Celebrity chef Bobby Flay says pilates 'reversed' the curve in his spine after 35 years of hunching over a cutting board

• Celebrity chef Bobby Flay says Pilates improved his bad posture.
• "Standing hunched over a cutting board for 35 years, I put a very decent curve in my spine," Flay told The Wall Street Journal.
• Experts say Pilates can help strengthen core muscles that support the spine.

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, 59, credits Pilates for helping him with his back.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on Monday, Flay spoke about his fitness routine and how Pilates has improved his posture.

"There's basically three parts to it. It's some kind of cardio for 30 to 45 minutes, like running outside on the West Side Highway or in the gym on a treadmill if the weather's really bad," Flay told the Journal.

Once cardio is out of the way, he then gets into his Pilates workout.

"Standing hunched over a cutting board for 35 years, I put a very decent curve in my spine. Pilates has reversed it and made my posture so much better, and it helps me stretch," Flay said.

He then finishes his workout with bodyweight exercises like sit-ups and push-ups, he added.

Pilates is a low-impact workout that focuses on strength, flexibility, and breathwork. Research has shown that it can improve muscle endurance as well as reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms.

The physical and mental benefits of Pilates make it a favorite among stars like Hailey Bieber and NFL player Myles Garrett — who credits the exercise for helping him stay "limber and flexible."

Even Martha Stewart said she did Pilates three times a week for two months to get ready for her Sports Illustrated cover shoot.

Celebrities aside, Pilates was also the most popular workout of 2023, according to a ClassPass report. Reservations for Pilates classes were up 92% compared to the year before.

Improving posture through Pilates

Experts say that Pilates can be an effective tool for improving posture and addressing spinal curves.

"It targets the deep stabilizing muscles of the core, which are essential for maintaining proper spinal alignment. By strengthening these muscles and increasing flexibility, Pilates helps to correct muscle imbalances and support the natural curvature of the spine," Lorène Dawance, an osteopath at Calibrate Health, a sports injury physiotherapy clinic in Singapore, told Business Insider.

Additionally, Pilates also promotes body awareness and proper movement patterns, which are crucial for sustaining good posture throughout daily activities, Dawance said.

However, traditional Pilates workouts aren't quite the same as clinical Pilates workouts offered by physiotherapists or other trained healthcare professionals, Elizabeth Lee, a physiotherapist specializing in spinal care at The Rehab Lab, a sports and spine physiotherapy clinic, told BI.

"While traditional Pilates can be beneficial for general fitness and mild postural issues, clinical Pilates offers a more specialized approach for those with specific spinal concerns or persistent low back pain," Lee said.

That said, both forms of Pilates can help strengthen core muscles that support the spine as well as promote balanced muscle development, she said.

"However, it's crucial to understand that posture has both static and dynamic components. Our body needs to cope with the demands of various activities like walking, running, jumping, throwing, and lifting — not just standing or sitting," Lee said. "Clinical Pilates addresses this by incorporating functional movements that translate to daily activities."

Pilates aside, there are other simpler exercises — such as neck presses and chest stretches — that can also help improve bad posture.

Most importantly, a well-rounded fitness program is key, Lee said.

"This should include strength training and cardiovascular exercise alongside Pilates," Lee continued.

However, it's worth noting that severe spinal curvatures often require medical intervention beyond exercise alone, she added.

A representative for Flay did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours.