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Popular worldwide, Pilates is an exercise method that can work the whole body without sudden movements. It's a kind of gentle gymnastics that users of social networks, and especially TikTok, have now decided to spice up with the help of... a skateboard. The idea is to tone the body and build muscle without having to resort to expensive equipment or group classes, a concept that's going down a storm on the Chinese social network.
Popular worldwide, Pilates is an exercise method that can work the whole body without sudden movements. It's a kind of gentle gymnastics that users of social networks, and especially TikTok, have now decided to spice up with the help of... a skateboard. The idea is to tone the body and build muscle without having to resort to expensive equipment or group classes, a concept that's going down a storm on the Chinese social network.
Exercise is an everyday essential, whether for health or well-being. But if it requires an annual subscription, it can be out of reach for some people, especially against a backdrop of inflation. And when that's not the case, some people can be afraid of being judged or mocked at the gym, a phenomenon known as 'gymtimidation,' which is more common than you might think. These are all reasons that push young people to look for alternatives to help them keep fit at a lower cost, and without having to leave their homes -- or almost. One such option is 'skateboard Pilates,' an intriguing new exercise concept that involves using a skateboard to work all the muscles of the body.
An alternative to Reformer Pilates
For a few weeks now, the 'skateboard Pilates' trend has been growing on TikTok with thousands of views for exercises that seem to be accessible to everyone, or just about everyone. Pilates is a method of muscle strengthening, which works your balance, your posture, but also your breathing. Today, Pilates encompasses a multitude of disciplines, including so-called Reformer Pilates, which is practiced with a machine of the same name. This is an expensive piece of equipment that allows you to perform all sorts of movements designed to strengthen the whole body. It is precisely an alternative to this discipline, usually much more costly than the classic method, that users of social networks have developed with 'skateboard Pilates.'
As you probably guessed, the skateboard replaces the Reformer machine, which is made up of a sliding carriage that can, for example, be used to work the oblique muscles. A simple skateboard, it seems, could effectively replace this equipment as an accessory to work the muscles of the body at lower cost. The idea is to replicate many Pilates exercises with the help of the skateboard. From planking to working thigh muscles and abs, there's a move for everything. And, according to the many videos posted on TikTok -- some of which have more than 1.5 million views -- it appears to be an infallible way of toning your figure without breaking the bank.
Beware of bad positions
Practiced outdoors or in the home, 'skateboard Pilates' does require some precautions to be taken. First, it is advised that you master the Pilates exercises perfectly before jumping on a skateboard, and especially avoid making any sudden movements that could do more harm than good. In other words, it's essential to already have a basing grounding in Pilates moves -- and a certain amount of core strength -- in order to properly distribute your weight on the board, and not let the skateboard drag you down. Doing lunges, or possibly a sliding variation of the pelvic tilt, can be an ideal way to start.
A mere look at the many TikTok videos on the subject soon reveals that those who practice this new method are anything but beginners. So be careful not to embrace this technique if you have the slightest doubt about the position or the movements to follow.
