MYTH #1: PILATES IS FOR GIRLS
I find this myth particularly ironic seeing as Pilates was invented by a MAN.
I'm not sure how or why this stigma was created, but I must say that it troubles me. Men especially can benefit so much from Pilates. For instance, I find that a lot of the men I train (and I pride myself on training quite a few) are strong but not free, ie. locked in the shoulders and hips with tight hamstrings. Pilates addresses all of these issues and helps to achieve more
overall fitness, not just brute strength. Muscles are nice, but tightness is not.
MYTH #2: PILATES IS NOT A WORKOUT
I think this generally depends on the instructor. Unfortunately, there are some instructors floating around out there, who guide people through an hour of sleepy time stretching and breathing and call it Pilates. Believe me, I have taken their classes... During my training, an amazing teacher, Ron Speiss, said to me : "Pilates is exercise. It's not physical therapy or rehab. It's not stretching or relaxation. It's exercise, so get your students moving!"
I haven't forgotten this, and keep it in my brain every time I teach. I am not a doctor, I am an exercise instructor. My job is to work people out. Pilates is exercise! For fun, I put together a little list of my favorite
First Class Quotes:"That is the hardest thing I have done in a very long time." -after finishing the Hundred."When you see a class from the outside it doesn't really look like anyone is doing anything... And then you take the class and realize that's not true at all!""I was expecting something much more... Feminine." -a personal favorite which came from a competitive boxer."I'm going to be sore in muscles that I didn't even know I had!"MYTH #3: YOU HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE TO DO PILATES
Pilates is designed to help you gain more flexibility and range of motion, while strengthening your core so you can support that flexibility. If anything LACK of flexibilty is a reason to get into a Pilates class. I'm just sayin...
** Note, I planned to include a pic of a VERY flexible human here, but they all really creeped me out, so I decided against it. Google "flexible" to see for yourself.MYTH #4: YOUR ABS ALREADY HAVE TO BE STRONG TO DO PILATES.
I hear this a lot, "My abs aren't strong enough to do Pilates," and it confuses me so much.
Now, obviously you need a certain amount of strength to do the advanced work, but no one is expecting that you will come into your first class and do a perfect straight leg teaser right out of the gate.
Just like you wouldn't run a marathon the first time you laced up a pair of running shoes... It's a process. Most people have to learn
how to engage- and in some cases even
find- their abdominals before they can start strengthening and sculpting them. But if you still insist on getting strong abs before you take Pilates... I suggest you take Pilates.
MYTH #5: PILATES ONLY WORKS YOUR ABS
It's true that the core of Pilates is the "core" but the idea that it is
only good for the abdominal muscles is crazy. I dare anyone to get on a mat or any of the equipment and
not get a total body workout. The beauty of Pilates is that the abs are ALWAYS working, and supporting the spine during every exercise, which not only leads to a rockin' bod but a healthier and injury free bod as well. What good is lifting heavy weights if you aren't engaging your core and protecting your lower back?
Sure, you may be "working" your arms, but what are you "harming" in the process?
MYTH #6: PILATES IS THE SAME AS YOGA
This is another one I hear a lot. I like to begin my classes by asking if anyone is brand new to Pilates, and inevitably I will get someone who raises their hand and says "I've done Yoga." That's great. Yoga is great! But Yoga is not Pilates. Do they have similarities, yes, but they also have some major differences. This chart from
Pilates Supply does an amazing job of breaking it down:
**I realize the chart may be a tad hard to read, so a larger more legible version can be found here.So next time you feel like using one of these excuses as to why you aren't doing Pilates, you are going to have to think of something else... And then I will debunk that.
Pilates Trainers, New York
