Is Pilates Strength Training?

Strength training helps you build muscle, burn calories, and strengthen your bones. And there are plenty of resistance workouts, including weight lifting and free-weight exercises.

What if you want a change of pace? There are other ways to strengthen your muscles. But does Pilates count as strength training? Get the answer below, and learn how Pilates can help you reach your fitness goals.

Is Pilates considered strength training?

Any activity that moves your muscles against resistance is strength training. By that definition, Pilates is certainly strength training. It uses resistance –– from your body weight or a reformer machine –– to challenge your muscles.

Many Pilates exercises work core muscles in the abdominals and lower back. They also engage small stabilizer muscles that support your movements. And research shows that Pilates is an effective way to increase muscle strength. In one study, researchers tested Pilates in postmenopausal women. After 12 weeks, they had increased abdominal and upper- and lower-body strength.

Another study tested Pilates in older adults. They had better leg strength and balance after 5 weeks. Participants who continued Pilates training enjoyed increased benefits.

But Pilates differs from traditional strength-training exercises, like weight lifting. It can help you build functional strength. Functional strength training includes exercises that engage several muscle groups at once. It trains your body to better perform everyday movements.

How does Pilates build strength?

Pilates exercises are repetitive movements. They challenge your muscles to exert force against resistance. Mat Pilates uses your body weight as resistance. Reformer Pilates uses a machine with pulleys, straps, and springs to add resistance.

Working your muscles against resistance may increase muscle mass and strength by:

• Creating mechanical tension from resistance

• Causing metabolic stress as muscles contract

• Making tiny tears in muscle fibers

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Muscle damage from resistance exercises activates your body’s healing response. This response causes muscle cell changes as your body repairs the damage. Over time, your muscle size and strength may increase.

Does Pilates build muscle?

Pilates may lead to small increases in muscle mass. But there’s a need for more research on how Pilates affects body composition. For most people, it won’t build significant muscle mass. You have to subject your muscles to new challenges, such as increased exercise intensity and volume, to build muscle. Try using heavier weights or increasing reps and sets during traditional strength-training workouts.

Other factors play a role in how much muscle you build. This includes your genetics, diet, and fitness level. Pilates is more likely to build muscle for someone who is new to strength training. A beginner’s muscles will have to adapt to a new stressor (Pilates). That can help build or strengthen muscles. But once your body adjusts to the stress of resistance exercises, those gains will taper off.

You can keep Pilates workouts fresh by increasing reps or trying advanced exercises.

What are the benefits of Pilates?

Pilates has many health benefits. It can be a standalone workout or complement traditional strength-training exercises.

Increases flexibility and mobility

Pilates has been shown to increase flexibility and mobility. Flexibility is how much your muscles can stretch. Mobility is how easily your joints can move through their full range of motion. Both are critical for functional fitness, which helps you tackle daily activities easily. A small study found that Pilates training improved mobility in inactive older women.

Improves posture and balance

Practicing Pilates may improve posture and balance as you sit, stand, walk, or run. It strengthens your core and stabilizer muscles to keep you on your feet. That leads to better posture and movement during everyday activities and exercises. It can also help you avoid injury from falls as you age.

One study found that Pilates improved balance, posture, and mobility in older adults. Another study compared Pilates with a general fitness program for older adults. It showed that Pilates was more effective at improving balance and preventing falls.

Supports athletic performance

Many athletes cross-train with Pilates. The low-impact workout complements their sport-specific training. It can help prevent overtraining. Benefits like better core strength and flexibility might even improve their performance.

In a small study, runners improved their 5K performance after doing a Pilates program. The researchers attributed it in part to the increase in core strength.

Improves mental health

Pilates is more than a physical activity. Like yoga, it’s a mind-body practice. It involves slow movements and controlled breathing that can promote mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of the present moment. It helps you understand your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment.

Increasing mindfulness with Pilates may reduce stress and boost well-being. A research review showed that Pilates improved mood and quality of life in older adults.

What are the best Pilates exercises to build muscle strength?

Pilates classes include repetitive movements that target muscles throughout your body. Here are some common strength-building Pilates exercises.

• The hundred: The hundred is one of the best-known Pilates exercises. It’s a great way to build abdominal strength.

• The swan: ​​This back exercise targets muscles that support the spine.

• Single-leg kick: Single-leg kicks activate the hamstrings, glutes, and back extensors.

• The teaser: The teaser works the abdominal muscles, promoting strength and balance.

• Swimming: This exercise resembles a swimming motion. It strengthens the back, stabilizes the core, and improves coordination.

• The leg pull-up: Leg pull-ups strengthen the core, arms, and legs. They also boost balance and stability.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Jody Braverman, CPT, RYT

Jody Braverman has worked in the health and fitness industry –– as a trainer, yoga teacher, nutrition and lifestyle coach, writer, and editor –– for more than two decades. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of Maryland and maintains several accredited certifications.

Edited by:

Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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