Nicole’s Why: Practicing and teaching Pilates

By Nicole Briggs

Why Pilates? 

Recently, someone asked me why I do Pilates and why I teach it. At first, I answered quickly: because it’s important for people. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that answer was too broad. So, here’s the deeper truth. 

Why I Teach Pilates 

I teach Pilates because there’s nothing more satisfying than watching clients discover balanced, intelligent movement in their own bodies. I love seeing the moment when an exercise “clicks,” when they connect one movement to another, or when they feel strong and capable enough to move into progressions with clarity and ease. 

I also teach Pilates because it offers people a place to breathe—literally and figuratively. For many, the studio becomes a reset button. Through mindful breathing, muscle activation, and the ability to be fully present, they get a break from the noise and stress of daily life. 

Why I Do Pilates 

If you asked me this question every year, my answer would probably change. But right now, at 53 years old and after 20 years of teaching, my answer is this: resilience. 

Pilates has carried me through injuries, illness, surgery, and the natural changes of aging. It’s the one movement system I can always return to. Because of the way Joe Pilates designed the method—with its variety of apparatus, resistance options, and endless angles—there is always somewhere for me to work. On strong days, I can challenge myself with more gymnastic exercises; on vulnerable days, I can choose foundational, supportive movement that gives my body exactly what it needs. 

Pilates meets me where I am, every time—and that’s why I do it.