Nearly a century ago, German-born Joseph Pilates brought to America an exercise form based on the Greek ideal of balancing body, mind, and spirit. Today, the workout, which involves strength and flexibility moves tied to breath work, is one of the most popular workouts in the country; it was the most-booked class type in 2023, according to the ClassPass Look Back Report.
Safe for almost everyone to do, Pilates comes in all sorts of formats, from straightforward mat classes to variations on the classic. Here’s a look at several conventional and innovative types.
Mat
All you need for a mat class is, well, a mat. Expect to perform about 50 moves that Pilates developed and that serve as the foundation for modern modifications. One of the best-known mat exercises is The Hundred. To do it, lie on your back, and float your head, neck, shoulders, and legs off the mat. While drawing your lower back and abs toward the mat, pump your arms, palms-down, toward the mat while following a specific breathing pattern: inhale and pump five times, then exhale and pump five times. Repeat until you’ve completed 100 pumps. You can find mat Pilates classes at big-box gyms and boutique studios, such as Club Pilates, one of the world’s largest fitness chains. It has Northern Virginia locations in Alexandria, Arlington, Ashburn, Bristow Burke, Fairfax, Falls Church, Herndon, Lorton, Oakton, Reston, Stafford, Sterling, Vienna, and Woodbridge.
Reformer
Another common type of Pilates is reformer, which uses a machine to provide a full-body workout. The device is made of a platform on wheels (the carriage) that moves with you, stretchy cords, and adjustable springs that create resistance as work your muscles. The goal is to increase muscle tone and strength and improve posture, balance, and flexibility. Many gyms provide reformer classes as an option. For instance, at Fairfax Pilates (10381 Main St., Fairfax), class sizes are small so that instructors can help personalize the workout based on participants’ needs.
Tower
This form of Pilates uses a fixed vertical frame (hence, tower) that has attachments such as springs, bars, and loops. It’s often attached to a reformer, but it can also be used with a mat. One benefit is that the tower provides a more stable surface than the reformer. An example of an exercise that can be done with the tower is side leg lifts. Lying on one side, put a foot through one of the attached loops and lift the leg up and then pull down. The resistance from the band the loop is attached to builds strength. But Pilates offers many more benefits, according to Loudoun Pilates (36 Catoctin Cir., Leesburg), which offers 55-minute tower classes for up to four students. The exercise helps reduce chronic pain, relieve stress, and promote injury rehabilitation.
Jumpboard
A jumpboard is a padded board at one end of a reformer that you can use to jump on while lying down. As you push off it with your feet, the reformer springs stretch and pull you back toward the board. It’s a way to add cardio while keeping the workout low impact. For example, pushing off and landing the jumps while horizontal, rather than standing, takes considerable load off your joints and feet. Sculp’d+ Pilates (1103 Queen St., Alexandria) advertises its jumpboard class as an “all-over workout [that] pushes your glutes, quads and abs into overtime.” Expect to perform slow, controlled movements intermixed with the plyometric jumps.
YogaLates
Although they’re often confused, yoga and Pilates are not the same. Although both are low impact, Pilates is more about strengthening the core, while yoga is more spiritual and meditative. It also tends to be more about holding poses statistically, whereas Pilates has more dynamic movement. Still, they make a good pair, which is why Fort Hunt Pilates (7954 Fort Hunt Rd., Alexandria) offers a 50-minute hybrid class that is half reformer-based for strength and half yoga for deep stretching and relaxation.
Specialty Pilates
Some boutique gym owners put their own spin on Pilates. BodyBar Pilates is a chain with a spot in Reston (340 Elden St., Herndon), where the workout focuses on core strength, balance, stamina, and flexibility. It uses a three-pronged approach of muscle endurance training, intensity, and athleticism. Classes include a 40-minute express option in addition to jumpboards and reformers and BodyBar 101 for testing the waters with a mini class. RTR Pilates, which has locations in Great Falls, McLean, and Vienna, touts the RTR Method, which it says is a science-based approach using reformers and circuit classes that are peppered with cardio segments. Hotworx is a nationwide chain with locations in Aldie, Ashburn, Chantilly, Herndon, Leesburg, and Vienna that offers mat-based Hot Pilates. Up to three participants set up their mats inside a patented sauna and watch a virtual instructor walk them through the 30-minute class.
Feature image courtesy Loudoun Pilates
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