Strike the Pose

There is a certain type of Pilates photograph that seems to appear everywhere.

A beautifully toned body.

A perfectly positioned leg.

A spine that appears to have been designed by an architect.

A balance that makes gravity look optional.

And then there is you. Standing in front of the mirror, wondering why your hamstrings have apparently filed a formal complaint because you asked them to stretch six centimetres further. Perhaps you look at some of the images used to promote Pilates and think, “Well, that's not for me.” And that would be a shame. Because Pilates was never meant to be a competition in who can strike the most impressive pose.

When the pose becomes the point

There is no denying that beautiful movement is beautiful to look at. Teachers who have spent years developing strength, control, mobility and body awareness may be capable of demonstrating some extraordinary positions.

But there is a subtle difference between demonstrating what the human body can do and suggesting that this is what every body should be able to do.

Social media has blurred that line considerably.

The Pilates world has become increasingly visual. The more impressive the movement, the more likely it is to stop someone scrolling.

But what happens to the person scrolling who already feels uncomfortable about their body?

They may be recovering from an injury.They may be 25, 55 or 85.They may be carrying extra weight, living with stiffness, returning to exercise after years away, navigating menopause, recovering from surgery, or simply discovering that their body doesn't bend in the same direction as the person in the photograph.

They may quietly think: “My body could never do that.”

And they are probably right. But that doesn't mean Pilates isn't for them.

The studio perspective

This is something we think about a lot in our studio. When someone walks through our door, we aren't looking at them and thinking about what they should look like. We're interested in where they are starting from.

What does their body need today?

What feels challenging?

What has changed since their last session?

What can we build on?

Sometimes that means modifying an exercise. Sometimes it means finding a different way into a movement. Sometimes it means doing less. And sometimes the achievement is something that, to an outside observer, looks incredibly ordinary.

But we know better.

Because we've seen where that client started. We've seen the little moments that happen over weeks and months — the extra bit of control, the improved balance, the movement that suddenly feels easier, the confidence that grows when someone realises their body is capable of more than they thought. Those are the moments we notice.

Your Pilates body doesn't have to look like anyone else's

One of the wonderful things about Pilates is that the exercise can meet you where you are.

Your starting point might be getting onto the mat without using your hands.

It might be holding a plank for five seconds longer than last month.

It might be being able to sit comfortably on the floor.

It might be touching your toes for the first time in years.

It might be noticing that you can now get out of the car without making the little noise that accompanies every movement.

These things may not make particularly dramatic Instagram photographs. But they matter.

They are your wins.

And sometimes the most significant changes in Pilates are the ones nobody else can see.

You stand a little taller.

You feel more confident getting up from a chair.

You trust your balance again.

You carry the shopping without thinking about your back.

You sleep better.

You move with less hesitation.

You begin to feel at home in your body rather than constantly judging it.

That is Pilates too.

The small wins deserve a standing ovation

Perhaps we need to change what we celebrate. Instead of only applauding the person who can put their leg behind their head, let's celebrate the person who couldn't comfortably lift their leg six months ago and now can.

Let's celebrate the client who finally found their neutral spine.

The person who discovered how to breathe properly while moving.

The older client who improved their balance enough to feel confident walking down the stairs.

The busy parent who managed to turn up for a session when life was throwing everything at them.

The beginner who was nervous about walking through the studio door — and came back the following week.

The person who finally stopped comparing their body to everyone else's.

These achievements may not look spectacular.

But they can be life-changing.

And in our studio, they count.

Pilates isn't a body type

There is no official Pilates body. There is no age requirement. There is no particular shape, weight, height, flexibility level or previous fitness history required to belong.

There are bodies that are young and bodies that are ageing.

Bodies that are strong and bodies that are becoming stronger.

Bodies that are flexible and bodies that would prefer to negotiate before attempting a hamstring stretch.

There are bodies recovering, adapting, changing, carrying babies, carrying scars, carrying extra weight, losing weight, gaining strength and simply getting on with the business of living.

All of them deserve to move.

And all of them deserve to be taught with respect.

That's why we don't believe that the most advanced exercise in the room should be the measure of success. A client doesn't need to perform a movement that looks impressive to be doing impressive work. Sometimes the most valuable work is quiet.

It's controlled.

It's patient.

It's consistent.

And it's personal.

What did Joseph Pilates actually mean by fitness?

Joseph Pilates wrote in Return to Life Through Contrology:

“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.”

But he didn't stop at looking fit. He described physical fitness in terms of having a developed body and a sound mind that was:

“...fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure” (Pilates, 1945).

That is an interesting idea to bring back into today's highly visual fitness culture. Perhaps the goal isn't to look like you belong in a Pilates photograph. Perhaps the goal is to be able to get down on the floor and get back up again.

To walk further.

To carry your grandchildren.

To travel comfortably.

To garden.

To play with your children.

To climb the stairs.

To get out of bed feeling capable.

To keep doing the things that make your life your life.

In other words, perhaps Joseph Pilates' definition of fitness has rather more to do with living than looking good while doing a difficult exercise.

Perhaps the real pose is confidence

The most powerful transformation in Pilates isn't necessarily the impressive shape you can make with your body. It is the relationship you develop with it.

Learning to listen rather than criticise.

Learning to work with your body rather than against it.

Learning that progress isn't always linear.

Learning that your body at 60 doesn't need to behave like your body at 20 — and that this isn't failure.

It's life. There will always be another photograph of someone performing an extraordinary movement. Enjoy looking at it if you wish. But don't let it convince you that Pilates is only for people who can do extraordinary things. Because Pilates isn't about creating a photograph.

It's about creating a body that works better for the life you actually live. So, by all means...

Strike the pose.

But make it your pose.

Perhaps today it is a deeper squat.

A steadier balance.

A stronger core.

A more comfortable walk.

A little less pain.

A little more confidence.

Or simply showing up.

Because sometimes the most impressive thing your body can do isn't the thing that looks spectacular. Sometimes it's simply doing something today that it couldn't do yesterday.

And that's worth celebrating. In our studio, that's what we want Pilates to be about — not how impressive the movement looks, but how meaningful it feels to the person doing it.

Move with life. Not for the photograph.

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Copyright 2026 Jeanette Lasek, We Live and Move Pilates. All rights reserved. Content may not be republished or redistributed without explicit written permission. Short quotes are permitted provided that a full backlink to ww.weliveandmovepilates.com is included.  

Reference:

Pilates, J.H. (1945) Return to Life Through Contrology. New York: J.J. Augustin.