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Why is pilates considered an "old white ladies" sport?

Sofhia

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Are there ladies on LSA who do pilates? What does your class look like? Is it filled with middle aged white people?
 

redbud tree

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Are there ladies on LSA who do pilates? What does your class look like? Is it filled with middle aged white people?

Old or middle-aged? I ask because pilates was hot in the late 1990s, so I can imagine that many of its fans would be older. (It's an older practice, but I mean its popularity.)

Also - it was promoted as a way of getting fit that gave you a "long, lean" body. I'm sure that appealed heavily to a certain kind of women.

I found this article on Pilates becoming less and less popular.

The Pilatespocalypse: How the Method That Started the Boutique-Fitness Trend Is Going Bust
 

Coco K. Flo

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I don’t think it’s an “old” white ladies practice, but just very white? Yes.

Yoga, barre, pilates and other things like aerial seem to be workouts catered to people with money or college towns. Why college? Basically everything can be a college offering and people reduce costs, but assume that educated people will have an interest. In the working world, most of the studios for classes seem to be in areas they assume can afford the services.

Which is kind of crazy because yoga and pilates really only need you, your body weigh, and a mat for comfort, that’s it. How is it so expensive? Then you start getting into the training of the teachers, techniques, etc. Wild how class is drilled into the most basic things.
 

Waterlover

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I e some pilates at home and ha e taken classes.

The best classes are taught by former ballet dancers, Black women, and gay men.
The should ontain a mixture of ethnicities with Black women being on the higher end.

Since it's difficult to find the instructor I prefer then I practice at home.
Most instructors move through the movements too fast which defeats the purpose of pilates. It's all about precision of movement to activate the deeper muscles and joints.


I absolutely love the pilates from the early 2000's.

This one was where I started

I owned it as a tape and have no idea where it is. I purchased it from an infomercial.
 

SinCndomPapi

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Certain aesthetics appeal to a certain group of people.

running, yoga, Pilates and being lean is important to one group more than another.
 

heirloom

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When I still went to classes pre pandemic, I'd say about 1/3 of my pilates class were black women. The instructor herself was black and we'd listen to Sade and Marvin Gaye in the class
 

GigiLaMoore

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Never heard of it referred to an old white ladies sport. I have done Pilates in the past. Both mat and on the Reformer. It's a good supplemental exercise.
 

danappyscribe

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i've been doing pilates for about 10 years & my classes are always predominantly white but i just think it's because of access. the reformer equipment is expensive and the classes tend to cost a bit more to do consistently. floor pilates is inexpensive but those machines are not. i had a black instructor back home and she said the only thing she didn't like is that the machines limited the number of people in her classes. she eventually moved away from the reformer classes because she didn't enjoy teaching them as much as she did with classes where she could have more people involved.
 

Penny

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Are there ladies on LSA who do pilates? What does your class look like? Is it filled with middle aged white people?

No it's filled with approaching 40 ww who throw dinner parties and who are overly active in the PTA and sit on a random board LOL. I do reformer.

I also do barre and it's slightly younger ww, but mainly ww.
 
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I do Barre and the majority of the women at my Pure Barre studio are white and older. The area that the studio is in is diverse and affluent, so black women here can definitely afford it.

On the weekdays, I would be the only black woman in my classes. On Saturdays 1 of 3.

One of the instructors is a black woman and she definitely is the best instructor there, as far as challenging her students, so that they get results. AND she has the best body of all of the instructors!! But y’all already knew that lol
 

mdmommy99

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I used to do pilates videos. A whole pilates studio just opened in my area and was really popular before the pandemic so surprising to hear that it isn't popular anymore. Everyone I knew that goes to the studio here is white but not necessarily older.
 

KindDivine

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Are there ladies on LSA who do pilates? What does your class look like? Is it filled with middle aged white people?

I have done pilates with my friend and maybe you should get some more, different friends if your'e calling Pilates an "old White ladies sport". That whole phrase is just....limiting, insecure and for someone who doesn't think or know you belong everywhere.
 

KindDivine

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Certain aesthetics appeal to a certain group of people.

running, yoga, Pilates and being lean is important to one group more than another.

Not true at all. Certain actives appeal to people who live in/near them. Exposure, access and where you live, who you hang with and socialize is a huge deciding factor.
 

msellie

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Never heard it called that.
I think of people of all demographics that have time and money to work on gaining a “model body”.
 

Elizamichel

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I started to do pilates at home. I looked at reformer classes they are expensive and hard to put into my schedule. White women join because they have access.
There are a few pilates threads on here. This is the lastest one
Pilates anyone?
 

La_Femme

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I do Pilates (I love it). My studio is mostly white middle age to older women. We do all types: barre, core, etc. we have different instructors and lots of variety. I miss going to class. I really saw a difference in my body, more lean and toned!
 

La_Femme

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I do Pilates (I love it). My studio is mostly white middle age to older women. We do all types: barre, core, etc. we have different instructors and lots of variety. I miss going to class. I really saw a difference in my body, more lean and toned!
 

LuxeRoyaleBaby

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I started to do pilates at home. I looked at reformer classes they are expensive and hard to put into my schedule. White women join because they have access.
There are a few pilates threads on here. This is the lastest one
Pilates anyone?

I'm interested in trying it, but the classes are just too expensive :weary_face:
 
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Lmao. I’ve taken classes Pilates might not look like much, but I promise you will be sore after the first few classes.

