Whenever you hear celebrities talk about their favorite workouts, it’s almost always Pilates. Lately, social media is filled with natural photos of A-listers coming out of reformer studios or moving through stretching workouts. Pilates seems to be the secret to their endless energy, and I definitely need more Pilates.
Pilates has been around for decades, but it’s officially the go-to workout for anyone looking for a low-impact, comprehensive routine. We all know that Pilates not only works every muscle, it also improves flexibility, improves posture, and leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Olivia Rodrigo, Chrissy Teigen, Shay Mitchell, Elle Fanning, and Zooey Deschanel, in particular, are all fans of Spier Pilates, so we wanted to find out what the secrets are.
Studio co-founder Andrea Spear says people are moving away from appearance-focused workouts and towards what she calls “wellness workouts” — exercise that makes you feel good both physically and mentally — and she keeps this in mind when designing routines.
I decided to try out her class for a week, and keep scrolling for my honest review of the celeb-loved Speir Pilates workout.
Spear Pilates Workout
Spear founded her eponymous Pilates studio with Liz Polk in 2015. There are now two studios in Los Angeles, offering upbeat music-based workouts and power Pilates options on the Pilates Reformer machine. If you’re not near one, there’s also an on-demand platform. There are over 350 workouts you can do at home on your mat, your own reformer, or with your Pilates tools. Unlike the studios, digital memberships give you access to reformer workouts, mat Pilates, barre, and strength training, ensuring a well-rounded program.
Spear was originally trained in classical Pilates, but later went on to gain certifications in dance cardio, ballet barre, personal training, spin, and more, and when she created her own studio, she took all of her favorite elements from each of her workout styles and fused them together: think muscle-isolating barre movements, a spirited teaching style, and dumbbell-focused strength training routines.
In-person workouts are 50 minutes long, while on-demand sessions range from five to 60. Speir says the online platform offers a variety of routines with specific goals in mind, with videos to help strengthen your core and glutes, improve flexibility and increase energy, with new workouts released every Sunday.
The program is streamed online and can also be viewed via apps on iPhone, Android, Apple TV and Roku. The on-demand platform costs $30 per month, and if you want to use the equipment as well, you can purchase Pilates tools like weights, bands and bungees on Speir’s website.
My experience
Since I’m not in Los Angeles, I decided to try out an on-demand class from the comfort of my own apartment, and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of content they offered. After scrolling through the various workout options, like an 11-minute dumbbell arm sculpt video and a 45-minute pilates and barre, my eye was caught by a 20-minute glute workout, my favorite targeted muscle.
The class was a series of banded butt-burning moves, starting with a round of glute bridges, Pilates-style, with quick up-and-down pulsations. We did a classic bridge, then adjusted our foot positions to target the glute muscles and keep pulsing, all without a break. We then moved into table top pose, where we were asked to kick our legs, rotate our legs, and do more pulsations. very burn.
Throughout the workout, Speer reminded me to quickly scan my body to make sure my posture was correct so I could get the most out of each movement. I was in a very hunched position most of the time, so it was nice to have a reminder to get my posture right.
She also shared some helpful tips, like stretching your arms high up towards the ceiling whenever you need to pull yourself out of a slump, as a way to realign your energy and posture.
For my next workout, I did 50 minutes of Band Tone, a full-body workout using looped resistance bands. Speir showed me club walks and other lower-body exercises, as well as rowing and upper-body exercises using the bands. Using the bands was a good way to simulate the deep stretches and muscle activation that occur on the Reformer.
If you’ve ever wondered whether mat Pilates is worth it, here’s the answer: According to Speir, it’s actually more difficult to perform Pilates exercises on the floor than on a reformer.[On the mat] “The Reformer guides your mind and doesn’t distract you from the burn, so you really feel the benefits,” she says.
Another day, I wanted to try something other than Pilates, so I signed up for a dance-inspired ballet-inspired workout taught by Speir’s three other instructors. Swinging my arms and bouncing around got my heart rate up and it was challenging, but fun, too. It was a nice change of pace from the glute- and ab-workouts I’d been doing on the mat.
verdict
If I’m ever in LA, I’ll make sure to stop by Speir’s studio, but with his online workouts, I don’t even need to. I understand why people are gravitating towards these routines — they’re fun, they’re effective, and Speir himself is such a great instructor.
I also love being able to feel all the little muscles in my body working, which is ultimately why people who do Pilates get stronger. Whether you do it on the mat or reformer, Pilates is all about consistency, and once you stick with it, you’ll understand why it’s so popular.
Referenced studies:
Kim, BI. (2014). Analysis of muscle activity in healthy women during Pilates exercises in prone position. J Phys Ther Sci. doi: 10.1589/jpts.26.77.
Lopes, JSS. (2019). The effects of elastic and traditional resistance training on muscle strength: a systematic review and meta-analysis. SAGE Open Med. doi: 10.1177/2050312119831116.
Metz, VR. (2021). The effects of Pilates on physical performance, quality of life, and mood in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. J Bodyw Mov Ther. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2021.06.005.
