Debunking six common myths about Pilates
From the misconception that Pilates is an easy workout, to the belief that Pilates is only for women, this expert debunks all the most common myths about the popular exercise.
Over the past decade, the practice of Pilates has seen significant growth in popularity. Studies even show that it’s the fastest growing exercise genre across Australia and New Zealand, 2.8 times more popular than yoga.
Between the two main types of Pilates — Reformer Pilates, which utilises a unique movement machine, and Mat Pilates, a no-equipment practice — this low-impact form of exercise has quickly become the ultimate gym workout of this era. But for many, the realities and benefits of this popular exercise still remain a mystery, especially since there are a number of common myths about the practice.
From the belief that Pilates is an exercise only for women, to the misconception that it’s not a real workout or that it’s the exact same as yoga, there are a lot of untruths that are purported about the practice that might have led you to believe Pilates isn’t for you. So we turned to expert Kirsten King, founder of Pilates studio Fluidform, to bust all the most common myths about Pilates to get you started on your exercise journey.
Myth #1: Pilates is just for women
Most Pilates studios will be primarily filled with women leading and loving the exercise, but that doesn’t mean that men can’t benefit from or enjoy the practice. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. According to its origins, as well as its physical benefits, King explains that Pilates can be beneficial for everyone.
“Pilates [dates] back to the 1900s, created by a man named Joseph Pilates who developed a practice used to rehabilitate injured German soldiers during WWI,” King explains. “His method was based on his belief that poor health was a result of poor lifestyles and posture, inefficient breathing and inadequate strength. These principles remain at the core of what Pilates is today. However, with a vast popularity amongst women, a stigma has formed around Pilates as a gender-specific exercise, with a perception you need to be a fit female to experience the benefits.
Everyone experiences a myriad of imbalances and physical weaknesses, based on their body composition and lifestyle factors. In men, we often see inflexibility, tightness, limited mobility and muscle weaknesses, as a result of the heavy-lifting, high-intensity weight training men typically endure. Pilates has this incredible ability to strengthen all those smaller muscles we neglect in other forms of exercise, balancing our bodies, mobilising our spine and joints and improving our posture.”
Myth #2: Pilates is easy, and isn’t a real workout
If you thought Pilates was not a challenging workout or doesn’t count for real exercise, King explains that trying it out would be a humbling experience for anyone who holds this view.
“For anyone who hasn’t done Pilates before, they will often group it with stretching or yoga. But Pilates has the ability to challenge the most advanced, athletic bodies,” she says. “It works all our tiny muscles through isometric and isotonic holds, layering techniques and high repetition sequences to quickly engage and fatigue the muscles. We progress this with small equipment and resistance training to strengthen, lengthen and tone. The stronger you become, the harder your muscles will work.”
Myth #3: Pilates is the same as yoga
Pilates and yoga may have similarities, but as King explains, there’s some very important distinctions to be made between them. “While both exercise forms have been grouped together for their mindfulness, low impact and restorative principles, the origins, technique and philosophies of Yoga and Pilates are near antipodes,” she says. “There are numerous benefits to Pilates, with injury rehabilitation, postural realignment and muscle activation and stabilisation at the core.
While often practised as a form of exercise, Yoga is an ancient holistic discipline, of which movement is one pillar of. Pilates is fundamentally based on functional movement techniques and sequences, with a specific focus on core strength. The spiritual element of Yoga is not often practised in Pilates, whereas rehabilitation and fitness is more prominent in Pilates. But while quite different, both can have a similar impact on our mood, energy and self-awareness.”
Myth #4: Pilates is only good for people who are already fit and flexible
Want to start Pilates but are under the impression you have to already be in top shape? King urges you to think again. “Pilates is unique in that no matter your fitness level or physical ability, the exercises we practise will challenge you and support your day-to-day function,” she explains. “Pilates is safe and supportive for those entering their fitness journey, while highly challenging and effective for more advanced movers or elite athletes. As you build strength and stability, you are deepening the muscle connection, which further fatigues and tones your muscles.
Exercise forms such as weight lifting, running and HIIT strengthen our global muscles, whereas Pilates targets our slow twitch, stabilising muscles which support our joints, stability, balance and posture. The main benefits of this is to build strength and tone without causing stress on the joints and body. So whether you are new to exercise or not, your transition to Pilates will challenge your body in a completely new way.”
Myth #5: Pilates only works your core
Pilates certainly works to strengthen your core, but if you thought that this was all it did, you might be pleasantly surprised to find out that the practice targets a lot of other areas that other exercises don’t.
“When practised consistently and correctly, Pilates requires all the smaller muscles across your entire body to fire and strengthen,” King says. “Whether you are working your abs, lower body or upper body, each exercise is a full-body exercise which requires deep connection and stabilisation across your entire body. As well as building core strength, Pilates improves your posture and coordination, increases your flexibility, builds strength and confidence both on and off the mat.”
Myth #6: Pilates is only good for rehab work
It’s been proven that Pilates is a great form of exercise for those dealing with injuries or working towards recovery, but it’s certainly not the only thing it’s beneficial for.
“The power of Pilates is that it provides short-term rehabilitation and long-term prevention,” King says “For fit and able clients, Pilates is setting the body up to move well, free of pain and injuries. Pilates has significant benefits on your posture, balance and coordination, while building strength and tone to move with confidence. It’s beneficial to everyone.”
