Pilates AND PURPOSE

IF YOU HAVE SPENT any time on social media over the past few years, you have likely noticed the Pilates renaissance taking place. Trends like “Pilates princess core” have created a wave of twentysomethings donning pastel workout sets, claw clips and grippy socks. But for longtime Tenafly resident and Pilates instructor Hillary Wellisch, Pilates is more than just a trend—it’s a longtime passion and a vital part of her daily routine.

During her time in college, Wellisch was a fashion assistant running around New York City and living a “Devil Wears Prada”-esque fast-paced life, leading her to seek an outlet for her stress. She began prioritizing going to the gym before or after work and practicing yoga. This is when she developed a love of Pilates. After college, she continued her career in media, working as a magazine editor at publications such as ELLE, Lucky and Seventeen.

Eventually, as her family grew, she relocated to Tenafly and decided the daily commute to the city no longer aligned with her priorities. It was then that she earned her yoga and Pilates teaching certificates, embracing a new chapter in her life.

SCULPTED SELF-CARE

Wellisch has been transforming lives through her Pilates instruction for more than 15 years. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, she launched a fitness studio in Tenafly called Body Burn, where she taught barre classes that combined cardio dance, strength training and weight circuits.

When the pandemic hit, she pivoted her classes online and then outdoors, holding socially distanced sessions in a parking lot for Tenafly residents eager to stay active and sane during uncertain times.

“I loved changing people’s lives and making people feel better, making people realize that they’re strong and can do hard things,” says Wellisch.

Though Body Burn has since closed, Wellisch continues to teach across Bergen County and online through her virtual platform, www.sculptedbyhillary.com. She offers private Pilates reformer sessions at Juma in Tenafly and teaches barre, core and mat Pilates classes at Physique 57 at Drop Fitness in Montvale, where she also serves as master instructor and liaison between the Montvale and New York City studios.

For summer 2025, Wellisch has expanded her instruction classes to the Hamptons, leading weekend classes at ID Hot Yoga East Hampton. Her fitness offerings also include hot Pilates mat, reformer and strength-training pop-ups.

CORE PRINCIPLES

She reminds her clients that the key to consistency is enjoyment: “Do what you’ll like, because then you’ll do it,” she says. “It shouldn’t be ‘Ugh, I have to work out.’ It should be ‘Lucky me, I get to work out.’” This mindset helps her clients build routines that feel less like chores and more like self-care.

While social media often highlights young, aesthetic-driven Pilates content, Wellisch is committed to inclusivity in her classes. She welcomes people of a wide range of ages and conditions, from pregnancy to scoliosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Wellisch, who is passionate about aging, says “in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, your workout looks a little different. Your body is changing; your hormones are changing.”

She adds that she is very focused on alignment and form. Pilates is not just a workout for Wellisch— it’s a way to connect, strengthen and restore.

“Find your reason,” she says. “If it’s to escape your house, great. If it’s because you want your abs to be stronger, great.”

She reminds her clients to focus on breathing, precision and form instead of pushing themselves to perform advanced moves that compromise their control. “You can do it,” she continues; “it might just look a little different for you, and that’s fine.”

INTENTIONAL LIVING

Wellisch has called Tenafly home for 17 years. Her two daughters have gone through the local school system, which is what drew her to Tenafly initially, and the town continues to be a grounding space for her family and career.

When not teaching, she’s deepening her knowledge of Pilates through continued education workshops and research. “I’m a Pilates nerd,” she says. “I feel like it’s endless learning. I’m always researching what else is out there.”

Beyond fitness, Wellisch stays connected to her fashion roots and enjoys thrifting trips to Brooklyn with her daughter. Whether she’s teaching, studying or exploring style, her passion for movement and creativity shapes every aspect of her life. Though she prioritizes her fitness through a trifecta of weight training, Pilates and high intensity interval training, her Pilates practice is her favorite part of the day.

“I lay on the reformer and I’m good,” she says. “You get to move, you get to challenge yourself, you strengthen, but it’s also very calming at the same time. I feel so passionate about that whole modality and keeping people strong and fit.”

BY GABRIELLE WALTERS