Pilates - Perks and Peeves

The word Pilates commands a certain level of mystery. The very sound of it causes people to wince in confusion. Of course, this isn't so much the case anymore since those the original Pilates camp lost the right to exclusively use the name and now we are graced to have Yoga-lates, Taibo-lates, Bo-Flex-lates, treadmill-lates, and all things between (not to be confused with lattés, coffee lovers; stay on topic!). That is an exaggeration, but I have seen various forms of Pilates marketed in a variety of ways. This calls to mind my time in college when my elective Pilates classes were included in the cost of tuition and I was able to get in on this secret fitness cult. These are my perks and peeves.

As with so many other things in our society, Pilates served as a dividing line between knowing and knowing not, between being up on a craze and being a little slow. So when a dorm-mate referred to Pilates as Pi-lates instead of Puh-lah-teez, I had a good laugh. I had checked a book out from the library, so I knew everything about it -- except how to actually do any of it. Getting into the coveted Pilates class my junior year was very likely the veritable highlight of that entire year. Nearly everyone in the class was a dance student, so I had more difficulty. Not terribly flexible, not terribly strong in my core, not nearly as balanced at those broads, I had to fight my way through it. The thing that I found about Pilates that some other people have perhaps learned as well, that drives people in other forms of exercise or martial arts, is that the fight was against me, myself. It is a fight, or a struggle, or a journey toward control, stamina, focus and provides a clear set of challenges to overcome. The other girls didn't matter, although they helped me by providing a beautiful form that I tried to achieve. However, the class wasn't about them, the instructor, or anyone else. The class was about me.

I will address the peeves early so as not to strongly discourage anyone. Pilates ain't cheap. This is an issue for me, because many Pilates instructors now are not formally certified as was my college instructor. If the use of the Pilates machines is included, which I have never used, then I would expect steeper rates. A mat class with ten other people that involves an instructor who may only have watched a Pilates video themselves as training should not break my bank (which is admittedly tiny; there is only so much a little piggy can fit!). The cost seems to be lower at large gym clubs, but given those ridiculous initiation fees, I'm in the same boat. In my area, there are smaller studios devoted to Pilates and Yoga, and to repeat my itself, it ain't cheap. I have used Pilates videos from the library when I didn't need as much instruction as I'm sure I'll need once again. This simply doesn't offer the same challenge. There is no instructor to suggest alternative movements or spontaneously introduce new movements.

The other peeve is the other students. During the class, the focus is me. Before and after the class, I couldn't help but notice the hoity-toities: the wealthy older woman who is determined to keep her figure, the rich daughter-of-somebody with the designer sports bra. That is the time that I feel most out of my element. Finally, there is that little bit of stigma from those that insist upon running thirty miles and lifting weights for three hours to remain fit. People simply can't believe that Pilates is a good workout -- it is! I will never believe there is any better way to exercise than (primarily) using one's own body weight and gravity for resistance. The truth is, there have been many more athletes to drop dead at the supposed pinnacle of fitness than those to die in a Pilates class (please bear in mind, I have done no research on how many people have died in Pilates classes, nor will I!). Still, none of these things will dissuade me from finding a class again, as soon as my little piggy grows.

The perks outweigh the peeves. Pilates gave me a better sense of my body. Sometimes, I'm not aware of my own physical presence, my form. I have to consciously think about my posture, areas where I'm holding stress, muscles that are compensating for other weaknesses. Working multiples muscle groups as one does in Pilates brought much greater awareness to me. So many of us go through life vaguely aware of ourselves. Outside of bikini season, when do we pay attention? Even during bikini season, the emphasis is on appearance but not feeling or connectedness. In short, Pilates helped me to recognize that I couldn't take my body for granted. I also felt greater peace, which I'm sure had a lot to do with focused breathing.

We also take breathing for granted. We don't savor the oxygen that allows us to maintain our lives. The good news is, you HAVE to breath when practicing Pilates. You have to breath deeply. The most redundant perk of all is the strengthening and increased flexibility. Nevertheless, it is worth noting because it is truly valuable. The long, lean muscles that you hear so much about -- well, I don't know if you have to be long and lean beforehand. I didn't notice anything particularly long and lean on me, but I noticed increased confidence in my strength. Believe me, my muscles appreciated it. Of course, muscle and flexibility is important for our bones and making it into our senior years without backs that are bent like the handle of an umbrella. It also promotes a good self-image based on what I have done for my body, rather than how my body looks. Again, I write, the perks outweigh the peeves.

It undoubtedly sounds silly, but our lives are not terribly long and much of what we experience wears us down rather than building us up. Exercise serves to build up our bodies but our minds and our bodies must be connected. We must be able to feel good about things we are doing for ourselves. For me, the perks I found in Pilates overwhelm the peeves. Perhaps you will find the same.