Pilates vs Strength Training.

Want to build a strong core and lean mass? Or perhaps you're looking to improve your flexibility and range of motion? Either way, you might be thinking about getting started with Pilates. 

This form of exercise has been around since the early 20th century. Today, it has over one million practitioners in Australia alone. Its benefits go beyond core strength and increased flexibility. 

Compared to other training methods, Pilates is gentler on the spine and joints. This makes it ideal for those with bad knees, back pain, or chronic back conditions. It's also a good way to improve your posture, balance, and mobility. 

But how does Pilates compare to strength training? Does it count as resistance training or cardio? While both Pilates and weight lifting may benefit your health, they have entirely different goals and require different movement patterns. 

Let's take a closer look at Pilates versus strength training and how to choose the best approach for your needs. 

What Is Pilates?

This low-impact exercise system emphasizes deep breathing and controlled movements. Regular practice, it may help improve balance, mobility, and functional fitness. It's considered one of the best ways to activate the deep core muscles and keep your back healthy. Most exercises can be tailored to your needs and range in difficulty from beginner to advanced. 

Pilates workouts focus on postural alignment and core stability. Joseph Pilates accompanied his method with various equipment, for which he used the term "apparatus". Each apparatus was designed to help accelerate the process of stretching, strengthening, body alignment and increased core strength started by the mat work. The best-known and most popular apparatus today, the Reformer, was originally called the Universal Reformer, aptly named for "universally reforming the body". Eventually, Pilates designed other apparatus, including the Cadillac, Wunda Chair, High "Electric" Chair, Spine Corrector, Ladder Barrel and Pedi-Pole.

The Pilates method was initially designed for injury rehab. However, there is no evidence that it can prevent injuries or help with recovery, according to a meta-analysis conducted by the Australian Government. Most studies assessing the role of Pilates in disease treatment or prevention are either small or inconclusive.  

This training system is unlikely to help you recover faster from injuries or prevent back pain, but it has other benefits. In the long run, it may improve overall conditioning, abdominal muscle endurance, and coordination. It may also help correct muscle imbalances and promote relaxation. 

Pilates is a form of very light resistance training. It's more active than yoga but less intense than jogging, running, cycling, and other aerobic activities. The movements are performed at a steady pace and get your heart pumping, especially if you're a beginner. Generally, you will exercise on the floor or use a spring-resistant apparatus. 

As you would expect, this training method doesn't build mass or torch massive calories. It may help you get stronger in some positions and more flexible. Even if you practise Pilates regularly, you'll still need cardio and strength training. Pilates isn't intense enough to improve cardiovascular health, stimulate hypertrophy, or burn fat.

Pilates vs Strength Training: Mechanism of Action

Strength training involves progressive overload, which requires gradually increasing the stress placed on your muscles to elicit a response, such as hypertrophy. 

Pilates, on the other hand, uses a series of repetitive exercises to create muscular exertion, according to a research paper published in the Muscle, Ligaments, and Tendons Journal (M.L.T.J). Most exercises vary in difficulty, but it's insufficient to create a progressive overload. 

The Pilates method is based on five core principles, explains the M.L.T.J. These include pelvic mobility, core work, rib and scapular stabilization, breathing, and cervical spine alignment. Each exercise requires using your core muscles to initiate the movement. When performed correctly, Pilates helps maximize motor unit recruitment. 

Light-intensity exercises recruit the slow-twitch muscle fibres, which are resilient to fatigue and use oxygen for energy. The fast-twitch fibres come into play when you increase the load or intensity, explains the University of New Mexico. The latter begins to take over when the slow-twitch fibres become fatigued. 

Weight training, sprinting, HIIT/HIRT, and other short, intense activities cause maximal voluntary contractions, activating the fast-twitch fibres through heavy lifting or explosive movements. 

Pilates exercises only target the slow-twitch fibres, leading to increased muscular endurance. But if you're trying to build lean mass and strength, you must focus on recruiting the fast-twitch fibres. 

When you practise Pilates, you may use a Reformer or other devices that help increase exercise difficulty. Even so, you'll recruit only the slow-twitch muscle fibres. That's why Pilates is recommended as part of a well-rounded workout plan that includes weight training, HIRT, or other activities. 

What Makes Muscles Grow?

As discussed earlier, Pilates is unlikely to help you build mass.  Muscle mass matters!  Hypertrophy, or muscle growth, occurs in response to progressive overload.

Strength training and other intense activities cause tiny tears in the muscle fibres, activating the satellite cells. These cells fuse and to the muscle fibres to promote healing. They also can multiply, leading to an increase in muscle fibre cross-sectional area, notes the University of New Mexico. 

Weight lifting also stimulates the release of human growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor, testosterone, and other anabolic hormones or hormone-like compounds. Compounds movements, such as squats, deadlifts, and presses, elicit the most significant hormonal response. 

According to the above review, men and women respond to these stimuli similarly. Women, however, cannot gain as much mass and strength as men because of the differences in body size, hormone levels, and fat-to-muscle ratio. 

Progressive overload, the foundation of muscle growth, can be achieved through several means. You may increase the resistance, change the number of reps or sets, work out at a higher intensity, or add new exercises to the mix. The point is to work against a progressively challenging overload. 

