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What Is Pilates, Really?

And what isn’t it?

What is Pilates, really—and what isn’t it?
If you’re looking for Pilates in Munich today, you’ll find a huge variety of options. Mat Pilates, Reformer Pilates, dynamic workouts, classes set to music, intense group sessions, and training methods that include “Pilates” in their name but have little in common with the original method.
This makes it particularly difficult for beginners to tell: What exactly is real Pilates?
First and foremost, Pilates is not a specific piece of equipment, nor is it a single exercise. Pilates is a training method. It was developed by Joseph Hubertus Pilates and follows a clear system. It’s about strength, control, flexibility, coordination, breathing, and conscious engagement of the entire body.
At Pilatesbee in Munich, we base our approach on these core principles—whether on the mat or when training on the Pilates Reformer.
After all, just because someone is training on a Reformer doesn’t automatically mean they’re doing Pilates.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is a systematic full-body workout. Joseph Pilates himself originally referred to his method as “Contrology.” The term describes quite accurately what it’s all about: movements should not be performed haphazardly, but rather consciously and in a controlled manner.
The body works as a single unit during these exercises.
A Pilates exercise, therefore, isn’t simply a matter of moving your arms or legs. What matters is how that movement is generated. How does the core stabilize? What is the position of the pelvis? What is the spine doing? How do the shoulder blades move? How do you breathe? And can the movement be performed in a controlled manner?
It is precisely these details that set Pilates apart from a typical workout.

Pilates is more than just abdominal exercises

Pilates is often equated with abdominal exercises. That’s too narrow a view.
Of course, the core plays an important role. In Pilates, the term “powerhouse” is traditionally used. However, this does not refer solely to the visible abdominal muscles.
Various muscle groups are involved in proper core stabilization. The abdominal muscles, back, pelvic floor, and the deeper stabilizing muscles all work together.
The goal is not to tense the abdomen as much as possible. The body should learn to combine stability with movement.
That’s an important distinction.
After all, in everyday life, we don’t need to be stable while remaining motionless. We walk, turn, carry bags, climb stairs, lift objects, or react to unexpected movements.
Pilates trains the body to better organize such movements.

The Principles of Pilates

These include, among other things:

Control: Movements are performed deliberately, not simply carried out with momentum.
Concentration: Keep your attention focused on the movement and on your own body.
Centering: Movements are performed from a stable, well-organized core.
Precision: The quality of a movement is more important than doing as many repetitions as possible.
Breathing: Breathing supports movement, control, and rhythm.
Flow of Movement: As you gain experience, the exercises should flow smoothly into one another.

These principles are what make a movement a Pilates movement.
As a result, you can see the same exercise from the outside and still experience two completely different types of training.

Pilatesbee - Small Adjustment, Big Impact

What is Reformer Pilates?

The Pilates Reformer is one of the best-known pieces of equipment used in the Pilates method.
It consists of a sliding carriage, springs, ropes or loops, and a footbar. By adjusting the spring resistance, exercises can be made easier or more challenging.
What makes it special: The springs don’t simply provide resistance like, for example, a weight on a strength machine.
They require control.
The carriage moves. The body must react to it. The movement must be slowed down, guided, and brought back under control.
This results in a highly nuanced workout.
On the Reformer, you can work out while lying down, sitting, kneeling, or standing. Depending on the exercise, you can train strength, stability, flexibility, balance, and coordination.
Reformer training is not automatically Pilates
That is one of the most important points.
Today, many workout classes are offered on machines that resemble a Pilates Reformer. The exercises can be intense and strenuous. However, that doesn’t automatically mean they’re Pilates.
First and foremost, the Reformer is a piece of exercise equipment.
Whether Pilates is taught on it depends on the method. Are the principles of Pilates taken into account? Is attention paid to the position of the pelvis, spine, and shoulder girdle? Are movements built up in a controlled manner? Are there meaningful exercise sequences? Can an instructor adapt exercises to different physical abilities?
Or is the main focus simply on completing as many repetitions as possible as quickly as possible?
These are significant differences.
Pilates is not a workout based on the motto “The harder, the better”
A Pilates class can be strenuous.
And it can be very strenuous.
Advanced Pilates requires strength, flexibility, coordination, and excellent body control. Nevertheless, maximum exhaustion is not the actual goal of the workout.

Muscle tremors are not a sign of quality.
Sweat is not a sign of quality.
Muscle soreness is also not proof that a Pilates class was particularly good.

The quality of the movement is what matters most.
A seemingly simple exercise can become extremely challenging when performed with precision.
That is precisely where one of the strengths of the Pilates method lies.
Pilates isn’t just fitness on the Reformer
A Reformer offers countless possibilities. That’s exactly why you can also perform exercises on it that have little to do with Pilates.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
It just needs to be clearly labeled as such.
A workout on a reformer-like machine can be a good fitness routine. It can build strength and endurance and be fun.
But a workout doesn’t become Pilates just because there’s a reformer in the room.
In Reformer Pilates, the focus isn’t on the machine, but on the method.

