“Snatched waist,” “flat stomach” and “hourglass figure” are some of the many ridiculous names these so-called pilates influencers have titled their workout videos. They claim you’ll see significant results by doing a 10-minute workout, with some even advertising that you can do them in your pajamas.
But that’s just not the case.
Pilates is far more than cute outfits, pink yoga mats and aesthetic workout videos. It’s not just for girls who are already on the skinnier side, due to a fast metabolism, genetics or intense dieting, either. And it’s certainly not just for people who want to appear perfect, rather than making physical progress with their exercise. So don’t let these princesses fool you.
Pilates was invented by Joseph Hubertis Pilates over 100 years ago as a means for strength training and recovery for wounded soldiers in World War I. He set out to develop a new approach for muscle conditioning. One of his ideas was to attach springs to hospital beds, which led to the creation of the modern pilates reformer.
That being said, pilates isn’t a recent development. It has been around for a century, and yet it has only become popular in recent years.
I personally love pilates — I loved it before it was a trend. I used pilates in the way it was originally intended to be used — as a supplement to build a healthy relationship with exercise and my body. The more experience I gain, the more educated I become on how to do it properly, and the more I realize people try pilates because of the false assumptions around it. These assumptions are due to influencers who are just straight-up fake.
To put it simply, you cannot get lean, toned or skinny just by doing pilates like the influencers claim, especially not by following workouts that are barely 10 minutes long. Behind the scenes, many of them are dieting and doing additional exercises. Not only that, but some of these princesses aren’t pilates certified (yes, you need to be certified in order to teach pilates), meaning their exercises can hurt more than help.
It’s extremely important to have correct form, technique and breath work for pilates to actually be effective. In many of the pilates princess videos found on YouTube, there are no cues or voice overs instructing you on how to breathe or how to have correct form, which can cause you to strain your muscles, with no physical results or “hourglass figure” achieved.
Additionally, while I definitely support women creating a safe environment to work out, I fear that presenting pilates as a workout for princesses turns men away from trying it, despite its origins. They may even discredit it and underestimate its importance.
Pilates can be a challenge when done right. At times, it makes my body sweat, burn and shake. The way I look after I take a class is not aesthetic — but that’s how it’s supposed to be. So while it’s okay to wear a cute pink outfit to a pilates class, realize it’s an incredible way to strength train, and there shouldn’t be a specific gender assigned to it. It’s for anyone and everyone — from broke college students taking a free class, to the older generation trying to keep their strength and mobility. Just make sure your instructor knows what they’re doing.
You won’t get an hourglass figure after doing a 10-minute workout. It’s a process. So keep in mind the core principles of what pilates is really about, and always remember that it’s about progress, not perfection.
