Pilates - a modality I can always rely on

 

2025—what a chaotic year. It was filled with many unknowns and dysfunctional world politics. It was also the year I turned 40. Quite a milestone. While reflecting, I thought about my first Pilates instructor, who was certified the decade I was born. During one of her lectures, she told us Pilates is not a fad and it will stand the test of time. At the time, I had no idea if she really meant it; but, that statement has stuck with me since.

 

Back in 2020, during the Coronavirus pandemic, I recall reading about Joseph Pilates teaching Pilates while dealing with the Spanish Flu. I read about Mr. Pilates fleeing Germany in the aftermath of World War I. His method even withstood the Great Depression. The method continued to grow and was with him until his death in 1967. It is still alive today.
 

Why is his method still alive and thriving? As I turned 40, I finally understood why. I am aging, I am the oldest I have ever been, and yet I feel the strongest, most agile I have ever felt. Pilates has done that.

 

After going through physical therapy last year for lower back pain, I thought I was a failure. A Pilates instructor with 18 years experience and back pain? I felt like an impostor. I needed to learn more about where my pain was stemming from and how to treat the dysfunction and not just the symptoms. I worked hard focusing on myself and listening to my body. While teaching I listened to my clients, made notes and discoveries about their bodies, and saw many similarities with myself.

 

This year I attended Pilates seminars in a different country, read books regarding the Classical Pilates method, and learned about Mr. Pilates’ intentions with each exercise. I not only studied but practiced the method on my body almost everyday. I felt the change within. Today, my back is as strong as ever. My abs are as supportive as ever. The Pilates method, machines, and props all helped my body along the way.

 

I have so much more of an appreciation for the Mermaid exercise on the Reformer at this age. My hips and lower back thank me every time I perform it. As I grow older my body continues to feel the goodness of each and every exercise. The Pilates method is over 100 years old. It keeps evolving, but the exercises are still the same. It will be around long after I no longer am. And as long as we keep teaching it and keep performing it, the method will continue to stay alive.