So Everyone’s Doing Pilates. Now What?

The workout your mom, favorite influencer, grandma, and boyfriend are all doing

"I love Pilates, I really do. But I think it's become a little bit of a fad, and it's really hard to find really good teachers that care about form." — Hailey Bieber, Harper's Bazaar

Hailey Bieber recently spoke with Harper's Bazaar about one of the most talked-about workouts on social media today: Pilates.

Scroll through TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest, and you'll quickly find videos of reformers, matching workout sets, and influencers sharing their favorite studios. 

 Pilates has transformed from a niche fitness practice into a full-blown cultural phenomenon.

Your best friend goes. Your mom loves it. Even your grandma has probably tried a class.

But with what feels like a new Pilates studio opening every few miles, one question remains:

What is pilates? 

By definition, “Pilates is a low-impact, mind-body exercise method focused on core strength, flexibility, posture, muscle control, and alignment.”

Yes, it's a workout. No, you will not be throwing around dumbbells or sprinting on a treadmill.

Unlike high-intensity workouts that prioritize speed or heavy lifting, Pilates is all about intentional movement — think less "beast mode," more "intentional, controlled power."

And here's why everyone from your 22-year-old coworker to your 65-year-old aunt is obsessed: sustainability.

Pilates challenges the body without destroying it, making it accessible to virtually everyone, regardless of age, fitness level, or ability. It's the rare workout that actually meets you where you are.

Whether you're bouncing back from an injury, cross-training for your next race, or simply tired of dreading your workouts, Pilates leaves you feeling energized rather than completely wrecked — and somehow, inexplicably, wanting to come back for more.

Since everyone seems to be following this trend, it can feel intimidating for beginners.

Just like the internet, there's so much out there. Where do you even begin? How do you know which studio is actually right for you?

Maybe you're Pilates-curious.

Maybe your friend won't stop talking about her core strength.

Maybe you've seen enough expensive grip socks to start wondering if you're missing out on something.

Either way, finding a studio can feel a lot like online dating. Everybody looks great in the photos. The real experience is what matters.

So… why does it feel so overwhelming?

Because it is. There is Pilates with puppies,  Pilates with sports cars,  and Pilates on yachts. The possibilities are never-ending. 

Forget a gas station at every corner — there's a Pilates studio every other mile.

And like any trend that goes mainstream, it comes with its own kind of exclusivity baggage.

Think about the clean girl aesthetic: suddenly, you need the best serums, the right SPF, the exact Stanley Cup. The mob wife era had people buying actual fur coats. 

Pilates is no different — the matching sets, the grip socks, the reformer that photographs well. It can make the whole thing feel less like a workout and more like an audition.

The good studios, the ones worth your time and money, tend to look a lot less like a content opportunity and a lot more like a place that actually cares about your body and being a community. 

What actually separates one studio from another

The honest answer is teacher quality, intention, and community. Hailey Bieber pointed at exactly this. 

The rapid expansion of Pilates has created a gap between studios that treat it as a trend to capitalize on and studios where instructors actually understand the method, who correct your form, who remember that your left hip has been acting up, who teach movement rather than just choreograph it.

The studios that consistently succeed aren't doing it through massive marketing budgets. It's about scarcity and specialization — limited class sizes, a focused offering, and high-quality experiences that don't require massive foot traffic to sustain. 

The best studios also know who they're for. 

Whether a studio is helping athletes prevent injury, supporting new mothers in recovery, or guiding older adults toward confidence and mobility, that specificity gives a studio its clearest purpose — and makes it easier for the right people to find it.

A Midwest recommendation: LunaSol Yoga & Pilates

If you're in the Metro Detroit area and drowning in options, LunaSol is worth your attention — not because of a gimmick, but because of something harder to manufacture: community. And yes, you will look good too. Both things are true.

In a market where studios are opening faster than people can try them, LunaSol has built something that actually keeps people coming back. 

There's a difference between a studio that says that and a studio that means it. LunaSol means it. And then your core gets tighter, which is also great. Luna Sol Studio

They offer hot yoga, infrared mat classes, and modern reformer Pilates — enough variety to meet you wherever you are, whether that's "I am healing and on a journey" or "I just want to look good in my jeans." No judgment either way. That's kind of the whole point.

Now with two locations — Trenton and Wyandotte, both open — the expansion makes sense. That's what happens when a community outgrows its space, not when an investor smells an opportunity. The people who go there keep going there, keep bringing their friends, and apparently keep wanting more. 

Which, honestly, tracks. You find your people and a workout that works, and suddenly you're the person telling everyone they have to try Pilates.

Is pilates forever or just a trend? 

So is Pilates forever? Or is it just really, really good at being a trend?

Honestly, probably both. 

Trends come and go. We've survived juice cleanses, detox teas, waist trainers, and whatever exactly happened during the mob wife era.

Pilates feels different because it solves a real problem.

People want to move their bodies without destroying them.

They want longevity.

They want community.

They want a workout they can still do years from now. The grip socks may come and go.

The matching sets will eventually be replaced by some other wellness uniform. But the desire to feel stronger, healthier, and more connected probably isn't going anywhere. And that's why Pilates — unlike many internet trends before it — might actually be here to stay.