I was on Instagram yesterday and saw a post from a fairly prominent exercise physiologist/coach/fitness professional bashing Pilates and its adherents, saying Pilates is not the be-all, end-all fitness method it's touted to be. She said it's not as effective at conventional strength training, it emphasizes too much on isometrics, it neglects Zone 2 fitness training, and a bunch of other stuff about why it's not up to par as a complete fitness method.
I had to roll my eyes because not only does Pilates NOT emphasize isometrics (wha???) but who has ever said in the history of the world that Pilates is the be-all, end-all exercise method?
No one thinks this. No one says this. It's simply another fitness/movement modality to add to all the other exercise methods and modalities, whether yoga, strength training, power walking, Zumba, running, hiking, etc.
I'm so turned off by fitness snobbery (which social media amplifies), this idea that there's only one fitness method that's "better" than all the rest. It's so dumb. It doesn't help anything. All it does is make people feel bad, like whatever they're doing for movement is not enough. Where does this get us?
It's not as if the US has a epidemic of too much exercise. Quite the opposite.
We have an obesity epidemic.
We have a chronic disease epidemic.
We have a sitting around epidemic.
Pilates should be one piece of a person's fitness arsenal (that is, if a person enjoys doing Pilates).
We should be encouraging all types of movement every single day. It doesn't matter what it is as long as it feels good in your body and gives you sense of joy, accomplishment and fitness. If it makes you sweat and feels good, do it. And keep doing it! That's it!
Rant concluded. Thank you for indulging me.
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