Full body workout

Gentle on the joints

Mental training

Strengthening the deep muscles

Pilatesbee - Mat and Reformer as One Method

Why Pilates Instructor Training Is Important

From the outside, Pilates often looks easier than it is to teach.
A well-trained Pilates instructor has to keep an eye on many things at once.

How does the spine move?
How is the pelvis positioned?
Are the knees and feet properly aligned?
How does the shoulder girdle work?
Where does a participant compensate for a movement?
Is this exercise appropriate for this person right now?
Does the spring resistance need to be adjusted?
Does the person need a different starting position or an adjustment?

This cannot be taught simply by memorizing a sequence of exercises.
A thorough Pilates training program therefore covers anatomy, kinesiology, workout design, observation, cueing, and modifications.
This is especially important in Reformer Pilates.

Why Small Groups Make Sense for Reformer Training

With the Pilates Reformer, it’s all about the details.
The larger a group gets, the harder it is for an instructor to truly keep an eye on every participant.
That’s why we at Pilatesbee in Munich deliberately train in small Reformer groups.
An instructor should be able to see how someone is working out.
This is especially true for beginners. But even experienced participants benefit from corrections. Often, it’s small adjustments that suddenly make an exercise feel completely different.
A few centimeters can sometimes change the entire movement.
Pilates for Beginners
Many people believe they have to be flexible or athletic before they can start Pilates.
That’s not true.

Pilates is also suitable for beginners

It is crucial that exercises are chosen appropriately and explained clearly.
A beginner does not need to master complicated movement sequences right away. The first step is to understand a few basics.

How do I find a proper pelvic position?
How do I stabilize my core?
How do I move my spine in a controlled manner?
How do I organize my shoulders?
How do I keep breathing during an exercise?

As you gain more experience, the exercises can become more complex and fluid.
That’s why Pilates isn’t a workout you can “master” after just three hours. It’s something you continue to develop in.

Pilates is for men and women

Pilates is still often perceived as a predominantly female form of exercise.
From a historical perspective, this is remarkable, because Joseph Pilates by no means developed his method exclusively for women.
Pilates is just as suitable for men as it is for women.
Men who do a lot of strength training, in particular, often discover through Pilates that strength alone does not automatically translate to good flexibility or body control.
A controlled sequence of movements on the Reformer can be extremely challenging.
Pilates is therefore a valuable complement to many sports.

Pilatesbee - The maneuverable sled requires control

Pilates and Strength Training—A Contradiction?

No.
Pilates is definitely strength training, though it takes a unique approach.
The muscles do not work in isolation. Different muscle chains must be coordinated with one another. At the same time, stability, flexibility, and control are required.
During Reformer training, the resistance can be adjusted using the springs.
Incidentally, more springs do not automatically mean greater difficulty for every exercise.
In some exercises, lower spring resistance makes the movement more challenging because there is less support, and the body must stabilize itself more.
This also illustrates why Pilates does not simply follow the principle of “more resistance = better workout.”

Pilates and Flexibility

Pilates combines strength and flexibility.
That’s one of the reasons why this workout feels different from many traditional strength training programs.
In Pilates, however, flexibility doesn’t mean assuming the most spectacular positions possible.
It’s about controlled flexibility.
A wide range of motion is only beneficial if the body can control it.
That’s why we don’t just stretch. Flexibility is integrated into movement sequences.
Pilates and Posture
Many people turn to Pilates because they want to improve their posture.
However, there isn’t one “perfect” posture that everyone should maintain all day long.
Our bodies are built for movement.
Nevertheless, Pilates can help improve body awareness and make us more conscious of our movement patterns.
Those who are more in tune with their bodies will, for example, notice more quickly when their shoulders are constantly raised or when movements are repeatedly compensated for by the same muscle groups.
Pilates does not attempt to force people into a rigid posture.
The goal is to create options for movement.

Does Pilates have to be slow?

Not necessarily.
Pilates can start out calm and controlled and become very dynamic as you gain experience.
The key is that speed doesn’t come at the expense of control.
Performing a movement faster doesn’t automatically make it better.
For beginners, a slower pace is often advisable because movement patterns must first be understood.
Advanced Pilates classes, on the other hand, can develop a distinct flow.
Exercises flow seamlessly into one another, and breaks become shorter.
Control is maintained nonetheless.

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FAQ

Does Pilates Have to Hurt?

No.
Exercise can be strenuous. Muscles can work and become fatigued.
However, pain is not a goal of exercise.
Especially if you have existing physical issues, a trainer should know which exercises need to be modified or, if necessary, omitted.
Pilates offers many options for this.
The same exercise concept can often be performed in different positions.
That is precisely one of the advantages of the system.
Mat or Reformer—which is better?
This question is asked frequently.
The answer is: Both are part of Pilates.
Mat training is an essential component of the Pilates method. Your own body serves as the primary resistance.
This can be surprisingly challenging.
The Reformer offers additional possibilities thanks to its springs. It can support movement, provide resistance, and offer highly nuanced feedback.
The mat and the Reformer are therefore not competitors.
They complement each other.
Those who practice Pilates over the long term can benefit from both forms of training.

How can I tell if a Pilates class is good?

