Thank God I am not in the fitness industry.
I got into a conversation with a studio owner once, in front of an employee. It was awkward to say the least. He was convinced that people came to pilates to get rid of flabby arms while I stood my ground that people came to pilates to restore posture. The by-product may be toned arms but theres much more to it then just repping out on a bunch of equipment. The conversation went on for 30 minutes and nothing he said would change my mind. Not even, “I know more about the marketplace than you do, I have been in the industry longer.” You can ask that employee if you ever run into her in the future -> Once I draw a line in the sand I don’t budge.
I am going to tell you a secret here, if you would like to get toned arms, there’s a much easier and much more inexpensive way to tone your arms. It’s called get a gym membership and body build.
To be honest with you, the Studio owner wasn’t wrong. Most people walked through his doors to tone their arms. He marketed to his clientele all the fitness industry ad words. It was a fitness studio that just happened to have pilates apparatus inside of it. Half the exercises were pilates and the other half were fitness exercises thrown in. Consciously people walked through the doors because they wanted something low impact that toned their bodies but subconsciously they desired to restore their posture. That’s what I taught in my classes they just didn’t know it.
I am convinced that people subconsciously all want to have good posture.
The theory in the fitness industry is all the same but how you apply it is very different. This is why Pilates is different. If you walk into the right studio with the right instructor, they will prove that statement to be true.
Here’s the thing, if you just rep out exercises without addressing muscle imbalances nothing in your body changes. Your range of motion has to be challenged to lengthen to create change. It’s why you see some people at the gym for hours on end while other start and stop every few months without seeing change.
I don’t believe that everyone who goes to the gym cares to restore their posture. They are there for a multitude of reasons. Maybe someone wants big arms or a big chest, maybe even a big butt. That has nothing to do with posture nor does it have anything to do with pilates.
I came to pilates because my body was out of alignment leading to muscle imbalances which for me resulted in pain. I am sure some of the nerves were compressed and I needed to find a way to fix those issues. When the pandemic forced me out of my home studio and into the fitness world I was worried that my beliefs and values would have to change to fit in with the industry. Lucky that the lockdown kept classes small and mostly one on one. I was able to explain and teach pilates the way that it was passed down before everyone and their cat taught pilates.
I am happy to see that there are a ton of people outside enjoying fitness in one way or another, staying active and going after their goals.
I am even happier that I am not in the fitness industry.
I am in the pilates industry and I am not in just the pilates industry but a niche part of it that is focused on re-storing peoples posture.