(Please note this blog is written based on my own opinions and experiences of the Pilates industry... many teachers will have their own styles of teaching and opinions but hopefully through this blog I can introduce those who are new to the practice to some of the nuances and differences across the genre. For the purposes of simplicity in this blog, I will not be exploring all the difference "schools" of Pilates that have emerged over the years such as Modern Pilates, Body Control Pilates, STOTT Pilates, BASI Pilates etc etc)
If you are new to the world of Pilates, you may be forgiven for thinking that the term "Pilates" refers to a homogenous style of bodyweight exercises, perhaps with a few props and pieces of equipment thrown in for good measure. However.. you would be wrong! In fact, the term Pilates is nowadays applied to an array of teaching styles, which are derived from the original work of Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century and can mean different thing to different people.
Broadly speaking (and I mean SUPER broadly)... Pilates can be divied into two camps. Fitness Pilates and Classical/Contemporary Pilates.
Fitness Pilates
Fitness Pilates is generally the type of Pilates that you would encounter in a Gym environment, or perhaps in local community classes. These teachers will often come from a fitness background and have taken their training with a fitness industry training provider. This type of Pilates is based on Joe Pilates' original exercises, but allows for them to be heavily modified, adapted and broken down into smaller pieces.
Fitness Pilates classes will often be varied and participants will explore may difference exercises and variations in their classes, often these exercises may deviate substantially from Joe Pilates' original work. The content of the classes will likely change regularly and often teachers will utilise props such as weighted balls and resistence bands to add to the challenge of the exercises. Usually Fitness Pilates classes will be formatted in a way akin to most other exercise classes, i.e warm up/opening phase, main workout/main phase, cool down/closing phase.
Often these classes will be based on Matwork, but some fitness Pilates instructors do train on the Reformer apparatus.
PROS of Fitness Pilates: Classes will be varied and will appeal to those who like constant change and variety of exercises/props
CONS of Fitness Pilates: Can be difficult to progress & advance in this style of class
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Classical/Contemporary Pilates
Now this is where it gets a little more complicated! We have a spectrum here from Classical teachers, through to more Contemporary Pilates teachers.
Classical teachers will generally adhere strictly to Joseph Pilates' original work and the way that he taught the exercises. They will be well versed in the Pilates system, teaching the exercises in the order they were meant to be taught, using specific flows and transitions from one exercise to the other. Modifications will usually be minimal and will stick as closely as possible to Joe's original teachings.
Classical teachers will usually have completed an extensive programme of study and personal practice (12+ months) to understand the entire Pilates system of both matwork and apparatus, and often will be able to trace their lineage back to Joseph Pilates himself. Joe trained his students, who trained their students etc...
These teachers will use only equipment and apparatus designed by Joe and built to his original specifications such as large apparatus like the Reformer, Cadillac and Guillotine, down to smaller apparatus like the Toe Corrector and Magic Circle.
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Contemporary teachers differ slightly from Classical teachers. Often they will also have undertaken an extensive training programme and will be well versed in the entire Pilates system of both mat exercises and apparatus. They will also usually teach the majority of their classes adhering to the system and order of the exercises, but allowing for creativity and modifications along the way.
Contemporary teachers allow for a winder range of modifications to both the system and exercises than Classical teachers and will generally adapt further for individual participants. Certain exercises are taught in a slightly different manner in Contemporary classes and teachers will often be open to using a wider range of props - such as bands/balls etc - in addition to the original Pilates props and apparatus (such as Reformer/Magic Circle).
PROS of Classical/Contemporary Pilates: Progression and advancement is easily achieved by working through the system and developing the strength, mobility & flexibility required to perform the exercises
CONS of Classical/Contemporary Pilates: Some participants may find Classically taught exercises too difficult to master and may find the repetition of the system (i.e exercises taught in the same order) boring
Ultimately it's a case of finding which style works best for you and finding an instructor that you enjoy taking classes with - we're all different & individual, so let's embrace it!
What do you think?
What type of Pilates have you tried and what did you make of it?
Can you think of any other PROS/CONS to add to our lists?
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