What are the best Pilates exercises for building muscle strength?
Strength training helps you build muscle, burn calories, and strengthen your bones. And there are plenty of resistance workouts, including weightlifting 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.
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.
Take the time to set up each exercise
Listen to the cues for set up. Teachers use words like “alignment” when talking about how your body needs to be positioned in relation to the reformer; and “engage” when discussing the muscular focus of each exercise. It’s a good idea to look around the room and see what other students are doing but it’s more important to listen to the instructor and don’t be embarrassed to call out if something starts to niggle or you’re feeling ‘lost’. It’s our job to ensure each and every student gets the most out of each class. When the instructor offers “progressions” (i.e. ways to make the exercise harder) only take them if the exercise is feeling good in your body. And always “regress” the exercise if you’re fatigued and losing good technique.
The bottom line
Pilates includes repetitive exercises that move your muscles against resistance. It’s a form of strength training that can help you increase functional strength. That means it will train your body to perform better in everyday activities.
It may not help you build muscle mass, but Pilates is a great addition to a balanced fitness routine. Research shows that it improves balance, flexibility, and athletic performance.
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At ChaiseFitness, we believe that anyone can be fit—no matter what skill level or body type. This belief inspired the creation of our patented Reinvention Method, which is for everyone—the athlete, the dancer, the beginner, the advanced, the rebuilder. We blend Pilates, ballet, and strength training and equip you with a chair and overhead bungees so that you work out all your muscles every time. We are located in Upper East Side in Manhattan. For more information, you can contact us at (973)996-2063, or visit our website.
