What Is Pilates? Understanding the Method, Equipment & Benefits

Pilates is more than a fitness trend. It's a science-backed movement system designed to strengthen your core, improve posture, reduce pain, and help you move better in everyday life.

At Reforming You, I specialize in contemporary Pilates reformer training, focusing on injury recovery, postural realignment, and overall wellness. Whether you're new to Pilates or looking to deepen your understanding, this guide will walk you through:

• The difference between classical and contemporary Pilates

• The different types of Pilates equipment available

• How postural analysis and alignment improve results and reduce pain

What Is Pilates?

Developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, Pilates is a system of exercises that strengthens your deep core muscles, improves mobility, and teaches mindful movement. You can practice it on a mat or specialized equipment that adds resistance, challenge, and support.

Pilates reformer exercise with vertical frame.

How does Pilates differ from other exercise programs?

The body has slow-twitch (type I) muscle fibers called level 1 muscles. These muscles are characterized by their endurance and ability to sustain activity over long periods without fatigue. They use oxygen efficiently to produce energy. Their primary function is to provide postural support and stabilize the body during low-intensity, sustained movements.

• Level 1 muscles maintain posture and include specific muscles of the lower back, core, and legs, which need to stay active for prolonged periods to support the body

• These muscles contract more slowly and with less force than fast-twitch muscles, but can sustain activity for much longer

• They are essential for activities like standing, walking, and performing controlled, slow movement exercises such as Pilates, where maintaining core activation and stability is key

Pilates activates these deep stabilizing muscles to build a strong "powerhouse" - the core muscles around the abdomen, lower back, and pelvis that support movement and alignment. Pilates typically involves simplified movements that focus on control, form, and breathing, sometimes using supporting equipment to strengthen these muscles without strain.

Activation of Level 1 muscles in Pilates relies heavily on precise neuromuscular engagement techniques, such as breath control, pelvic positioning, and mindful movement, which sets it apart from other exercise programs. Here are key ways these muscles are activated.

• Breath is foundational: Pilates uses diaphragmatic (lateral rib and belly) breathing, which facilitates activation of the deep core muscles like the transverse abdominis and pelvic floor. Controlled exhalation helps engage these muscles reflexively, supporting spinal stability

• The coordination of breath with movement ensures the "powerhouse" muscles are turned on before performing limb movements or transitions, maintaining postural control

Pelvic and Trunk Control

• Changes in pelvic tilt (posterior tilt, neutral, or anterior tilt) significantly affect which stabilizing muscles engage. Exercises that vary pelvic positioning (e.g., knee-stretch variations on the reformer) activate the multifidus and internal obliques more strongly when performed with a neutral pelvis

Controlled breathing reflexively recruits deep stabilizers, while variations in pelvic posture fine-tune which muscles fire most. Hands-on techniques or cues enhance brain-to-muscle communication, restoring or enhancing recruitment for functional movement and injury prevention.

Classical vs. Contemporary Pilates

There are two main styles of Pilates commonly practiced today:

Classical Pilates

• Follows Joseph Pilates' original sequence and techniques

• Uses traditional equipment (like Gratz reformers)

• Some Certification Programs: Power Pilates, Peak Pilates, Classical Pilates USA, Romana's Pilates

Contemporary Pilates

• Also follows Joseph Pilates, but incorporates modern biomechanics

• Exercises are adapted for injuries, mobility needs, and daily function

• Offers more variety and flexibility

• Uses upgraded equipment with enhanced functionality

• Some Certification Programs: STOTT, Balanced Body, Polestar, Basi

Some Pilates studio owners create their own Pilates certification program based on their own teachings. If you bounce around from one studio to another and notice differences in teaching techniques, this may be why.

At Reforming You, I teach contemporary Pilates with a focus on injury prevention, fixing muscular imbalances, and improving functional fitness. Interested in learning more about the techniques of Joseph Pilates and how they evolved to where we are today? Check out the book, The Caged Lion, by John Howard Steel.

It's an interesting read.

Pilates Equipment

Pilates equipment adds resistance and feedback, improving alignment and control. Here is the equipment most used in Pilates studios. Many of the same exercises can be performed on each.

Reformer

A carriage that moves on tracks with adjustable springs for resistance. Great for full-body workouts, core strength, and flexibility. Add a jump board or cardio trampoline and you also do cardiovascular workouts.

Cadillac (Trapeze Table)

Offers bars and springs for spinal decompression, mobility work, and advanced rehab exercises.

Chair

A small but mighty machine that builds strength and balance with minimal space.

Spine Corrector & Arc Barrel

Support tools used to enhance spinal mobility, stretch tight muscles, and activate deep core stabilizers.

What Is Postural Analysis in Pilates?

Before we begin a private Pilates program, I assess your posture to identify any imbalances or misalignments, including:

• Shoulder height and rotation

• Spinal curves (lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis)

• Pelvic tilt or rotation

• Knee and ankle alignment

• Core engagement patterns

Why this matters: Imbalances can limit movement and, in some cases, lead to pain. Once imbalances are identified, the goal is to strengthen the weaker areas of your body that contribute to the imbalance. Creating proper alignment leads to efficient movement.

Who Can Benefit from Pilates?

Everyone can benefit from Pilates. I tell my clients that Pilates is the basis for proper movement and correct form. Once you become proficient at it, you can apply the basic principles to any exercise, significantly reducing the risk of injury. I see many people at the gym working out with their trainers or in a class where their form is terrible and no corrections are made to improve it. This could lead to injury. If you know what proper form is, you can ensure you're moving efficiently on your own.

Most of my clients find Pilates beneficial in some way. Even those with trainers still make time for a Pilates class. My personal journey involved multiple disc herniations in my lower back. One was so severe that it caused a dropped foot, rendering it without feeling or function. After back surgery, my physical therapist referred me to Pilates and recommended I stick with STOTT certified instructors. I did just that, and my herniations stopped. The benefits were so profound that I will be doing Pilates for life.

Pilates is ideal for:

• Anyone recovering from injuries or surgery

• Anyone with chronic muscle or joint pain

• Beginners looking for a new exercise program that promotes strength and flexibility

• Athletes seeking core stability and joint control

• Anyone looking to improve balance and move with more confidence and control

• Anyone looking to improve their posture

Tips to Consider in Pilates...

• If you attend a reformer class with more than five students, you won't likely get the personal attention that you are paying for.

• Pilates is a combination of strength, flexibility, and coordination. A heavier weight doesn't necessarily indicate a more advanced movement like it would in other exercise programs. In Pilates, the more advanced the movement, the more muscle groups it involves and the harder it is to stabilize. More coordination is often required as well.

• Your instructor should cue breath for every movement. It is one of the most essential principles of Pilates, and if done correctly, it improves strength, control, and efficiency of movement.

• You should never feel pain when doing Pilates. If you do, then stop the movement. There is always the option to drop the weight to a lighter spring. If the spring weight is too heavy, you won't likely be moving with proper alignment.

• Your Pilates instructor should be certified to teach Pilates. There is no shame in asking your instructor which program he/she is accredited through. A reputable program involves complete anatomy training and a written exam.

Let's Reform Your Body, From the Core

At Reforming You, you'll receive personalized Pilates instruction that focuses on postural realignment, functional movement, and long-term strength and flexibility.

🗓 Book a private session today to get started.

📩 Email: Melissa@ReformingYou.com

🌐 Learn more: www.ReformingYou.com

Final Thought

Pilates isn't just an exercise. It's a tool for transformation. When practiced consistently with a trained instructor, it can help you restore balance, build strength, and feel empowered in your body at any stage of life.