Confidence – a skill we love to master, yet some days it somehow manages to slip from our fingertips. The questions ‘What is confidence?‘, ‘How do I become more confident?‘ and ‘Why am I not feeling confident today?‘ find a way to tiptoe into our minds, but the answers sometimes seem hard to find. The link between Pilates and increased confidence is important for us at The Confidence Concept, and has been extensively studied, especially in recent years (Oliveira et al., 2017; Öztürk & Bavli, 2017; Özdenk & İmamoğlu, 2019). We want to share this research with you and provide a little more insight into our Confident vision.
Research shows that people who practice Pilates exhibit increased self-esteem compared to those who do not (Oliveira et al., 2017; Öztürk & Bavli, 2017; Özdenk & İmamoğlu, 2019). In a study by Oliveira et al. (2017), participants who practiced Pilates not only showed higher results in self-esteem but also a higher quality of life and overall health. Pilates has also been shown to increase self-esteem, in contrast to other types of exercise, such as Zumba or Step (Özdenk & İmamoğlu, 2019). But what about Pilates has a role in increasing our confidence? Is it the studio? The instructors? The connection we build with our bodies? Is it the feeling of achievement after doing something we are good at, or, in reverse, something out of our comfort zone?

At The Confidence Concept, we will confidently answer your questions. We believe that confidence stems from knowing your authenticity and being able to step into it – taking a moment to observe how your body is doing and tapping into your own personal strength: What does my body need today? We believe that it is important to move according to your own body, without comparing what you can do today to what the person on the reformer next to you can do today. Knowing yourself better and understanding where to feel certain movements in your body is what allows you to start feeling stronger – not only physically, but also emotionally. Through self-love and self-acceptance, you will certainly start to build a strong and confident relationship with your mind and your body (Femke Helena de Voogd). Research shows that building a strong mind and body connection has important benefits on anxiety, immune resilience (Dhanasekar & Chandrasekar, 2025), and self-esteem (Lieutaud et al., 2021). In The Confidence Concept, we take these findings seriously, which is why we start all our classes, no matter the level, with a short meditation guided by your instructor – a perfect opportunity to set intentions and check in with your body.

Our Pilates instructors are experts in building confidence – this is why they would like to share their insights with you. We asked Jalila and Marlena about how they transfer their own confidence to their students during class.

“What do you think builds confidence in your Pilates classes at TCC?”
Jalila Sam-Sin: Pilates helps me feel confident in my skin and connected to my body. I am a very energetic person, and my mind goes everywhere. Pilates helps you connect to the present time, feel grounded, and not think about anything else. When you leave a class, you feel relaxed for the day, and you’re just more attentive to the little things. I transfer my confidence to my students by being grounded in myself, more true to myself, and less focused on what people expect me to be during my class. I try to be honest with my students, for example, if I am nervous, I won’t pretend that I am not. Being honest with how I feel incites my students to be truthful with themselves. I also encourage students to take breaks – it is not about what our body can do, it is about what our body feels like doing. There is no competition.

Marlena Rodriguez Ramos: I love a little pulse somewhere during my class – it is heavy, but not too heavy, you get to feel the class. It gives you a feeling of accomplishment – you were able to push yourself, and you did not quit. I like to give my students the feeling that when they leave the studio, they are ready to do the next thing in their schedule – take over the day. I normally tell my students where they should feel the burn; this creates a nice mind-body connection; you’re in control of your own body. A strong mind and body connection is important because it allows you to know your body further, and you get to notice your muscles and the little things that your body can do. When you feel like you can do stuff in the room, you feel like you can handle the outside world better. Feeling like you can do the exercises and positions in the room gives you the confidence that you can handle the outside world better.

And you? What about our Pilates classes at TCC brings you confidence? Feel free to share your thoughts with our instructors and hosts. We love hearing about you!

Sincerely,
The Confidence Concept