I often talk to my patients about the Four Pillars of Health: sleep, exercise, nutrition, and stress elimination (or, SENSE, if you like a mnemonic!). Of these, exercise is the most powerful.

Why? Because when you’re active, sleep becomes easier, your stress levels drop, and you tend to make better choices regarding food. Exercise lifts all boats.

But I don’t actually like exercise.

I’ve tried. I’ve set up programs for myself, followed video routines, and told myself I’d make it work. But it never stuck.

What I do love is tennis — being active in a competitive environment. But after a while, I started to notice I was getting injured more often: shoulder pain, elbow flare-ups, etc. I had to stop playing for a few months, which was a wake-up call.

I needed to build strength and endurance, but I also needed help in the form of structure, accountability, and someone to guide me. That led me to the benefits of Pilates.

The Benefits of Pilates: What Surprised Me

I joined a Pilates studio and started going three times a week. Each session was 50 minutes. I originally thought it would be a low-effort kind of workout. Something light.

I was wrong, however, and I’m glad I was. When you leave a Pilates studio, you know you’ve had a workout.

Pilates focuses on the core, and I don’t just mean abs. I mean shoulders, chest, upper and lower back, abdominals, and glutes. These are the muscles that stabilize us, protect us, and keep us moving well. Strengthening the core reduces injury, improves balance, and helps you feel stronger and more energized day to day.

After just a few weeks, I started to see the benefits of Pilates manifest in my overall fitness. And that encouraged me to stay the course.

Efficient, Challenging, and Never Boring

Pilates classes are structured in a way that makes them efficient and effective. You work a specific muscle group for one to two minutes, then rest for five to ten seconds to allow lactic acid to clear. Then you repeat or move on.

These short, focused intervals push your muscles to the point of exhaustion. They tremble, but in a good way.

If something feels too easy for you, the instructor provides an add-on. And another. And another. You’re always working at your own level, but never coasting.

After more than 40 classes, not a single one has repeated. The variety keeps it interesting and helps avoid burnout or plateau.

Plus, most studios offer classes from early morning to evening; mine starts at 6 a.m. and goes until 7:30 p.m., so it’s easy to fit it into my schedule. I’ve even found that having to plan ahead for classes helps me stay committed.

Pilates Logistics

Pilates classes usually cost between $20 and $40, depending on how many sessions you sign up for at once. Committing to a larger package often lowers the per-class price.

Private sessions are an option, but they’re more expensive. Group sizes tend to be small — five to ten people — so you get personalized instruction without feeling singled out.

The instructors I’ve had are not only knowledgeable but also incredibly motivating. They make adjustments, offer encouragement, and help you execute the movements correctly. That attention to form and detail matters, especially when adapting exercises to your level.

So, Why Pilates?

I’m not saying Pilates is the “best” or “right” workout. I’ll just say it’s the one that worked for me, and it’s one I consistently recommend to patients looking to build strength, improve flexibility, prevent injury, and feel better in their bodies.

There are plenty of other exercise programs out there: yoga, CrossFit, OrangeTheory, and boxing. Many incorporate core work, and all of them get your body moving. It’s not about finding the perfect exercise program. It’s about finding the one you’ll actually stick with.

My Results? Better Than Expected!

After taking a few months off tennis and committing to Pilates, I returned to the court. I felt stronger and more balanced, and best of all, I wasn’t getting injured like I had before. The benefits of Pilates carried over to the activity I actually love doing.

And that’s the whole point. Exercise should support your life, not take it over.

Whether you’re coming back from an injury, trying to build better habits, or just want to feel stronger and more capable, Pilates might be worth exploring. For me, the benefits of Pilates have been clear: less pain, more strength, and a workout I actually look forward to.

Even if I don’t like exercise.