Is Pilates Strength Training?
Posted originally on October 20, 2024
One of the questions I get most often from friends, clients and Pilates newbies is: Does Pilates count as strength training?
Ask a Cross Fit coach and they’ll say nope. No way. Most definitely not.
Ask a Pilates Instructor and they’ll say yes. Absolutely. 100%. Have you even done Pilates?
My floaty Pilates Instructor ex-Engineer answer?
Yes.
And No.
What Is Strength Training, Anyway?
When we talk about strength training, most people think of lifting weights, doing push-ups, or any exercise that’s about building muscle and power. For me, strength training is about developing the overall strength and function that we need for everyday life—like being able to lift your groceries, move furniture, or just feel stronger in your body as you perform your normal daily tasks.
Traditional Strength Training focuses on:
Explosive Strength: Think of movements like jumps or quick powerful lifts
Raw Strength: how much weight you can move or resist
Big Motor Skills: engaging large muscle groups in a coordinated way, like with squats, deadlifts, or bench presses
How Does Pilates Fit In?
Pilates has a similar goal—helping you feel stronger and more functional as you go through your daily life—but it goes about it a little differently. Pilates is all about:
Deep Core Strength: Those smaller, often overlooked muscles that support your spine and pelvis
Control and Precision: Moving with intention and focus, which makes all those little muscles work harder
Fine Motor Skills: Building stability, balance, and a greater awareness of how your body moves
Bone Density
One important aspect of strength training—whether it’s traditional weights or Pilates—is its impact on bone density. For those concerned about osteoporosis or simply wanting to maintain healthy bones as they age, weight-bearing exercises are crucial. When muscles pull on bones during exercise, it stimulates bone-forming cells, helping to maintain or even improve bone density.
For those concerned about bone density, it’s not an either-or situation—it’s more about finding the right balance:
Pilates offers a low-impact way to get some of those benefits. Exercises like planks, bridges, standing balance work and using the jump board in Pilates are all weight-bearing, which means they can help stimulate bone growth. Plus, Pilates places a strong focus on alignment and posture, which can be especially valuable for those with osteoporosis to prevent fractures and maintain a healthy spine.
Traditional Strength Training may provide an extra edge when it comes to building bone density. Lifting heavier weights creates a greater stress on the bones, which can lead to more bone-building activity. This makes traditional strength training particularly effective for those who need to combat bone loss.
Hybrid Approach: Mixing Pilates with weightlifting can provide the best of both worlds—fine-tuned movement patterns + the progressive resistance that builds muscle and bone density.
When Worlds Collide
Where Pilates and Traditional Strength Training Meet
Joseph Pilates was a body builder, so a lot of the classical Pilates exercises actually look pretty similar to traditional strength moves. For example:
The Push-Up Series in Pilates is a great match for the standard push-up progressions in the gym.
Mountain Climbers on the Chair match up well with box jumps or step-ups, while the many variations of lunging exercises on the Reformer and Chair emulate traditional lunges, side lunges, Bulgarian squats and curtsey lunges.
Footwork, Squats on the Reformer or Chair and Plies all lump into the squat category. While Pelvic Curls, Bridges and Single Leg Bridges on the mat or equipment are very similar to those weight-room glute bridges using body weights, off of a bench, or using an exercise ball.
The Rowing Series on the Reformer and Cadillac has a pulling motion that’s very much like a seated row you’d do in the gym (with a lot of extra choreography that also incorporates hamstring flexibility and core strength).
The Back Series with the Roll Back Bar is essentially a series of lat pull downs, single lat pull downs, and bicep curls.
And then of course, we have all of the rotation and stability work in Pilates that may feel similar to ax chops, pall-off presses, Russian twists or medicine ball oblique work. Not to mention swimming = super mans, swan = back extensions, the endless side plank and clam shell variations, and aaaaalll of the core exercises that feel simultaneously familiar and strange when they move from the gym to Pilates.
Making Traditional Strength Moves More Challenging
One of the things I love about Pilates is how it can take traditional strength exercises and spice up the challenge. For example, planks are a staple in both Pilates and strength training. But in Pilates, we make it even more challenging by adding movement and springs into the mix:
Planks on a Reformer can involve sliding the carriage back and forth, engaging stabilizing muscles even more.
Plank variations on the Chair involve pushing down on the pedals, turning a static hold into a dynamic balance challenge.
Side Planks on the Cadillac can be done with resistance from the springs, adding an extra element of control and strength to the movement.
These variations force you to stabilize in multiple directions, making the muscles work harder. So, rather than just holding a plank, you’re moving in and out of the position with control, creating a deeper connection to your core and the smaller supporting muscles.
What About the Springs?
