ground breaking year, with Pilates, ‘as the most popular workout of the year”, with Pilates class bookings up 92%, while Google searches for Pilates have soared by 71%. Mat Pilates, hot Pilates, HIIT Pilates, reformer Pilates, Stott Pilates, Winsor Pilates, Clinical Pilates [and] Classical Pilates’ have become the options from which you can choose when deciding to pursue it.

It is almost as if the task has been tailored and amended to suit your personal needs, interests, and fitness goals as an individual, rather than fitting in with societal trends and prescriptions.

Pilates as Exercise?

Pilates can most definitely be considered a form of exercise, and can contribute as part of your regimen, should you wish to provide variety and dynamism to your daily movements, and increase your interests or hobbies.

It is a form of exercise mainly because, ‘it requires concentration and focus…you move your body through precise ranges of motion, [and] it requires concentration in finding a centre point to control your body through movement’.

The specific movements, focus, and breathing allocated to each pilates position characterises the overall practice as a form of exercise. It is also tailored to the individual, their needs, and their preferences. Whilst it is not cardio intensive, focus is placed on muscle and core strengthening through the use of resistance, and any related equipment.

There are various benefits and valuable takeaways from Pilates, should it become a consistent element in your regime. A few are highlighted below, although there are many other extensive benefits,

Manages stress and anxiety as manifested by the body and mind.
Facilitates balance and coordination in body movements.
Assists with effective oxygen flow and deep breathing.
Improves concentration and focus, both in and outside of the workout session.

Tips for Getting Started

Although it may seem intimidating or difficult to get into, rest assured that Pilates is for everyone! Beginners and experts alike. Depending on your budget and available time, you can start Pilates at home, or get started at a studio or fitness centre near you.

Some online resources that may be useful include: