Hey there, what’s up, what’s going on, how are you?

Last night at dance lessons, I asked Caleb, my instructor, if he could recommend some you tube videos, social media accounts or websites that I could check out to learn more about the technique he was teaching.  In a dramatic and hilarious fit that could only be thrown by a professional dancer, Caleb informed me that I could film him teaching the technique and then watch that.  His main point was that he knew where the content he was providing came from and could vouch for the accuracy, something he couldn’t do with social media resources.

Fair point, Caleb.  Fair point.  Which brings us to today’s bugbear…

In the last few months, I’ve come across a shocking number of social media posts sharing incorrect, wrong, weird or downright dangerous Pilates content.  

There seems to be a growing movement that normalizes falling off of the Pilates equipment.  You may have seen the reel of an NFL star falling off of a reformer or come across a post of someone sharing their falling experience, in a way that makes it seem like it’s an every day normal occurrence, or even worse, a right of passage, in the Pilates world.  

Spoiler alert- In the same way that falling off of a treadmill or a piece of equipment in the gym is rare, falling off of the Pilates equipment is not a normal every day occurrence.  

At the same time, I’ve seen a number of tutorial reels showing how to set up specific equipment, in a way that is 100% wrong and dangerous.  A video showing how to attach a jump board to the reformer had tons of views and engagements, but completely missed adding in the safety locks of the foot bar, which keeps that jump board stable and prevents it from snapping back out of position.  

Turns out, sharing incorrect information actually creates a TON of engagement and is backed by science as a sure fire way to get folks to comment and share your content.

Scientifically speaking, the “correction impulse” or “correction reflex” is the innate desire humans have to correct wrong information.  We have an almost insatiable need to correct misinformation and seek to share or find accurate information.

So while that post showing a pro athlete doing Pilates may get a few hundred likes and some comments, a post of a pro athlete falling off of the Pilates equipment garnered thousands of views and comments.  The incorrect jump board tutorial video had tons of instructors commenting and engaging with the content, while a proper tutorial may have gone unnoticed.

You may have even noticed this trick with content creators using spelling errors, grammar errors or even the wrong name to boost engagement.  A recent major equipment company posted a photo of a man doing Pilates and labeled it Christiano Ronaldo.  Folks were quick to correct that is was in fact Lionel Messi.  Turns out, it wasn’t either.  

But that post had an insane amount of engagement, so what does it matter?

The “correction impulse” or “correction reflex” may drive engagement on social media, but accuracy and safety should always be the priority.  As fitness professionals and enthusiasts, it’s crucial to be discerning about the content we consume and share. Relying on qualified instructors and reputable sources ensures that we are practicing and promoting Pilates in a way that truly benefits our bodies.  Which means we also need those professionals to be discerning about what and how they’re sharing too.

So, the next time you come across a Pilates video or post, take a moment to consider Caleb’s advice and ask yourself , “can I trust this content and who can vouch for its accuracy?”.