The Essence of Pilates

MARY
2 days ago
6 min read

Hello everyone, I’m Mary, your instructor.

Today, I’d like to share my personal thoughts on what lies beyond mastering Pilates and what Pilates truly means to me.

When I first experienced Pilates, it hadn't yet spread to the mainstream as the authentic practice we see today. Only a handful of people knew about it, and even they often misunderstood it as "just another form of yoga." That was about 16 or 17 years ago. Of course, even back then, there were people importing the equipment (machines) and practicing it seriously, but public awareness was still very low.

However, over the last few years, I’ve watched Pilates explode in popularity. Now, even those who don’t exercise regularly have at least heard the name. Yet, I still occasionally hear people ask, "What exactly is Pilates?" or "How is it different from yoga?" While it has become widely recognized, it feels like those who understand its true essence are still few and far between.

But I suppose that makes sense. For something to become a trend, it needs a simple, easy-to-grasp image. In reality, however, Pilates is a highly intellectual exercise. (You might have noticed that the machines at the studio actually have the words “Intelligent Exercise” printed right on them!)

It is defined not just as a workout, but as a discipline—an academic study where the deeper you dive, the more profound it becomes and the more realizations you encounter. It’s not something simple enough to sum up in a single sentence. Through years of practice, your understanding gradually deepens, and just when you think you’ve finally grasped it, you are constantly amazed by its sheer depth.

If I were to describe that depth in my own words, I believe it’s because Pilates thoroughly explores the very essence of human existence—the act of "living."

Think about it for a moment. From the second we are born, we live our lives almost on "autopilot." Everything happens without us even thinking about it. In the very beginning, there must have been a period of "conscious effort," but before we knew it, we learned to walk, grab objects, and move our bodies exactly as we intended. Even before that, from our very first breath, we were breathing automatically. We inhale and exhale naturally.

Moving our bodies and maintaining life—almost all of it happens unconsciously. When we are children, our bodies undergo constant changes through growth, making it easier to stay aware of them. But as we age, our consciousness drifts further and further away from our physical selves. And as this detachment progresses, we gradually lose sensation in the parts we neglect.

"Use it or lose it."

To optimize energy efficiency, the brain is wired to prune neural pathways (synapses) that aren’t being used. We live our lives moving unconsciously, never bothering to mindfully control the finer details of our bodies. Not being conscious of these parts means we aren't using the neural pathways that send commands to them. Unused pathways are cut. As a result, even though it’s your own body, you find yourself unable to move those neglected areas freely.

This might sound like an exaggeration, but it’s not unusual at all—it happens to everyone.

And this is exactly where Pilates steps in. In any other workout, do you ever focus on something as specific as, say, "consciously contracting just the joints between your pinky toes"? In Pilates, we often give cues to bring awareness to these microscopic details, which is something you rarely experience anywhere else.

By bringing awareness to such isolated areas, we reconnect those severed neural pathways and work to regain control. I believe that what happens inside the body during this process is very close to a baby’s developmental journey. The process of building a body for living, which has happened automatically since birth, is re-enacted within the body, piece by piece.

In doing so, you begin to feel your breath from the inside out. You feel your muscles, your bones, and the connections between them—both locally and as a whole. You begin to perceive your body from within through pure sensation.

It’s almost like a process of re-mapping and reconnecting with your physical self. You recognize, you become aware, and you "reclaim" control. You once again take hold of the "freedom" to move exactly as you wish, and in doing so, you "return to your own life." It feels like a continuous loop of this beautiful process.

The title of the book written by Joseph H. Pilates, the founder of the method—Return to Life Through Contrology—perfectly captures this concept of "returning to life through the study of control." I always keep his words in mind while teaching, constantly thinking, “Yes, that is exactly what this is.”

Note on "Contrology": Mr. Pilates originally named his systematic method of breathing and exercise "Contrology." Rather than just moving the body reflectively, he coined this term to define it as a "study of control"—a discipline to completely govern the body with one's own consciousness and will, thereby achieving a strong body, mind, and spirit. His students affectionately called him "Uncle Joe," and over time, the name "Pilates" naturally became the more widely recognized term.

"Becoming conscious, reclaiming physical sensation, and finding more comfort"—it doesn't stop there.

Bringing awareness to the body from the inside out is incredibly difficult. Looking in a mirror to correct your alignment (the posture of your skeleton) is one thing, but replicating it accurately without looking is far more challenging. You have to recognize the position, distance, and angle from the inside, down to the millimeter, and adjust the subtle differences. It requires incredibly sharp focus and sensory awareness.

To do this, there is no room to think about anything else. Sometimes, you might be so focused that you hear the instructor's cues but don't fully register them. And that is perfectly fine. In fact, I encourage you to immerse yourself in that sensation completely.

This state is a form of meditation that goes even deeper than simply focusing on the breath. When there is no room for outside thoughts and your mind is locked onto a single point within yourself, it becomes a profound moment of "awareness." Strengthening this connection with yourself isn’t just happening in your body and nerves; it’s also strengthening the bond between your mind, spirit, and physical body.

After finishing a Pilates session, along with a sense of lightness in your body and mind, do you ever feel like "you are walking your own path with your own two feet"?

You might feel a stronger sense of your true self, your mind becomes clearer, and you might experience intuitive insights. Or perhaps ideas spark, giving you the vitality to actually take action. It’s the feeling of gaining physical freedom, deepening the connection with your mind and spirit, and returning to "living authentically as yourself."

To me, Pilates is a time to repeat this beautiful cycle over and over again—it is my time for grounding, for planting my feet firmly on the earth. It makes me feel, "I am here, right now. I am alive," and gives me the energy to say, "Alright, let's do this! ＾＾"

The details of the body can be perceived infinitely, and even today, I am still discovering new things about my own body.

After about a year or two of practicing Pilates seriously, what I felt was: "I've developed a healthy, resilient posture, balanced muscle strength, a body free of pain and restriction, and a wider range of motion." But now, nearly ten years later, the feeling of having "reclaimed my original body" is much stronger than it was back then. No matter what I am doing, I can perceive and control the finer details of my body.

It feels as though "I am living my life while fully utilizing my own body." (Of course, I thought I had that feeling before, too, but looking back, it wasn’t complete.) Even now, I find myself thinking, "Wow, my body can still move like this? There was still so much potential." I feel like I’ve reached a realm that couldn't be accessed through any other exercises I practiced before, and beyond that, there may still be more to come.

Furthermore, understanding my body so deeply from the inside has taught me to cherish and take care of myself even more.

It’s not just about becoming healthy. It’s about gaining awareness, using your own body and your own consciousness to live authentically, strongly, and freely. To borrow the words of Mr. Pilates, it is about "returning to life." That is the kind of "Pilates" I want to share with all of you.

I hope to share more deep conversations about Pilates with you all again soon.

*The background of how Pilates was born lies in the rehabilitation of injured soldiers who were prisoners of war. (The prototype of today’s Pilates machines was also born during this time.) After the war, Mr. Pilates moved to the United States, where he earned the immense trust of Broadway dancers, athletes, and performers for their rehabilitation.

"Return to life."

When you imagine Mr. Pilates’ life, the environments where he taught, and the deep passion behind his work, these words feel incredibly profound, don't they?

Thank you so much for reading to the end.