Women-Only “Pistols and Pilates” Class in Chicago

CHICAGO — I didn’t expect to be sweating quite so much.

Between pelvic tilts, acquiring a solid handgun grip, and practicing aim at the range on a recent Friday night, it was a bit of a whirlwind experience.

What was I doing, you ask? Oh, just participating in the inaugural “Pistols and Pilates” class in Oak Forest, Illinois, which is just outside Chicago.

This new concept has been gaining traction in the Pilates community lately since Eagle Sports Range started offering this unique class that merges core workouts with firearm training.

Manager Ashir Harhoub, the brain behind Guns to Guns, explained that this initiative aims to empower women.

“There are many women in the gun community who want to learn self-defense,” she noted.

Vivian Tadros, owner of Olive Pilates Studio and a co-organizer of the event, emphasized that this class challenges stereotypes. It’s often believed that Pilates is for women while guns are seen as a male domain. “But that shouldn’t be the case,” she said, pointing to how this combination reflects broader cultural shifts happening across the U.S.

In fact, women are among the fastest-growing groups of gun owners in the country. Ownership has jumped from 16% between 2013 and 2018 to roughly 20% since 2019, according to a Gallup poll.

On the other hand, Pilates—which has mostly attracted young, liberal, white women—has seen a 40% increase in participation across different demographics since 2019, attracting everyone from pro athletes to retirees.

Curious about how this unusual blend of Pilates and shooting would unfold, I joined 24 other women, spanning their 20s to middle age, on Friday for some planking and shooting practice.

Surprisingly, most of the women didn’t fit neatly into the usual stereotypes associated with either Pilates or gun culture.

The class kicked off with what I initially thought would be a simple hour-long mat Pilates session, but I quickly realized it wasn’t a gentle stretch.

Instead, we were pushed by the instructor to make tiny movements, and I mean really pushed. “Just a few more!” she encouraged. It felt like every muscle in my body was protesting.

Transitioning from this intense workout, we moved into a two-hour gun safety session led by the demanding trainer, Nora Elkhatib.

“Our aim here is not to shoot anyone,” she stated firmly. “It’s all about self-protection. We women often find ourselves in vulnerable situations.”

When she asked who had an Illinois concealed carry permit, roughly half of the class raised their hands, but only a few admitted to owning firearms.

Several attendees hadn’t fired a gun before. I was one of those. Growing up, my outdoorsy dad took me shooting a couple of times in northern Idaho, but I felt a twinge of inadequacy when Elkhatib asked us to pick up an unloaded .22 pistol from the table.

“Are these real?” I stammered, gripping the cold metal as if it might suddenly explode.

My nerves didn’t improve when Elkhatib corrected my grip during practice.

After that, we headed to the nearby firing range, where bright pink silhouettes awaited the 20 rounds we each had.

When it was finally my turn, I felt a bit shaky as I stepped into one of the seven booths. I leaned forward, repeating Elkhatib’s instructions in my head, and pulled the trigger.

Surprisingly, the recoil was manageable. To my amazement, my bullet landed fairly close to the center of the target.

Afterward, we exchanged feedback on our shots, and I couldn’t help but ask each of the women what had drawn them to this event.

“It’s something new for me. Not the usual social scene like going to a bar,” said Sonia Mirunda, 40.

“I got my gun permit a couple of years ago, so I thought I’d give it a try,” added the restaurant manager.

Mirunda initially signed up for fitness reasons but soon realized it was about much more. She left feeling more “comfortable” around firearms.

“We’re here for Pilates, sure, but it’s more about self-awareness and protection as women,” she commented.

Jazmin Worthy, 25, a healthcare worker, shared that she already owns a handgun and came to refresh her knowledge. “Living alone makes firearm safety essential for me,” she said.

“Plus, I absolutely love Pilates,” she laughed. “It’s the perfect combination.”

For what it’s worth, I don’t see any contradiction between these activities, and I found it surprising how some online critics seemed to take offense to the idea.

“I think it’s crucial for more women to be educated about firearms so they don’t have to depend on others for their safety,” Worthy asserted.

Harhoub added, “We should all respect different viewpoints. Not everyone is into Pilates or firearms, and that’s perfectly fine. Nobody should feel obligated to participate in things that make them uncomfortable.”

As for me, I walked away from “Pistols and Pilates” with sore muscles and a newfound sense of belonging—both on the Pilates mat and at the shooting range.