There is an abundance of literature written about what Pilates is. Allow me, instead of citing it, to share what the Pilates method means to me.
For someone who has been engaging in intense cardio workouts for over 25 years, discovering the Pilates method was a revelation. The controlled, slow execution of each movement, combined with proper breathing and subtle guidance on which part of the body to activate, slightly twist, or stretch further, gave me an entirely new perspective on exercises I had done hundreds of times before.
To my great disappointment, even today, the most common description of Pilates I hear is: “a boring, slow class for people who can’t or don’t want a serious workout but just want to stretch, etc.”
You may be surprised to learn that Pilates exercises are incredibly challenging and can sculpt your body even without additional equipment. Believe it or not, if your instructor knows what they’re doing, a few Pilates exercises can make your abdominal, arm, or leg muscles tremble. They can combine movements so seamlessly that you won’t even realize an hour has passed. There are over 500 exercise variations in practice, ranging from lighter versions for beginners to highly challenging ones for advanced practitioners.
Created by Joseph Pilates, a man who, in his youth, suffered from asthma and rheumatism and did not initially possess an athletic physique, the Pilates method is a unique tool for improving the flexibility of the back and spine muscles. It teaches you to feel and control every muscle in your body using the following core principles: control of breathing and movement execution, concentration, centering (of energy), precision, and fluidity of motion. With Pilates, you’ll train muscles you likely didn’t even know you had. It takes time for someone new to Pilates to learn how to perform each movement correctly, but once you feel the strength in your body’s center—the “powerhouse,” as the method’s founder called it—and begin to control every movement and breath, only then will you understand how different it is to focus on every detail of an exercise rather than merely repeating movements you’ve seen someone else perform.
This method heavily relies on the weight of your own body but can also be practiced with various equipment, such as small or large balls (fit balls), resistance bands, rings, and even Pilates reformer machines. The goal remains the same: to tone and strengthen the muscles of your entire body, increase endurance, develop balance and coordination, and improve your posture. This is achieved by teaching your spine to be flexible and straightening your overall form. There’s no need to convince you of the importance of having a healthy and flexible spine, which serves as the “stem” of your body and reflects your overall health.
What I find unique about the Pilates method is that it treats the body as a whole, rather than isolating muscle groups or focusing solely on specific areas, as is typical of fitness systems. In our modern lifestyle, where we spend most of our time seated—at a desk, in front of a computer, or a TV—Pilates exercises are, in my experience, the most enjoyable remedy for restoring balance and the joy of movement in the body. When you add calming music that soothes the nerves accumulated throughout the day, I think it’s time to give it a try. For me, there is no greater reward than seeing your smiles and satisfaction from a good workout at the end of a session, accompanied by comments like:
“I’m so glad I found you. I never thought I would enjoy it this much.”
“I’ve struggled my whole life to get rid of saddle bags and tried everything. And now, after just three months of Pilates, they’re gone.”
“I can feel the tension releasing from my back—it’s like I’ve been wearing a tight bra, and someone suddenly unfastened it.”
“It’s unbelievable, but after just my first Pilates session, I felt taller and more upright when leaving the studio.”
“I feel my legs and body so much lighter.”
We at BalanSense Studio are looking forward to welcoming you and sharing these and even more sensations with you.
