Shaimaine Loiacono

You don't need equipment to do Pilates. A mat-based practice builds core strength through intentional discipline, progressive layering, and routine repetition.

I've spent 27 years in the fitness industry, and I'll tell you this: Pilates helps people recover and move better faster than traditional exercise methods.

At 25, I was juggling 88-pound kettlebells and hitting heavy bags six days a week. A Pilates instructor offered to trade sessions. I tried it for two months. Then I went back to what I knew. Boxing. Kettlebells. The stuff that felt like real training.