It’s not always easy for participants to assess the quality of a Pilates class.
Still, there are some things you can look for.
A good Pilates instructor makes eye contact with their participants.
They don’t just explain what’s being done, but also how a movement should be performed.
They can adapt exercises.
They recognize differences in physical abilities.
They provide corrections.
He knows when it makes more sense to do less.
And he understands why a specific exercise is used at a specific point in the class.
A good Pilates class is not a random string of the most spectacular exercises possible.
It has a structure.
What Pilates Doesn’t Have to Be
Pilates doesn’t have to look spectacular.
You don’t need acrobatic exercises for a class to be challenging.
It doesn’t need extreme spring resistance.
It doesn’t need to be performed at the highest possible speed.
And it doesn’t need complicated choreography just to make a workout seem modern.
Pilates can look simple and still be highly challenging.
Anyone who has ever tried to perform a supposedly simple movement with true precision knows the difference.

Why is Pilates taught in so many different ways today?

The Pilates method has evolved over many decades.
Today, there are various schools and training approaches. In addition to classical approaches, there is Contemporary Pilates, which incorporates insights from modern anatomy and kinesiology.
This does not necessarily mean that only one approach can be correct.
What matters most is whether the fundamental idea of the method is preserved.
At Pilatesbee, trainers have diverse, internationally recognized training backgrounds. As a result, a variety of experiences are incorporated into the classes.
What unites them is their commitment to the Pilates principles and to providing high-quality training.

Why don’t we at Pilatesbee follow every trend?

Pilates continues to evolve. That’s a good thing.
New findings regarding exercise and training can and should be taken into account.
Still, not every new exercise shown on a Reformer on social media is necessarily a good idea.
Being Instagram-worthy and being physiologically sound for training are two different things.
We don’t choose exercises based on whether they look spectacular.
They must have a purpose.
This is especially true when training in groups.
Reformer Pilates in Munich at Pilatesbee
Pilatesbee offers professional Pilates in Munich with a clear focus on Reformer and mat training.
We teach in small groups and work with qualified, internationally trained Pilates instructors.
Our studios are located in Munich-Neuhausen, Munich-Schwabing, and Munich-Haidhausen.
Our goal isn’t to reinvent Pilates.
We want to teach it well.
Precise, clear, and up-to-date.

Which Pilates class is right for me?

If you’re just starting out, you should first choose a class that covers the basics.
As you gain experience, your training can become more challenging.
In Pilates, “advanced” doesn’t simply mean faster or harder.
Above all, “advanced” means being able to control movements with greater precision and confidently combine more complex sequences.
That’s why different course levels provide useful guidance.
If you’re unsure, it’s better to start with something more basic.
You can always increase the intensity later.
How often should you do Pilates?
There’s no magic number here either.
Consistency is more important than a single, particularly intense session.
Once you try Pilates, you’ll get a first impression. However, real changes in movement quality, strength, and body awareness come from consistent training.
One to two sessions per week can be a good starting point for many people. Those who train more frequently and already have experience can increase their training accordingly.
The key is to ensure that the intensity of the workout, recovery, and your personal fitness level are in balance.

Is Reformer Pilates suitable for older adults?

Age alone does not determine whether someone can do Pilates.
The Reformer even offers many ways to adapt exercises to different fitness levels.
More important than your date of birth are flexibility, strength, balance, any physical issues you may have, and your individual training experience.
That is precisely why expert guidance is important.
Pilates can start out very gently and still remain challenging over the long term.
Why Pilates Can Be a Lifetime Workout
Perhaps that is precisely where the method’s unique strength lies.
Pilates can be adapted.
A beginner can use it to train.
A competitive athlete can use it to train.
A young person can do Pilates, and so can an older person.
The exercises and requirements change as people change.
What remains are the principles: control, precision, concentration, breathing, centering, and fluidity of movement.

That’s why you’re never really “done” with Pilates.
The better you know an exercise, the more details you often discover.

So what exactly is Pilates?

Pilates is not a fad, nor is it just any workout on a sliding carriage.
It is a training method developed over decades with a clear underlying principle: The body should learn to move powerfully, in a controlled and mindful way.
The Reformer can be an excellent tool for this.
The mat as well.
But neither the mat nor the Reformer alone defines Pilates.
What matters most are the method, the quality of the movement, and the trainer’s expertise.
That’s why, when choosing a Pilates studio in Munich, it’s important to look beyond just the studio’s appearance or how strenuous a class is advertised to be.

Also ask:

After all, you can’t tell if Pilates is good just by how spectacular an exercise looks in a photo.
You can tell by how it’s taught.

Pilatesbee – Pilates and Reformer Pilates in Munich

At our Pilatesbee studios in Munich-Neuhausen, Schwabing, and Haidhausen, we teach Pilates on the mat and on the Reformer.

Our goal is to offer Pilates training that takes the method’s original principles seriously while also incorporating modern insights.
With small groups, professional guidance, and internationally certified instructors, we aim to teach Pilates the way it was intended:
controlled, precise, intelligent, and sustainable.
Because a Reformer alone doesn’t make Pilates.
It’s the method that makes the difference.