Many people with pelvic pain wonder whether Pilates is helping or hurting their symptoms. This post looks at when Pilates can be supportive, when it can feel challenging, and why intention and cueing matter.

Bone health depends on how bones are loaded, not just how much we move. Weighted vests may increase effort but often don’t provide enough stimulus to build new bone. Strength training remains the most effective approach. That said, long-term Pilates participation may still positively influence bone density for individuals who don’t feel safe or comfortable with traditional lifting.

A sustainable movement practice isn’t about doing more—it’s about finding the right balance. Between tension and ease. Precision and play. Challenge and compassion. In this post, we explore how tuning into your body’s unique needs helps you build consistency without burnout.

After a “brief” hiatus, we are back to wrap up this series on the “why’s” of Pilates, finishing with... Performance. Pilates is a movement retraining system and has sport-specific applications for improving motor control and mobility. If you are a golfer, you might spend time on asymmetrical, crossbody movements that target rib and pelvic synchrony and dissociation to improve trunk control during your swing. If you are an Olympic weightlifter, you might practice slow, control

Many people have the perception that only tall, slender folks participate in Pilates. But often this image is perpetuated by… 4. Postural Corrections …that develop from practicing Pilates. When clients tell me that their primary goal for their Pilates practice is weight loss, I have to be honest and explain that Pilates is probably not the most direct route to decreasing body mass. Building lean muscle mass through resistance or weight training and aerobic exercises may be mo

Let's suppose you are looking for a way to maintain your current level of function and promote your overall physical... 3. Wellness For some, Pilates will serve as a means of sustaining gains made in physical therapy to manage chronic pain or prevent declines in function. Perhaps you have a degenerative neurological condition and are looking for a safe way to exercise and prevent further loss of mobility and strength between physical therapy episodes of care. Or perhaps you h

We talked about using Pilates for the purposes of rehabilitation, but what other reasons are there to practice Pilates? How about… 2. Fitness Pilates can be applied in a fitness context for individuals looking for a form of exercise to increase endurance, strength, and mobility. Pilates may become the primary form of physical activity for some people and that is wonderful! There are plenty of exercises and flows in Pilates for advanced movers to strive toward and polish for a

Last post we discussed who is appropriate for a Pilates practice, but... How can you access Pilates? Pilates instruction is available in virtual and live studios. Mat classes can often be accessed through online platforms that increase their accessibility for home practice, just like yoga. If you have equipment, there are apps like Pilates Anytime that offer virtual equipment classes as well; however, Pilates equipment is prohibitively expensive for dabbling. It also requires

Last time we discussed what Pilates is. Now let’s address the question: Who is it “for”? I prefer the question, who can it help? Perhaps your goal is to get out of a chair with less assistance or run a 5k after delivering a baby— maybe you want to increase your hip mobility to polish your rock climbing technique, or maybe you just love the performance of Pilates itself and want to enhance your skill. Perhaps you are looking to increase your fitness level and find a sustainabl

What do you think when you hear the word “Pilates?” In my time teaching Pilates and working with patients as a physical therapist, I have been exposed to so many different perceptions of Pilates. In fact, many of the beliefs regarding Pilates from people who have never tried it before have led me to believe that Pilates needs to hire a new PR representative. I, myself, held some of these notions before practicing Pilates and then completing my instructor training. Thoughts li