Hitting the hundred: The rise, and risks, of ‘fitness’ Pilates

Regardless of the style people choose, they tend to come for similar reasons: whether they are a runner, footy player, or dancer, it improves their performance.

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“It targets all the supporting muscles that they don’t always get to work out,” Bullock says. “Strengthening those teeny muscle groups is really changing their game.”

And, says Smith, for those who don’t enjoy traditional exercise, boutique classes like Pilates can provide a sense of community. “People were sick of being a number [in a gym]. They wanted to be known as a person,” he says.

The research into the effects of Pilates is limited, but there is some evidence it improves flexibility, abdominal and lumbo-pelvic stability and strength.

There is also some evidence personalised programs can provide faster functional recovery in the early stage of rehabilitation as general exercises.

But some industry figures believe the commodification of fitness, including Pilates, has led to a situation where not all instructors are adequately qualified, and larger classes can reduce teachers’ capacity to supervise proper technique.

Sharan Simmons, from the Pilates Alliance of Australasia, says, “because there is no regulation of Pilates, our association is fighting hard to set standards. Currently, Pilates training courses can last from a couple of hours or days to a year. A course with a minimum of 500 hours is needed for an instructor to have a comprehensive understanding of Pilates.”

Lyz Evans, founder of Women In Focus Physiotherapy clinics, adds that, as a physiotherapist, she has become concerned by what she has seen in her practice as “fitness” Pilates has flourished.

Fitness Pilates (as opposed to clinical Pilates, which is usually performed under the supervision of a physiotherapist, or clinical Pilates instructor), which focuses on high reps, and putting the muscle under a moderate load using springs, bands and balls for the entire class, can be great for toning, but can come with issues. If the muscles aren’t put through their full range of motion and given enough time to release and unwind, it can result in glute, hip and lower back tightness and pain, Evans warns.

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It can also lead to extreme tightening of the pelvic floor muscles: “When this occurs in the pelvic floor it is not uncommon that pain with intercourse, pain with tampons, increased pain related to periods, incontinence, and obstructed defecation to commence,” Evans explains.

Andrea Mosler, a specialist sports physiotherapist at La Trobe University, says such an extreme response is unlikely, unless there is another underlying issue. She added: “I am more concerned about the hip flexor tendon pain from all the long-lever leg motions in Pilates when the lower abdominals are not strong enough to support neutral pelvic position.”

For these reasons, physios encourage people to ensure instructors are well-trained; speak with a physiotherapist first if you have any injuries, are pregnant or post-natal; and remember that balance is key.

“Our bodies love to move in all different ways, so a weekly exercise program should include a mix of toning, cardio, mobility and stretching, so ensure you are creating that balance to help prevent and address issues,” she says.

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At KX, CEO Selina Bridge says people pay for the premium environment but won’t stay if the quality of the workout and the calibre of the instructor is not up to scratch: “If brands open just on the aesthetic, they’re not going to succeed … The workout is number one.”

Kate Pennell, 46, started Pilates in 2016. The flight attendant has recently completed her 1000th class. “I don’t like gyms, but I love Pilates,” says the Melburnian, who attends at least three classes a week. “Pilates is more interactive, and it doesn’t feel like a workout because it’s actually fun.”

It has also supported her to do her work. “It’s strengthened my core, which is protective because I work in confined spaces and I do a lot of heavy lifting and bending,” she says.

And though there’s a new fitness trend a minute and overnight, yesterday’s stars might find themselves tossed on the fitness dust heap alongside a million unwanted Tae Bo videos, Smith hopes the Pilates revolution is here to stay.

“One hundred studios was never on the cards 13 years ago,” says Smith. “But our purpose is to change lives for better.”

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