The Question for Pilates in 2009

By Laurette Ryan

When I decided, ten years ago, to teach and devote my wellness and fitness career to Pilates exclusively, it was a very different world. The Pilates trademark lawsuit was not yet settled and even though I taught the Pilates method, the facility I worked for was reluctant to call it that.  We called it “synergy”.

I had worked in the fitness, wellness, health and movement field for over twenty years at the time. I was re-energized in my work, seeing firsthand the results Pilates had given my private clients and myself.  In 1999 I was certain, that of course, soon everyone would know Pilates.  I honestly don’t know why I thought that. I suppose throughout his life Joseph Pilates felt the same way and yet thirty years after his death it still wasn’t so.

Fast forward to 2009. In 2009 it seems as though everyone does know or has at least heard of Joe’s work.  The past ten years have seen tremendous growth in the student base of Pilates technique.  It seems as though every other infomercial is hocking a new fangled Pilates device, machine or video course on television and the internet.

Finding a “Pilates Studio” in my state of Massachusetts was nearly impossible in 1999, even though we are lucky to boast one of the very first, opened in the 1970’s by Mary Bowen in North Hampton MA.  Today in 2009, nearly every other town in Massachusetts has at least one, if not two or three Pilates studios. Pilates teacher training and educational opportunities have exploded in the last ten years and, thanks to the efforts of the Pilates Method Alliance, there is a standard certification exam for teachers here in the USA as well as internationally.

In the past ten years, we have been growing, climbing and expanding.  So I started to wonder, especially after the current economic downturn, how is Pilates doing? I surveyed a group of teachers throughout the United States, and also received responses from Germany and Ireland.  The teachers I heard from in the USA were from the East Coast, West Coast, Midwest and the South.  Most interesting I found out how much we actually have in common. When asked whether the participant was a teacher or student, notably the majority designated themselves both teacher and student. It appears that most teachers realize that they never stop learning and will be students of Pilates for as long as they may practice the work. I have to admit, as a teacher trainer, this makes my heart happy.

The Pilates teacher of today can be found in health clubs, gyms, Pilates studios, country clubs and hospital settings. When asked what was most popular, the answers were group mat, group equipment or private equipment lessons.  It depended where the teacher worked. Those in studios tend to be doing more private and group equipment and those in health clubs and gyms have very healthy mat classes. The average price range for private lessons: $50.00 to $80.00,  group equipment: $15.00 to $25.00, and  for mat classes: $10.00 to $20.00.  Mat classes at the health clubs are generally included in the membership fees. One teacher from the East Coast commented that while she taught mat class in a gym setting, she personally participated in classes at both the gym and Pilates studio and found the studio classes to be smaller and thus more personalized, while classes at the gym were larger and had varying fitness levels of participants for a more general workout type class.

When compared, the reasons for practicing Pilates for reasons of  fitness, rehab and mind-body, fitness seems to be the biggest segment of the demographic. Rehab was close behind with the mind-body benefit coming in third.  Although many teachers recognize the benefits to mind-body health, they understand that many of their students have yet to recognize this benefit.  As New Orleans’ teacher Kerrie Ann Frey explained “people just don’t want the mind body experience, however they do want a tight tush in order to jump higher when LSU scores”.

The ratio of men to women seems for the most part fairly consistent, with the majority citing that women made up 60 to 90 percent of the clientele. Interestingly, I had only one male teacher from Belfast Northern Ireland, Neil Healy, as a respondent. Neil teaches in a gym and has his own studio as well.  He felt that in the current economy of the past year, he has actually seen an increase in class numbers.  Teachers of Pilates mat classes in the gym had all agreed that they have seen the numbers in their classes rise over the past year. While studios noticed  a slight dip at the first half of the crisis,  the majority felt that for the most part they rebounded in the past 6 months. Some have noted they are busier than ever or have more business than they can handle. Idrienne Steinman from Indianapolis IN, owner of The Integrated Body made the observation, “People would rather be investing in preventative care than medical care. They think the value of feeling good is more important than the status of the economy.”

The most important thing I learned was how passionate the teachers from everywhere were about the integrity of their work. Whether they taught what is referred to as classical or contemporary technique, they felt that having “qualified” teachers was a paramount concern.  There seems to be differing views on what “qualified” actually means and so I think the state of Pilates in 2009 is at the crux of that question. Pilates is thriving, growing and here to stay. It is body, mind and spirit, a philosophy, a workout and maybe even a way of life. Defined by Joseph Pilates as the first requisite of happiness, I think Joe was a pretty smart guy.

About the Author: Laurette Ryan is a certified teacher of fitness, health and wellness, and massage therapist for over 27 years. Laurette is the owner of Balancepoint Pilates Teacher Training and Balancepoint Studios in Pembroke Massachusetts, with satellite locations in North Carolina, providing educational workshops, videos, materials and networking opportunities for those discovering the breadth and depth of that which is the journey of Pilates training. She is an American Council on Exercise continuing education provider and member of the Pilates Method Alliance.  She studied dance for the first 20 years of her life, and was a student at the Boston Conservatory of Dance. It was at this time she first learned of the techniques of Joseph Pilates. Laurette has studied both the classical and contemporary approaches to the work and has concluded through her experience that both have their merit and application.


Interested in further reading: The Art of Teaching Pilates

Tags: Balancepoint Pilates, Kerrie Ann Frey, Laurette Ryan