“Take your focus off how it looks and focus on how each movement feels.”
I’ve always wanted to be a Pilates girl, but for most of my life, the thought of attending a class filled me with dread. I imagined a room full of incredibly fit, petite women dressed head to toe in picture-perfect nagnatas. A take-no-prisoners instructor and wearing poses and equipment that I’m completely unfamiliar with (in this vision, the instructor and the women in nagnathas are ashamed of their own incompetence).
This crazy vision was enough to scare me from trying Pilates throughout my 20s. But now that I’m 30, more and more of my friends are converting to Pilates and rave about how much stronger, healthier, and more confident they’ve become.
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When fitness and wellness app Keep It Cleaner, founded by Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw, recently invited me to preview their new Begin With Pilates home workout series, a bolt of fear went through me. ran. Will other attendees know more about Pilates than I do? Will they feel uncomfortable in their bodies or realize their activewear isn’t sophisticated enough?
As it turned out, these concerns were unfounded. Before the event, I knew little about Keep It Cleaner’s inclusive, body-positive philosophy, but after hearing Steph talk about setting intentions for what you want your body to look like, feel I felt instantly more at ease than seeing it. What followed was a gentle introductory class with an incredibly gentle and kind instructor, Christina. Pilates made me realize that it doesn’t have to be so scary, it’s just about moving in a way that makes you and your body feel good.
So, for those who have wanted to step into the world of Pilates but have been hesitant, I spoke to Steph about breaking down that barrier. Below, she shares her best advice and tells us what you can expect from Keep It Cleaner’s new beginner program.
What do you think is the biggest barrier preventing people from getting into Pilates?
Pilates has become a trend, but there’s a perception that you need to look a certain way and train a certain way in order to “enter the Pilates era,” which is definitely not the case. Through Keep It Cleaner, she surveyed more than 4,000 women and found that 48% had never tried Pilates or considered themselves beginners. That’s almost half of us. Social media paints a picture of everyone doing Pilates, but if you’re new to Pilates, you’re far from alone.
The majority of beginners (53%) say the cost of Pilates is holding them back. This is totally reasonable considering Reformer Studio classes cost about $30 per class, but there are more affordable and accessible ways to do it. Get your Pilates fix like the Keep It Cleaner app.
One in three beginners say they are held back by ‘not knowing what they’re doing’. They may have tried a Pilates class but felt confused or intimidated because they didn’t understand the terminology or were comparing their form to the person next to them. On top of this, women are becoming more self-conscious about their bodies and fitness levels, and it’s heartbreaking to hear this. Because I strongly believe that Pilates is suitable for all bodies and all fitness levels.
I’m a complete beginner when it comes to Pilates. What advice would you give to someone like me who wants to try it for the first time?
please remember everyone You have to start somewhere. There’s a reason we call it the Pilates practice. It’s not something we immediately know how to do. Be kind to yourself. Like anything else in life, learning new skills takes time. Take your focus off of what it “looks like” and focus on how each movement feels. Lower your expectations, remove judgment, and just give it a try. You will be surprised at what you are capable of.
What kind of effects can I expect from doing Pilates regularly?
Pilates is incredibly effective for your body and mind. From a physical standpoint, it can improve core strength, flexibility, balance, and posture. If you’re a runner, Pilates is a great way to strengthen your glutes and reduce injuries. To support his training, he recommends incorporating one or two Pilates classes a week.
The physical benefits are important, but for me it’s the mental benefits. It’s all about the mind-body connection. Pilates requires you to move consciously during every exercise, focusing on your breathing. This means you can shift your focus from your busy brain to your body, which reduces stress.10-15 minutes of focused Pilates in front of Harvey will give you mental clarity [Steph’s son] Waking up makes a huge difference to my day.
Can you tell us about Keep It Cleaner’s new Begin With Pilates series? What can people expect from it and what inspired you to create it?
Begin With Pilates is a 14-step guided series by beautiful Pilates instructor Christina. We strip that away and start from scratch, so it’s perfect for people who have never tried Pilates before or who want to rebuild their strength after some time off. You’ll learn something new with every 5-20 minute workout, and by the end of the series you’ll feel confident with common Pilates movements, terminology, form, and breathing techniques.
Speaking to the Keep It Cleaner community, for many people, getting started is the most difficult part of their fitness journey, so the idea of this series is to break down this barrier. If you think about it, we all celebrate the finish line when we run our first 5km or complete a Pilates challenge, but in reality, getting started is the hardest part, and we I believe it’s worth celebrating.
Learn more about Keep It Cleaner’s range of Pilates classes here.
