In recent years, a different type of workout has been taking over the schedules and social media of many teenage girls. After school and over the weekend, more teenage girls are heading to pilates studios instead of traditional gyms.
Mire Vu-Beavers, a Berkeley High School junior, was introduced to pilates by her mom. After a few classes, she decided to add pilates to her routine, along with lacrosse practice. “It’s really nice after a long day of school, to just have something that I’m kind of looking forward to, and knowing that I have to stay healthy, hydrate, and eat well in preparation for,” Vu-Beavers said.
For many teenage girls, stepping into a pilates studio feels less intimidating than a traditional gym. “For me, it felt more accessible to enter than the gym, where I felt like there were so many unknowns,” Vu-Beavers said. Zoe Vecchiato Winemiller, a BHS junior, echoed this sentiment, adding that the all-women environment of the classes made her feel safer as a girl. “I also like how it’s led. I feel like it encourages me more to do the movements, whereas if I go to the gym, I really need to motivate myself,” she added.
The surge in pilates’ popularity is sometimes attributed to how it is portrayed on social media. The “Pink Pilates Princess” trend first started circulating on TikTok in 2023, featuring girls in matching pastel workout sets in modern pilates studios, a depiction that is not always accurate. Many social media posts portray an otherwise intense, muscle-burning workout as chic and effortless. “I feel like people definitely glamorize it on social media. Definitely when I’m doing it, it’s so much harder,” Denise Hernandez, a BHS senior, said.
While pilates’ rise in popularity on social media has played a key role in promoting health and wellness among many teenage girls, its glamorized depictions come with drawbacks. The trend often idealizes a slim body type, with very little representation for diverse bodies. This can encourage teenagers to exercise for appearance purposes, instead of health. “I guess they’re all really skinny. And then in the real classes, there are many more normal body types,” Vecchiato Winemiller said on the difference between online portrayals of pilates and the reality of the difficulty level of many pilates classes.
Despite this, many BHS students continue to do pilates for the benefits that go beyond appearance. “It’s a really good workout, and I’d recommend it to anyone,” Hernandez said. Beyond the physical benefits, pilates can also have a positive effect on mental health, emphasizing controlled breathing, mindfulness, and overall mind and body awareness. “I always feel really good after, so it just keeps me taking the class,” Vu-Beavers said.