1. YOU CAN BUILD MUSCLE WITH PILATES. “You need resistance to build muscles. That means, though, that you need to have heavy enough springs. People think Pilates isn’t enough because they don’t know the complete method—they only know the Reformer and the mat. But there are all these other pieces of equipment [that are essential]. I wouldn’t try to make a gourmet dinner in a hot pot in a college dorm, and that’s what I think we try to do when we only work on the Reformer and the mat.”
Six Reasons Pilates People Don’t Need To Do Strength Training Photo Gallery
2. PILATES IS A WHOLE-BODY EXERCISE. “Even if [weight lifters] say they’re working the whole body, they’re actually just focusing on one muscle group. Whereas in Pilates, every exercise is a wholebody workout. We don’t target a muscle group, we target function. The body is a symphony of muscles—we want to get everything front, back and inside working in harmony.”
3. WEIGHT LIFTERS ARE TOO PRONE TO INJURY. “When I first started teaching Pilates, the majority of my clients had injured themselves with weight lifting.”
4. PILATES CAN HELP YOU ACHIEVE ALL OF YOUR FITNESS GOALS. “Pilates is as individual as your DNA. If I’m training a woman who wants to reduce her size or lengthen, I’m not going to have her do the same workout as a boxer or football player who’s trying to build more mass. You have to have a teacher who is well versed enough, so they can apply the method to you and your goals.”
5. BUT YOU CAN’T GET THE DESIRED RESULTS WITHOUT STARTING WITH THE ESSENTIALS. “When I look at someone, the first thing I’m going to ask is, can they stabilize their spine. They have to be able to stabilize it in order to move. If not, I’ll take them to the High Chair to build their stability muscles. [If they don’t learn to stabilize their powerhouse], they’re not going to be able to build the other muscles.”
6.YOU DON’T NEED TO LIFT WEIGHTS TO HAVE A STRONG, LEAN, FLEXIBLE BODY. “I’m 53, and I’ve never touched a weight!”