I was usually the only black person there, except one time where there was another black girl (she farted during one of the stretches and I never saw her again :ROFLMAO:)
 

redbud tree

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Not true at all. Certain actives appeal to people who live in/near them. Exposure, access and where you live, who you hang with and socialize is a huge deciding factor.

I do think there's something to Pilates' particular appeal for people who want a slender, lithe body. It was often talked about in terms of how ballet dancers liked it. It was touted as a way to get fit and lean without getting "bulky." People would even talk about it "lengthening" muscles, which is not science.

Strengthens the core which in turn tones up the waist so yes

Well, you can have an incredibly strong core without having a small waist.
 

KindDivine

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Strengthens the core which in turn tones up the waist so yes

Pilates does that but so does all vigorous exercise that build up a sweat. But as the often repeated adage goes...Abs are made in the kitchen. You can do all the Pilates that you want or any exercise. But your results are hugely affected by what you eat too.
 

mdmommy99

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I do Barre and the majority of the women at my Pure Barre studio are white and older. The area that the studio is in is diverse and affluent, so black women here can definitely afford it.

On the weekdays, I would be the only black woman in my classes. On Saturdays 1 of 3.

One of the instructors is a black woman and she definitely is the best instructor there, as far as challenging her students, so that they get results. AND she has the best body of all of the instructors!! But y’all already knew that lol

Everybody in my barre class was white and very tall, long and stick thin. I'm a slender girl but I'm on the shorter side with thick, muscular thighs so next to them I always felt like a baby elephant.
 

redbud tree

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Lmao. I’ve taken classes Pilates might not look like much, but I promise you will be sore after the first few classes.

I was usually the only black person there, except one time where there was another black girl (she farted during one of the stretches and I never saw her again :ROFLMAO:)


How embarrassing. Since I started this plant-based diet, I do not dare exert myself around others! :oops:
 

MistressNae

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Most boutique fitness classes are predominantly white. Pilates, Yoga, Barre, Orange Theory, Soul Cycle, Barry’s, F45 etc.

The people aren’t always old it depends on the class times. Early morning classes like 5,6 and some 7 and then evening classes will have a younger audience going before and after work. Late morning and mid day classes have the stay at home moms and older clientele.
 

chelley

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I love pilates and prefer it to yoga. It's great for strength training and toning. I was never able to touch my toes until I started doing pilates consistently. Try the machines: reformer and Cadillac for an even better workout (compared to Mat pilates).

The makeup of your class depends on the studio, neighborhood, time, etc.
When I attended pilates classes in Flatbush, Brooklyn (mostly Caribbean), everyone was Black/Caribbean. The evening classes were young people (20-50), day classes (retirees/stay at home moms). Now I'm Harlem and the racial makeup of the classes are the same as Brooklyn. However, if I go to a studio in midtown or downtown (Manhattan), I may be one of the only black people and definitely the curviest person in the class.
 
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metroglam

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Strengthens the core which in turn tones up the waist so yes

Pilates is a restorative exercise for those with knee and back problems. It strengthens your core, increases your flexibility and elongates. I’m a student of Classic Pilates on the Reformer/Tower. It’s very challenging but worth it. My monthly Pilates class 3x a week was $250 per month. I had young/old, dancers/models, teachers/doctors,men/married couples in my classes.
 
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Both mat and reformer Pilates are lower impact than other fitness methods like running, Peloton or Barry's. Depending on the instructor it can be more stretchy/rehab focused, and so you will see a higher percentage of older people. I wish more older black women had access to Pilates.

I hate mat Pilates, but reformer and equipment based Pilates are expensive, especially if you want individual instruction(the best way to learn the fundamentals and muscle awareness). I finally bit the bullet and purchased my own reformer this year bc of lady Rona--I am beyond excited for it to arrive!
 

Chaosbutterfly

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I'm obsessed with barre and reformer pilates.

My classes were mostly white women of all ages when I started, but I think these kinds of classes are starting to catch on because especially the last two years, I saw way more black women, which is great.

Anyway, I think black people tend to sideline these kinds of workouts because of price and perception of the results.
The studio classes are expensive, sometimes prohibitively so, and when you look at the people who are the faces of these kinds of workouts, they are all flat and boxy.
Black women don't want to look that way. Not even slim black women want to look that way, and I think it scares us away.

But the cool thing about barre and other pilates type workouts is that instead of creating a certain shape, they just streamline and enhance whatever your natural shape is.
Many white women are just flat and boxy, so that's what comes out lol.
But if you're naturally curvy, like many black women, that's what will be enhanced and defined.
And even in my classes, there were some white girls with cake and they had been coming for years.
So I hope more black women give it a try, it's an intense workout and can be very meditative.
 

theone01

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I love Pilates. So many different types of people practice it. The demographics is based on the studio you go to.
 

theone01

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Both mat and reformer Pilates are lower impact than other fitness methods like running, Peloton or Barry's. Depending on the instructor it can be more stretchy/rehab focused, and so you will see a higher percentage of older people. I wish more older black women had access to Pilates.

I hate mat Pilates, but reformer and equipment based Pilates are expensive, especially if you want individual instruction(the best way to learn the fundamentals and muscle awareness). I finally bit the bullet and purchased my own reformer this year bc of lady Rona--I am beyond excited for it to arrive!

giiiiirl!!!!!!!
I’ve been dying to buy one.
 

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The same reason why golfing is considered an old white man's sport. They can be low impact, soothing, and requires going to specific locations to find lessons. Anyone can do pilates, but that is something you need to be introduced to.
 

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