Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates and carried on by many of his students, who are referred to as “elders”. Not surprisingly they all had different approaches to teaching the work to their students. This has led to many different “schools of thought” but it’s basically a “Contemporary” vs “Classical” landscape. This leads to quite a lot of confusion for people seeking Pilates. For anyone interested in the history of Pilates and how it’s become what it is today please read “Caged Lion” written by a former student of Joseph himself.
Basically the gist of the difference is that the Classical viewpoint sticks more closely to the exercise routine that Joseph used in his open workout studio, set exercises in a particular order. The Contemporary viewpoint has added different exercises, many of which were created as “pre-Pilates” to help people build the strength and awareness to progress into the more traditional exercises which can be challenging for those who aren’t professional dancers or athletes. It takes a prescriptive approach instead of a dogmatic one.
I’m a Contemporary teacher. I was taught by a teacher who had been trained by Elders from both sides and she found that the adaptive approach works best for most people. The value of the work isn’t in the specific exercises themselves but rather how the movements are done. Every body is different so one routine is not really appropriate for everyone. Some exercises are just not suited to every body. Going through the same routine without variety can lead to an autopilot mindset which is the opposite of the mindful workout that Joe intended. Joe’s studio was an open workout space where people learned their routine and came and practiced it so the set routine was part of that. When doing private sessions there’s much more room for variety and giving each person the best exercises for them. There’s a balance between repetition and variation which allows you to master the basics yet continue finding new challenges.
Everyone is different and benefits from different things. For some people the Classical approach works well and they’re quite happy with it. But if you’ve tried Pilates in the past and didn’t feel like it was a good match I encourage you to try a different approach to Pilates with a Contemporary perspective. Pilates is for every body, just find the best fit for you!
Solara Pilates 