If you’ve ever tried the Reformer, Cadillac, or Chair, you know those springs aren’t just for show. They create a kind of resistance that’s like lifting weights—but with a smoother feel. It’s a great way to challenge your muscles through a full range of motion and some of those spring loads can be extremely challenging.
But here’s the thing: Springs have their limits. Unlike free weights, where you can keep adding weight, the tension in the springs is fixed. At some point, if you are focused on raw strength and gross motor, you might want more resistance than Pilates springs can offer.
When working with extremely strong clients who can easily muscle through the springs, our Pilates focus is on all of the other things that make the movements challenging: stability, flexibility, control, coordination, breath work, and functionality.
Is Pilates Enough for Strength Training?
Yes. But also no. It all depends on what you’re looking for:
If your goal is to feel strong, balanced, and able to move through life with ease, Pilates is definitely a form of strength training.
If you’re looking to build large muscles, lift heavy, or specifically focus on maximizing bone density, you might want to mix in some traditional weightlifting for that added challenge.
Where Pilates Shines
A Safe Transition from Injury to Strength Training
One of the standout features of Pilates is its ability to serve as a seamless transition for individuals recovering from injuries back into normal activity. Most of our clients come to us after Physical Therapy, looking for a safe and effective way to regain strength and mobility so they can return to the gym. Here’s how Pilates fits into that recovery journey:
Pilates exercises are controlled, low-impact and holistic or full body. This helps folks regain strength without putting undue stress on healing bodies while also requiring the use of the recovering areas in complex compound movements.
A lot of pain and injuries stem from a weak core. Pilates emphasizes core strength, which can help support and stabilize the spine and pelvis, reducing the risk of re-injury.
The use of springs and resistance in Pilates allows for a gradual increase in difficulty. Clients can start with lighter resistance and increase as they gain strength and confidence, bridging the gap between rehab and full strength training.
Pilates encourages body awareness and alignment, which are crucial when transitioning back to more traditional strength exercises. By improving how the body moves and training proper alignment, traditional strength training exercises become safer and more effective.
Pilates can help maintain the strength built during PT or rehab while also addressing any lingering imbalances or weaknesses.
Strength is not solely defined by how much weight you can lift.
Strength is the balance between functionality, stability, mobility and power.
While Pilates may not fit the conventional definition of strength training, it does make you stronger by developing overall functionality, stability, balance, core strength, bone density and mobility. Plus, it allows you to access greater power when doing things like heavy lifting.
So yes. Final answer. Pilates is a type of strength training.
Cheers to whatever gets you moving this week-
Rubecca
Pilates vs The World
Posted originally on August 23, 2024 by pilatesnative
Trends in the fitness world move as quickly as fast fashion. Prancercising, hula hooping, kangaroo jumping, flash mobs, and pounding have all had their moment. Even the traditional fitness mainstays, running, strength training, cycling and swimming, have had their fads and fusions. Whether it’s Tabata, HIIT, CrossFit, barefoot running, treadmill dancing, parkour, or aqua cycling, there’s always something new and exciting breaking through and taking over. My least favorite has been the “hot” everything trend. Hot yoga, hot Pilates, hot Barre, hot weight lifting. Ugh.
Within the Pilates community, the traditional mainstays have been Classical Pilates and Contemporary Pilates.
But like all of the other movement modalities, Pilates has not been immune to trends or fusions. PiYo, also know as Yogalates, is a fusion of Piates + Yoga. Piloxing pairs Pilates with boxing. Legree uses Mega Reformers in a method that is essentially athletic training on the Pilates equipment w/o the Pilates method. Aerial Pilates, Pilates HIIT and probably a million more that I’m missing have all made their way into the Pilates sphere.
With so many fads competing for attention, it’s common to pit different fitness modalities against each other, and even within the same modality, various approaches often battle for dominance.
HIIT vs Tabata. CrossFit vs traditional Strength Training. Trail running vs road running. Pilates vs Yoga. Pilates vs Barre. Pilates vs Strength Training. Pilates vs HIIT. Classical Pilates vs Contemporary Pilates.
Social media is rife with debates about which workout is superior, creating a competitive atmosphere that can be confusing and sometimes dangerous, as influencers share more and more extreme versions of their routines to gain followers.
But what if we shifted the narrative from competition between modalities to collaboration?
My personal movement practice includes running, strength training, mountain biking, paddleboarding, ballroom dancing and Pilates, with running being my first, favorite and primary exercise type.
But I couldn’t run with out Pilates.
Before Pilates, I was running injured 90% of the time, seeing a chiro weekly and living through a cycle of injury->recover->injury->recover-> repeat. Pilates has helped me run 3-7 days/week for the last 15 years.
Without Pilates, I wouldn’t have the core strength, mobility or knee tracking needed for strength training. I wouldn’t have the confidence to attempt the balance exercises or new things that Josh, my trainer, throws my way.
