Pilates Is Booming.

Here’s How to Get Started.

Instructors share their best advice for beginners.

By Anna Maltby, Published Feb. 3, 2025, New York Times, Summarized

Pilates' Origins and Focus:

• Invented by Joseph Pilates about a century ago.

• Emphasizes core strength, spinal alignment, joint stability, and mobility.

• Promotes optimal breathing for physical and mental well-being.

Variety of Pilates:

• Traditional Pilates (mat and reformer).

• High-intensity variations like megaformer classes (more cardio and resistance focused).

• Benefits:

• Tangible fitness improvements.

• Enhanced mind-body connection.

• Foundation for other physical activities.

• Tips for Beginners and Deepening Practice:

• Tailor exercises: Focus on proper form and alignment rather than pushing for the hardest variations.

• Use props: Cushions, yoga blocks, and towels can enhance comfort and effectiveness.

• Consider private sessions: One-on-one instruction can provide personalized guidance and address individual needs.

• Integrate with other workouts: Pilates complements other forms of exercise, like strength training and cardio.

Instructor Importance:

• It is important to find a good instructor that offers modifications and supports for all participants.

Important Considerations:

• Pilates may not provide sufficient cardiovascular training or heavy lifting for everyone's fitness needs.

• Private sessions can be expensive.

In essence, the article promotes Pilates as a versatile and beneficial exercise method, emphasizing the importance of personalized practice and integration with other fitness activities.

Scrolling through certain corners of Instagram may lead you to believe that Pilates is not only a workout but also a lifestyle, one full of minimalist fitness studios, expensive leggings and matcha lattes.

Thanks in part to its aesthetic appeal, Pilates is trending. On the fitness platform ClassPass, for example, Pilates was the most popular class type last year. You can find Pilates classes at specialized studios, physical therapy clinics and big-box gyms and on streaming platforms like Pilatesology and Pilates Anytime

Pilates was invented by Joseph Pilates, a German boxer, about a century ago. It focuses on exercises designed to improve core strength, spinal alignment, joint stability and mobility. The movements also promote optimal breathing for physical and mental function, said Kira Lamb, a classical Pilates teacher in New York City. Traditional Pilates can be practiced on a mat or on an apparatus. The reformer — a platform with a sliding carriage, adjustable straps and a footbar — is one of the most common. Pilates classes can be gentle or very challenging.