At Fitness By Design, one of the fitness programs we are most passionate about is Pilates. Our team has extensive experience in doing and teaching Pilates, and we have experienced its many benefits first-hand. Over the years, we have encountered a lot of misconceptions about Pilates as well, and we want to help set the record straight. In this article, we will go over a few of the most common myths about Pilates and replace them with accurate information.
- Myth #1: Pilates is only for girls- One misconception about Pilates is that this workout is only for women. This is absolutely not the case, as Pilates offers benefits for everyone, regardless of gender. In fact, the program was invented by the boxer Joseph Pilates, and it was originally more popular with men than women. Later, the technique became common as a method of conditioning for dancers, which led to the changes in its perception. Currently, Pilates is on the rise with male athletes once more, as it has been incorporated into many rehabilitation and injury prevention programs.
- Myth #2: You have to be really flexible to do Pilates– While you may have seen some photos of people doing Pilates with their legs over their head or in other positions you know you couldn’t reach, these images do not represent a beginner! Pilates can be catered to any flexibility level, and you will see improvements in that area as you practice.
- Myth #3: Pilates is easy- Some people think Pilates is just a fancy form of stretching, but it’s much more than that. Pilates really works up a sweat and activates nearly every muscle in your body, including deep ones that you may not even know you have. We think if you give it a try, you’ll realize how great (and difficult) of a workout it really is!