Pilates Exposé: How It Works and Why It Works — Featuring giveBeauty’s Newest beautyPro, Pilates at Evolution

It’s no secret that Reformer Pilates has been taking the world by storm for decades, and if you read our “2026 In’s & Out’s — The Year of Clean Chaos” blog, you know that it's here to stay. Pilates has become a timeless classic, almost like a little black dress, a red lip, or a Fleetwood Mac song… we could never let it go.

I have to confess, I hadn’t tried a Pilates class until this past year. I was more of a cardio-andweights type of girl. However, I quickly got tired of hanging out with all the gym bros in the weight room who try to secretly take mirror selfies of themselves in between sets. Newsflash, Chad — you’re not being too subtle, but I respect the effort.

I also wasn’t seeing the results I was looking for and felt like, at that point, I had tried everything. That’s when two angels appeared to me, offering clarity… Davina and Kait from Pilates at Evolution in Tewksbury, MA.

Before I get into the classes and results themselves, let’s break down the history and anatomy of why and how Pilates actually works. I’ve always found that when I know exactly what a workout does for my body and how it benefits me, I’m much more likely to commit to it!

A Brief History

Some of you have heard of the man who originally developed Pilates — Joseph Hubertus Pilates. Now, ladies… This is one man we can agree has never steered us wrong.

He was a German physical trainer born in 1883 who later emigrated to the United States to continue his strength training career. In the early days, Joseph originally called Pilates “Contrology” and created it as a method to improve posture, alignment, and enhance control of movement.

Pilates didn’t become popular overnight; in fact, it grew very slowly, and professional dancers in New York City were the reason for its expansion. When Joseph and his wife, Clara, moved to NYC, he opened the very first Pilates studio — setting the tone for the historical “Pilates & matcha girlies” movement that would alter society for generations to come.

The studio was located in the same building as several dance studios, so as fate would have it, professional dancers began using Pilates to recover from injuries, strengthen without adding bulk, and improve balance. It became known as “the secret method dancers use to heal.”

However, Pilates truly exploded decades after Joseph’s death, in the 1990s–2000s, when fitness began to shift toward “lean” muscle strength. Many celebrities also started to endorse it, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, and Jennifer Aniston… so naturally it took off faster than I launched off my reformer during my first class. You know what they say… “In Jenn Aniston we trust.”

The Anatomy of It All

While mat classes are amazing for low-impact cardio and muscle building, the real alignment and lengthening results lie with the reformer. Its design, consisting of springs, a moving carriage, and pulleys, is known to create continuous tension and instability, which changes how your muscles activate.

Because the surface of the carriage moves, your body must prevent wobbling, control speed, and maintain alignment while trying to complete each exercise — this activates the deep stabilizers in your body before the “show muscles.” And believe it or not, this actually helps your neuromuscular control as well (basically my fancy and annoying way of saying “mind-body connection”).

“Pilates isn’t just about exercise — it’s about learning how to move through life with more strength, control, and awareness,” says Kait Dube, instructor extraordinaire at Evolution. “Teaching allows me to support others in building a foundation that helps them feel better not only in class, but in their everyday lives.”

The Revolutionary Results

Since I have access to the amazing businesses in the giveBeauty network, which now consists of a state-of-the-art Pilates reformer studio, I figured I have zero excuses not to make Pilates one of my main personality traits.

My first reformer class was… humbling, to say the least. It definitely takes a minute to get your body used to the machine, but lucky for me and my self-esteem, Pilates at Evolution has very hands-on and attentive instructors. Kait and Davina both make necessary adjustments to each student and keep a sharp eye out to make sure every muscle is moving exactly how it’s supposed to.

The studio offers both Reformer and mat classes — don’t let those sneaky mat classes fool you… my abs were on fire, and I was lunging for my water fifteen minutes in. So worth it!

After a few classes, I started to get the hang of everything and was really beginning to feel confident in my movement. After a couple of weeks, my abs and arms were starting to show amazing definition. Now, after a few months, my body has COMPLETELY transformed. So many people are telling me that I’ve even gotten taller and leaner!

Throughout the years, I’ve tried soooo many workout fads and methods — from every type of cardio trend, to HIIT classes, to heavy weight training. But absolutely nothing has made me feel as energized, confident, and coordinated as Pilates — I’m truly a changed woman.

Check out some photos of Pilates at Evolution in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, below! Your love for this studio will grow with every class. The instructors, the atmosphere, and the community are filled with support, positivity, and excitement — not to mention some killer Spotify playlists.

If you have a birthday or special event coming up, make it unforgettable by booking a themed private party for you and your loved ones!