Pilates frequently gets me through ballroom exercises, has helped on high ropes courses, allows me to stand confidently on the paddleboard, ensures my back doesn’t hurt after 6 hours of bagging 14’ers.
For me, Pilates isn’t my life, it’s the key to my life.
So why pit it against other modalities?
Instead of “Pilates vs”, why not “Pilates and….”.
Pilates vs and Strength Training
Strength training is essential for building muscle mass, boosting metabolism, and improving bone density. Whether you’re lifting weights, using resistance bands or body weight, strength training builds strength and hypertrophy.
If not done properly, traditional strength training can sometimes lead to muscle imbalances, reduced flexibility, and overtraining or injuries.
*Cue Pilates.
Pilates, with its focus on functional strength, deep core strength and stability, is a powerful complement to strength training. Pilates exercises not only enhance core strength and improves stability, it also promotes better posture, brain+body connection, alignment and mobility, all requirements of a good strength training practice.
Increased core strength through a Pilates practice can actually make strength training exercises more effective, as a strong core supports heavier lifts and more complex movements. Additionally, the emphasis on controlled, precise movements in Pilates helps to reduce the risk of injury by improving muscle coordination and balance.
Incorporating Pilates to a strength training practice can help address muscle imbalances, improve flexibility, and enhance overall movement efficiency. On the flip side, the muscle gains from strength training can support and enhance Pilates practice, allowing for more advanced movements and better endurance.
Pilates vs and Yoga
When they’re not being fused together in creative ways like PiYo, Pilates and yoga are often pitted against one another as mortal movement enemies. (ok that’s dramatic, but you get the idea.)
The truth is that Pilates and yoga have a lot of similarities and complement each other really well. Both practices emphasize breath control, flexibility, mindfulness and the mind-body connection.
Where they differ is in their original purpose and intent of practice. Yoga includes a spiritual aspect rooted in a religious tradition that’s over 2000 years old. Yoga classes incorporate meditation, internal awareness and spirituality to encourage relaxation, stress relief, alignment and spiritual health. While yoga can be a great tool for mobility, it’s primary focus has always been on the spirit. The original yogis practiced yoga as a way to prepare their bodies for hours of deep meditation.
Pilates, on the other hand, a relative baby at 100 years old, has always been much more focused on the physical body. Core strength, stability, focus, precision of movement, proper alignment and correct body mechanics. While you may experience relaxation or spiritual growth in a Pilates practice, it’s an added bonus, rather than the main focus.
For folks who primarily practice yoga, incorporating Pilates can provide strength-building exercises that support and enhance their yoga practice, particularly when it comes to developing stability around the joints and preventing hypermobility or overuse injuries.
The core strength developed in Pilates can also help with balance and alignment in yoga postures, reducing the risk of injury and allowing for more advanced poses. Pilates also often includes gait training and a pulling component, which are frequently missing from a yoga practice.
Conversely, the stretching and relaxation techniques of yoga can complement Pilates by improving flexibility and mental focus, helping practitioners to execute Pilates movements with greater ease and control.
Pilates vs and Running
Running is a repetitive, high-impact activity that places significant stress on the joints, particularly the knees, hips, ankles and low back.
Pilates helps counterbalance the intensity of running by strengthening the core, improving posture, and increasing flexibility, all of which are crucial for efficient and injury-free running. The core stability developed through Pilates supports better alignment and reduces the risk of common running injuries like runner’s knee, IT band syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis and shin splints. Additionally, the focus on breath control in Pilates can improve a runner’s breathing technique, leading to better endurance and stamina during long runs.
The Pilates Jump Board can also help improve gait, landing, and endurance, making it an excellent training companion for runners.
Pilates vs and HIIT/Tabata
Like running, HIIT and Tabata are known for their intensity. That intensity can sometimes lead to muscle strain, fatigue, and injury, particularly if not balanced with recovery and proper technique. Once again, that leads us to Pilates.
With its emphasis on control, precision, and core strength, Pilates can provide the perfect counterbalance to the intensity of HIIT or Tabata. Using Pilates as a recovery workout can help alleviate muscle soreness, improve flexibility, improve joint stability, increase balance and promote control during quick bursts of movement.
A strong core and better alignment can lead to more efficient movement patterns, reducing the risk of injury and allowing for more intensity and power during HIIT and Tabata.
The Key to Better Movement: Pilates AND
Whether you lift, run, hike, yoga, dance, HIIT or cycle, Pilates can help you build deep core strength, enhance flexibility, improve stability and balance, develop better posture and alignment, promote better mechanics, master breathing and increase functional mobility.
The key is to approach it as a collaboration, rather than a competition.
Pilates and…
If you’re ready to start your Pilates collaboration and enjoy the benefits of a Pilates practice in your normal workout routine, we’re here to help! Give me a call, reply to this email or shoot me a text.