People take Pilates for different reasons, whether it’s to help with weight loss or just looking for something other than the gym.
Many people believe that Pilates can help with that.
Some people might prefer different approaches to staying in shape; for some, it’s Pilates.
“I was looking for something a little bit different than a gym membership, something that would keep me more accountable to coming,” participant Larecia Tripp said, “where I would actually see a change in my body, not just weight loss, but also feeling more grounded and connected.”
For some, it’s their love for pilates that drives them. This rings true for lead Pilates instructor April Gilman, who works at Club Pilates in Collegeville, Pa.
“I wanted to be in the fitness industry and do something a bit easier than my full-time job and enjoy doing what I love,” Gilman said.
According to Gilman, she has been an instructor for about nine years, and she loves it because “it’s a really great workout for connecting the mind and the body.”
Pilates can help with a variety of things, from body stability to balance.
“I have really short hamstrings and horrible flexibility, and now I don’t. I didn’t have great balance, and now it’s really good. It’s going to help everything, and you’ll be surprised at the ways it does help you,” Gilman said.
Club Pilates general manager Courtney Vita feels similarly. “I got into Pilates for balance and flexibility. 
I have a lot of pain in my feet and my back, and it’s made a huge difference,” Vita said.
Another reason some people take Pilates is the environment and the community that surrounds it.
“People are happy when they come here,” Vita said. “For the most part, they’re happy when they leave. It’s a fun job, and I feel like we’re really helping people.”
Some people are more likely to take a class because a friend recommended it. That was the case for participant Lisa Goff.
“My friend, Eva, asked me to go with her, and I thought it was a good idea. I know that the older you get, the more important it is for your flexibility and strength. I would like to increase that. That’s why I chose pilates,” Goff said.
For some, the nice thing about Pilates is that it is not too repetitive Tripp said she has “a friend who did it.”
“She found it challenging, but really rewarding. And also, I was looking for something that just wasn’t going to feel very repetitive,” Tripp said. “I was going to feel my body connecting to it a little bit differently.”
According to Vita, Pilates is not repetitive, and there is something for everyone.
“I did it for a month, and then I just could not wait to get back into the studio every day,” Vita said. “Every class you come to is a little different. So you don’t get bored.”
Club Pilates has different equipment that people can use for different parts of the body.
“We have different things, like suspend, which is TRX. And that’s a lot of upper body, and you’re using your body weight, so it helps really tone,” Vita said. “We have cardio, which is also good. It gets your heart rate. I really like the feeling that I can come in here and work out every day and never be bored of it.”