For example, if you typically squat 50 kilograms, increase the load by about 5% to 10% weekly. Do five sets instead of three, or try different squat variations to hit your muscles from new angles. 

With Pilates, you can increase the load up to a point, which limits your ability to build lean mass and get stronger. If you're a newbie, you may experience slight improvements in muscle tone. However, your progress will stall sooner or later as your body gets used to the exercise. 

On the other hand, strength training allows you to challenge your body and continually make your workouts more difficult. 

You might have heard that Pilates builds long and lean muscles. Unfortunately, that's just a myth. 

Hypertrophy is an increase in muscle fibres' size — not length — points out the University of New Mexico, and therefore, you cannot make your muscles longer. They might feel longer due to stretching, but their length remains the same.

Why Do Pilates? 

Pilates may not be the best way to build mass and strength, but it has its perks. As the M.L.T.J. notes, this training method may improve abdominal strength and spine posture, stabilize the core, and enhance physical function. Very few studies indicate that it may help prevent and alleviate back pain, but more research is needed. 

A typical Pilates workout will activate the transversus abdominis, obliques, and other core muscles that support your spine. The above review states that strengthening these muscles may help reduce lower back pain and improve function. 

In a clinical trial, physically active subjects with non-specific chronic low back pain experienced significant improvements in their symptoms after just four weeks of practising Pilates. These positive changes were maintained one year later. 

Another study, which was published in the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, reports similar findings. Subjects who undertook 15 Pilates sessions developed strategies to reduce the stress on their bodies and experienced less pain than those who didn't exercise at all.

Furthermore, this training method may help improve the range of motion in older adults. A 2017 study featured in the journal AGE suggests that Pilates can minimize the effects of ageing on flexibility and reduce the risk of falls. 

What makes Pilates stand out is its ability to strengthen your core. A strong core may improve physical performance and protect against injuries. In the long run, it can enhance your balance and stability, make everyday activities more manageable, and help you maintain good posture. 

On the other hand, weak core muscles may increase injury risk and affect sports performance.  

Build Core Strength with Resistance Training

Weight training can be just as practical or even better than Pilates for building core strength. Deadlifts, barbell back squats, and other heavy lifts force your core muscles to work hard to keep you in balance throughout the movement. 

Compound movements engage your core more than isolation exercises, like crunches and sit-ups. Push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, and other bodyweight movements are a good choices too. 

A 2008 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research assessed the impact of several resistance exercises on core strength. Squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and pelvic tilts all engaged the core muscles. 

Take the barbell deadlift, for example. This compound movement works your quads, hamstrings, glutes, erector spinae, and smaller muscles, including the traps and levator scapulae. The rectus abdominis and the obliques come into play, too, acting as antagonist stabilizers.  

According to a 2017 Journal of Physical Education Research study, deadlifts can significantly improve core strength in as little as five weeks. As the researchers note, this exercise hits all major muscle groups that stabilize the trunk and help maintain good posture, leading to a stronger core. The same goes for back squats and other compound movements.

All in all, strength training provides more significant benefits than Pilates. It's just as effective for building core strength, engages more muscles, and makes you stronger overall. The lean mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate. Pilates will get your heart pumping, but it's not challenging enough to ignite your metabolism.

Should You Add Pilates to Your Workouts? 

Not sure what to choose? Pilates and strength aren't mutually exclusive. With some planning, you can get the benefits of both worlds. 

Pilates promotes relaxation and may relieve stress. The Victoria Health Government recommends this training method to increase body awareness, improve posture, and prevent musculoskeletal injuries. 

Furthermore, Pilates can make it easier to recover from joint and spinal injuries, offering a safe, gentle way to exercise. On top of that, it's suitable for all ages and fitness levels. 

If you have back pain or bad knees and can't do squats and deadlifts, you could consider practising Pilates instead. However, strength training exercises like the Kettlebell swing and Reverse hyper can assist. So do what you can with free weights and strengthen your core and back muscles with Pilates. 

Sports injuries and repetitive strain injuries, like tennis elbow or tendonitis, can interfere with your workouts. 

For example, if you have tennis elbow, you may not lift weights for a couple of weeks. Push-ups, dips, and other bodyweight exercises will be off-limits too. But you can still train your legs, do cardio, and practise Pilates to maintain your conditioning. 

Pilates can also be a great choice on your off-training days. Just because you're not going to the gym doesn't mean you should sit on the couch all day long. Active recovery helps alleviate fatigue and reduce lactic acid buildup while increasing blood flow to the muscles and joints. Alternatively, you can perform the “Lock Big 5” located below.

As you see, it's no need to choose between strength training and Pilates. It all comes down to your preferences and health goals. When done right, Pilates can improve your strength workouts and keep your spine healthy. Over time, it may help you build a strong mind-muscle connection and increase your flexibility. If you are looking for a minimal effective dose to transform your body, the above evidence leverages strength training for the most benefit.

Don’t have a lot of time but still want a 5 min routine to stabilise your core and glutes? Check out this fantastic series from United Health Education.