Pilates Thoughtful Tuesday: Is Water the Missing Link in Movement?

A figure in motion emerges from waves, embodying the essence of structured water in action.

This week’s Thoughtful Tuesday takes us deep into the world of water but not the kind we drink or splash on our face. I recently revisited the work of Dr Gerald Pollack, a professor of bioengineering who has been exploring the idea that the water inside our bodies is far more complex and structured than we’re taught in school biology.

His theory centres around something called EZ water, the “exclusion zone” that forms near hydrophilic (water-loving) surfaces inside our cells. Unlike ordinary liquid water, this structured water holds a negative electrical charge, stores energy, and appears to be essential for healthy cellular function. And it turns out, movement and compression may be key to maintaining it.

As Pilates teachers, we often focus on alignment, centring, and control but how often do we stop to think about the medium in which all of this is happening? Our fascia, muscles, and connective tissue are not just structures. They are soaked in water, more than 99% of the molecules in our bodies are water.

Movement as Medicine Right Down to the Molecule

Dr Pollack suggests that mechanical pressure like compression and shearing actually helps build EZ water. One therapist in the podcast describes a method of stepping on the fascia while clients move underneath her foot, resulting in feelings of lightness and buoyancy. The science suggests this isn't just about releasing muscle tension, it might be about restoring flow on a molecular level.

We see this in Pilates all the time. Clients say they feel “taller,” “freer,” or “unblocked” after a session. Could this be more than just posture or muscle release? Could our movements be facilitating the body's internal water flow, enhancing energy, supporting cell function, and even helping prevent dysfunction at the cellular level?

Rethinking Health Through Hydration and Flow

Pollack even suggests that cells with less EZ water divide more, a common marker in cancer. He theorises that increasing EZ water through hydration, infrared light, and movement could play a role in disease prevention or recovery.

It’s a radical thought but isn’t that what Thoughtful Tuesday is for?

Teaching the Pilates Method, Not Just the Movements

As Pilates teachers, we are not just leading exercises. We’re guiding clients back into connection with their breath, their body, and perhaps, as this research suggests, their internal flow. The quality of movement we teach may support the quality of water within the tissues, influencing how they heal, energise, and function.

So next time you cue a foot series or a spinal articulation, take a moment to appreciate the fluid environment in which it's all happening. The fascia gliding, the organs floating, the cells reorganising themselves. Water might just be the silent partner in everything we do.

Let’s teach with that in mind.