Is Pilates the Missing Piece of Your Wellness Routine?

At the end of last year, I set out to explore new ways to elevate my wellness routine. For years, I’ve led a strictly regimented training schedule — mostly centred around running — that dictated everything from my sleep schedule to my diet. But the more I read about new avenues of wellness, the more I realized that my stalwart dedication was as limiting as it was liberating. While the wellness world evolved, I was living in the past. So, I decided to expand my horizons.

First, I stepped way outside of my comfort zone and tried to centre myself through a hypnotherapy session. It was incredible, and something I hope to revisit on a yearly basis, but perhaps a bit heavy for a monthly basis. Then, I got myself “biomarked” (essentially, a nurse practitioner travelled to my home, took various samples, and provided me with my biological age, tips for addressing deficiencies, and an overall summary of “how I’m doing’). Essentially, it felt like a pat on the back and offered some peace of mind. Again, it’s not something I’d do more than once a year, but certainly something I’d try again.

Still, I was looking for something that could seamlessly fit into my regular training routine that could complement the work I was already doing. Then, I received a pitch from STRONG Pilates to check out their new Yorkville location. It seemed like the perfect fit. I was sure that a lot of men, like me, hadn’t yet tried the time-honoured practice and that most of them (again, like me) were a bit overly confident that their typical routines would effortlessly translate.

My boss does Pilates, many friends I run with do Pilates, professional athletes have embraced Pilates. All of them have attested: it’s a difficult practice. And yet, still, as I walked through the door of STRONG’s Yorkville location (following my long run, like the fool I am), I thought, “This will be a nice, easy cooldown.”

Let me do away with any illusions: yes, it was “nice,” but no, it was not “easy” in any sense of the word.

Not being familiar with the equipment (mostly the board itself and how I’d be navigating it throughout the workout), I signed up for a class called the “STRONG Starter,” where my instructor, Sean, would guide me step-by-step through the class. For those getting their first introduction to Pilates, I recommend going the same route. But for those who want to dive in head-first, STRONG offers an array of different classes, from strictly Pilates-only classes to “STRONG 360” (cardio, strength, and Pilates all rolled into one) and “STRONG Loaded” (designed around true progressive overload, using heavy springs, dumbbells, and controlled tempo to maximize time-under-tension and lean muscle).

But even throughout the “STRONG Starter” course, I found myself regretting framing the class as merely a post-run cooldown. Sean’s program had me circuiting between rowing intervals, traditional slow and intentional Pilates flows, and dynamic movements. But despite the challenge, STRONG’s instructors were exceptionally clear, patient, and genuinely friendly (because if I’m going to trudge through a snowstorm to balance on a moving board for an hour, I want to, at least, feel like my instructor is happy to be there — and Sean delivered tenfold). By the end, I felt the effects — not soreness, not quite belaboured, but certainly tired.

My only warning for those visiting for the first time would be to be prepared to invest in the necessary grip socks. I didn’t realize this was requisite equipment (which, granted, might be obvious to other newcomers), so I found myself purchasing an incredibly niche pair of socks with small dotted padded grips on the bottom. I think I’ll be searching the rest of my life for another viable use for them. There’s no option to simply borrow a pair from STRONG for the session, but perhaps owning socks that truly only carry one singular use is another incentive to add Pilates into your regular schedule (after all, I’ve picked up far worse habits for far sillier reasons).

Thankfully, I can think of countless other (far better) reasons to return to STRONG Pilates, whether you’re a runner or a weightlifter or someone simply wanting to invest in your wellness this year. With STRONG, reformer Pilates meets cardio, resistance, and strength training for unique low-impact, high-intensity workouts. Out of everything I’ve explored over the past two months (from testing my mind, body, and spirit, if you want to give hypnotherapy that distinction), STRONG’s accessibility, convenience, and endless potential for low-impact intensity made it perhaps the perfect new addition to my training routine. As for what that routine will look like next year, if this series was any indication, it all depends on what hits the SHARP inbox next.

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