Pilates of Charlotte

03/22/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HRpQwtZZf/

Congratulations to our newest Master Teacher Trainer, Nicole Jenkins🤍 We asked Nicole, owner of Pilates of Charlotte, to share her story with us—here’s a glimpse of her recent Q&A:

Can you tell us about how your career started?
🎙️ Before I became a Pilates teacher I was a dancer, which is why I think the method really made sense to me—because of the order. I decided to get my certification around 2004, finished my Comprehensive training around 2009, opened my studio in 2012, and became a Teacher Trainer in 2014! I proudly drink the Power Pilates kool-aid. I’ve seen other training manuals and Power Pilates is just the best that there is—the teaching formula can even be used for other fitness modalities.

Can you tell us about your experience teaching clients vs teaching students?
🎙️ I love that as a Pilates Teacher I get the freedom to be creative and provide different workouts for different clients, based on what they need, whether they just had a hip replacement or are pregnant etc. I meet them where they’re at. Whereas with students training to become instructors, there’s so much information to share. Most of the time, I don’t know if I’ll ever see these students again, so I make it my mission to embolden and empower them as much as I can.

What do you want to share with the community about yourself, your studio, and your new Teacher Trainer status?
🎙️As a studio owner I'm all about diversity and giving back. At our studio we offer a class for the caregivers of those suffering from conditions like Alzheimers and Parkinsons. We also have a class that focuses on strengthening the pelvic floor for postpartum moms, which can be really intimidating. We want people of different backgrounds to come and enjoy our space and community…regarding my status, it’s good to finally arrive here at this new status. It's been a long journey, but I've loved every minute of it and I'm looking forward to the next chapter

Once again, congratulations on this huge accomplishment!

02/21/2025

This: From Michael Alan King

The Misinterpretation of Pilates: The Danger of Losing the Method

The fitness world is no stranger to trends, but what happens when the essence of a method is diluted in the pursuit of modernisation? Recently, I came across a statement from the biggest educational organisation in the USA discussing Pilates Reformers: “Gone are the days of rigid, repetitive routines; today’s Pilates is dynamic, engaging, and seriously hard.”

At first glance, it sounds exciting, progressive even. But beneath the surface, this statement reveals a profound misunderstanding of what Pilates is and why it has endured for nearly a century.

Repetition is the Key to Change

Pilates, at its core, is about discipline, structure, and precision. The so-called “rigid, repetitive routines” are not an outdated remnant of the past—they are the very foundation of what makes Pilates effective. Repetition allows the body to learn, adapt, and change. Without it, movement lacks progression, and true transformation is lost.

The same mistake happened with step training. Step aerobics became popular because of its structured, repetitive nature, which effectively conditioned the body. Over time, however, fitness trends took over, turning step classes into high-energy dance routines where the step became a mere prop rather than the core tool of the workout. The result? The effectiveness of step training was diluted to the point where it became unrecognisable.

Now, the same is happening to Pilates.

The Risk of Losing the Method

When Pilates is stripped of its disciplined structure in favour of high-intensity, fast-paced, or constantly varied movements, it ceases to be Pilates. The method’s longevity is not due to its ability to entertain, but to its ability to support and transform the body. The very principles that make it work—control, breath, centring, precision, flow, and concentration—are undermined when we prioritise making it “seriously hard” over making it functionally beneficial.

Creativity in teaching is essential, and anyone who knows me knows that I embrace innovation. But true creativity in Pilates does not mean abandoning the method’s foundational discipline. It means working within its framework to refine movement, deepen understanding, and enhance results. Without that structure, Pilates loses its purpose and, ultimately, its effectiveness.

A Call to Protect the Method

Pilates does not need to be “rebranded” to remain relevant. The reason it has lasted for decades is because it works. Those of us who have dedicated our lives to this method have a responsibility to ensure that its core principles are upheld, rather than watered down to fit the latest fitness trend.

Trends come and go, but discipline, consistency, and structure will always be the backbone of any effective training method. Pilates is not about being the hardest workout in the room; it is about being the most intelligent and transformative one. Let’s not allow the industry to forget that.

01/24/2025

New Class Alert - coming soon
"Fit for Life' with Andrea, Maria, Marisol & Nicole
Starting soon. Feel free to call and we can set you up to attend and answer any questions.

01/24/2025

Looking for a Gratz wood reformer & Cadillac

01/21/2025

Congratulations to these 600 hour Comprehensively Trained Power Pilates Instuctors!
Pictured: Maddie Dugan, Stacie Halasz & Adriana Peña
**Not pictured Sonja Rienecker & Carolin Marie
Outstanding Work!!! ❤️💪 😲

01/02/2025

10/14/2024

This is the third week in a row that my giving family, clients and friends, (which are all synonymous to me), have raised funds and gave so generously to my hometown of Swannanoa. Thank you does not seem enough for all their generosity and support for so many in our neighborhood. ❤️❤️❤️🙌🙌🙌🙏🙏🙏 We are not done!!

05/22/2024

With Gratz_Pilates – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

05/06/2024

Systems 2 Complete.
Congratulations to Pollyanna Andrade & Maddie Dugan 🎉✋
Now onto Level 3

04/13/2024

Starting my day teaching these lovelies Core Mat 1 through Power Pilates Online Academy. Come join us!!