Political Movements within Pilates: Fitness Pilates
Fitness Pilates emerges as a distinctly modern interpretation within the Contemporary Pilates landscape, prioritising general fitness outcomes while maintaining a more relaxed adherence to the traditional Pilates principles. This movement reflects the evolving desires of the contemporary fitness community, seeking to blend the foundational aspects of Pilates with broader fitness goals. Fitness Pilates, in essence, offers a gateway to the discipline for those more accustomed to the dynamic pace of modern exercise trends, making Pilates accessible to a wider audience. Sadly, many Schools teaching fitness Pilates have never gained an understanding of ‘The method’ and see Pilates as Repertoire only and not a distinct ‘mind-body’ deeper approach.
The Fitness Pilates Approach: Bridging Contemporary Pilates and General Fitness
At the heart of Fitness Pilates is the intention to make Pilates more inclusive and adaptable to the fitness enthusiast who may not be drawn to ‘The Method's’ traditional or classical forms. This approach dilutes the strict adherence to Joseph Pilates' original sequences and principles, incorporating a variety of fitness techniques to enhance cardiovascular health, muscular endurance, and flexibility. The practice is to teach groups in larger group exercise classes and instructors are not usually equipped with the knowledge and skills to work one on one on individual client needs with Pilates as the main tool. The result is a hybrid form that retains the scent of Pilates but not the essence of mind-body connection, core strengthening, and flexibility. Because it focuses on the group and not the individual – instructors tend to be more ‘performers’ than practitioners and look to introduce a more vigorous workout pace that appeals to the general fitness community looking to exercise classes for fun and fitness goals.
Apparatus and Adaptability
Fitness Pilates is characterised by its innovative use of fitness accessories to enhance larger Matwork groups and limited use of specific traditional Pilates equipment: usually the Reformer. With the incorporation of modern fitness tools such as resistance bands, hand weights, stability balls, and foam rollers; instructors seek to offer class variations that can cater to different fitness levels and interests. The goal is to create a diverse and engaging workout experience that still nods slightly to the core objectives of Pilates but in a format that nods deeper and resonates with contemporary fitness trends.
Training and Certification
Training programs for Fitness Pilates instructors often have a dual focus, grounding participants in the skeleton basic principles of Pilates while focussing much more on teaching the Repertoire with few regressions of a full exercise and with little understanding of ‘layering’ an exercise using the ‘Pilates method’. Courses for instructors are typically much shorter than in the classical and Contemporary paradigms but they do equip instructors with the basic skills to incorporate recognisable Pilates Repertoire into what might previously have been called Legs Bums & Tums classes. These courses tend to emphasise practical group exercise teaching skills, anatomy, and the development of creative class formats that merge Pilates Repertoire with general fitness concepts. Graduates are typically adept at designing classes that are dynamic, accessible, and appealing to those who might find traditional Pilates too slow-paced or meticulous.
The Debate and Its Implications
The emergence of Fitness Pilates has sparked debate within the Pilates community regarding the dilution of the method's purity and the potential for confusion among practitioners about what Pilates entails. Critics argue that too loose a connection to traditional principles strays too far from Joseph Pilates' original intent to be called Pilates at all. Proponents, however, see Fitness Pilates as an evolution that responds to contemporary needs, making Pilates relevant and appealing to a broader segment of the population.
Impact on the Pilates Community
Fitness Pilates has significantly expanded the reach of Pilates, introducing the discipline to individuals who may not have engaged with it under its more traditional guises. This movement has contributed to the diversification of Pilates practice, offering a variety of entry points into the method. Studios and instructors that offer Fitness Pilates are often seen as bridges between the worlds of conventional fitness and Pilates, attracting a demographic that values both the physical benefits of Pilates and the intensity of a fitness-oriented workout.
Take Away
Fitness Pilates is the embodiment of the fears of the Historical and Classical movements that Contemporary Pilates has been the doorway to the use of the Pilates name without the understanding by instructors in this movement of what Pilates really is. However Fitness Pilates particularly in Leisure Centres, community halls, hotels and health Clubs has led to a much greater awareness of Pilates in the population. Whilst Fitness Pilates might highlight the adaptability of Pilates as a method capable of evolving to meet the diverse needs and interests of modern practitioners. By moving away from ‘The method’ and focusing on the whole of an exercise rather than its component parts with a fitness-forward approach, Fitness Pilates has led to confusion amongst members of the Public about what Pilates truly is.