I’m sorry, I can’t go out tonight, I booked myself a 6 A.M. pilates class tomorrow.
The girls, and the guys too, have found the new, hottest club in town–and you won’t feel terrible the next morning! Rather than late nights of downing shots and making memories that won’t be remembered, a shift is occurring among young people. Preference is starting to be held for early mornings of pilates classes and exercise that will be repeated, and movement that makes us feel good. This is not the death of drinking and party culture altogether, or any shade towards those who prefer the martini bar over the green juice cafe. Trust me, we all love a night out on the town. However, while we are still holding space for our crazy nights, we are seeing more individuals making room for our personal fitness and health at the same time.
Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise that focuses on the mind-body connection and builds core strength, flexibility, and control over our movements. There are multiple different forms of the practice, including mat pilates, focusing on body-weight movements, and reformer pilates, which utilizes machine-based resistance. Pilates clubs have been springing up everywhere in recent years, both franchises like Club Pilates or individually-owned studios. We can also practice pilates at home, as instructors have started to post routines on YouTube that require little to no equipment needed. Within pilates, we are moving our bodies, soothing our souls, and even building a community with those who also attend the studio.
We have had fitness classes forever, so why is pilates such a big hit among young people today? Within the modern world of wellness, we have started to prioritize more gentle, mindful movements when it comes to exercising. Instead of high intensity workouts, like HITT, or intense strength training regimens, individuals are starting to move towards workouts that promote mindfulness and that are not as straining on our bodies. Pilates combines these two elements and creates the perfect exercise form for those desiring a lower intensity within their personal fitness worlds. The practice is sustainable for long-term routines, as it works to strengthen our muscles and flexibility in a more gentle manner. We can rely on pilates to continuously provide us with the same benefits after years of practice as it did in our first couple months.
Not only can pilates be sustainable for long-term practice and protect our bodies from high-strain workouts, but the practice is accessible and adjustable for all individuals. Many workout styles that have been popular through the years, like CrossFit or circuit training, are not methods suitable for everybody. Some people cannot move their bodies as intensely or feel their age may get in the way of exercising properly. However, pilates can be adjustable for all the issues and barriers life brings along. Equipment can be adapted for different situations, and modifications can be made to make the practice as simple or gentle as necessary. Many studios also cater to certain common circumstances, such as providing classes for elderly, pregnant, and injury-recovering individuals. Pilates is a practice for everyone, despite what we may be going through.
We are drawn to pilates studios for movement, for feeling comfortable in our own skin, but also to build a community not centered around the nightlife scene. While we occasionally meet wonderful people at the clubs and bars, we can be certain that those we form connections with in the studio will be beneficial to our lives. Everyone has their own goal, whether it be strength or forming a deeper mind-body connection with ourselves, but the common denominator is our shared desire to show up. To treat our bodies with the kindness it deserves, and movement that makes us fall in love with exercise, not break up with the gym.
In a world that makes us feel like we have to be one or the other–a fitness guru or a party girl–the beauty in pilates and fitness studios is we can do both, despite what anyone may think. We can book our 6 A.M. classes, but still have fun with our friends the night before. Balance is practiced in a pilates class, and that same balance can be applied to our real lives. Pilates may be the new nightlife for some, and it may be the way we relieve our anxieties the morning after one too many drinks. Whatever the case may be, your Friday can be your classic nightlife, and your Saturday morning can be your new nightlife–the pilates studio.
