Today whist I was sitting reading to my 3 year old twins, something extraordinary happened.
My son (who had been sitting under the coffee table listening) suddenly appeared and asked me, “Mummy, why do people do Pilates?”
Whilst I was busy picking my chin up off the floor and running through a few of my stock ‘drinks party answers’ he continued with, “Why do children do EP [sic]?” (He actually meant to say PE, but I understood the question)
Two great questions with two potentially very long answers.
Because my special audience had a very short attention span, my answer needed to be simple and to the point (the type of point a 3 year old could understand). My reply? – “Because it’s fun”
He looked at me, thought about my answer, nodded and disappeared back under the table.
Simple.
In this age of social media and instant online debate it is easy to lose sight of this and become caught up in negative conversations about nuance and to grow conflicted and polarised in our views on exercise and Pilates. It’s time to embrace the joy in our work and recognise the fact that we all share a passion for Pilates and a deep admiration for the man who created it.
I’m delighted my 3 year old knows what Pilates is. And you know what, I got up from that sofa, ran outside with my children into our garden and jumped on the trampoline, slid down the slide and did roly-polys on the lawn. All for the sheer pleasure and fun of moving.
Simple.
