Does Pilates Build Muscle? How to Maximize Results

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Pilates has had a resurgence in popularity over the last few years, which may lead you to wonder whether it’s worth the hype. Its focus on strengthening core muscles and enhancing awareness of the brain-body connection makes Pilates exercises beneficial to many, but whether it’s the right fit for you depends on a variety of factors.  

Here, we’ll discuss the benefits and downsides of Pilates so you can see what the buzz is all about and decide if it’s worth signing up for a class or two.

What is Pilates?

Founded by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s, Pilates is a low-impact exercise style meant to work out the full body, though it primarily targets the core muscles. In addition to the abdominal muscles, the core muscles also include those found in the pelvis, lower back, and hips.

Pilates is ideal for increasing deep core muscle strength through its emphasis on controlled breath and body position. The Pilates exercise style is often categorized alongside yoga because it highlights breath work, stretching, mindfulness, and control — and it’s no wonder the founder originally called the exercise “Contrology.”

Pilates is often praised for its wide accessibility; it can be performed across a range of fitness levels, from those who are just getting into an exercise routine or recovering from an injury to those who are experienced and looking for a way to maintain or tone muscle.

Pilates classes typically last between 45 and 60 minutes, but, like many exercise styles, Pilates has evolved into multiple forms over the years. Pilates initially involved 34 exercises performed in sequence on a mat. Modern Pilates classes may also be mat-based but have expanded to include hundreds of movements. Both of these forms use body weight to strengthen muscle.

Another common variation makes use of a Pilates reformer machine — a bed-like frame with a flat surface that can glide back and forth, allowing the user to push against one end of the machine at varying resistances or use straps to pull with arms or legs. Reformer Pilates is typically considered more challenging than other forms but can be adjusted to different levels of difficulty.

Despite the differing appearances, these forms of Pilates employ many similarities in the goals and methods. Pilates uses strength and flexibility exercises through slow, repeated movements against some resistance, which are repeated in sets and meant to focus on the core muscle group without reaching the point of exhaustion.

Can Pilates Change Your Physique?

You may have heard people refer to a “Pilates body,” characterized by a slim, long frame with toned abdominal muscles, and wondered if it’s fact or fiction. The extent to which Pilates can affect physical appearance depends on one’s initial fitness level, but Pilates definitely has the potential to improve physique in more ways than one.

Though it’s considered a full-body workout routine, Pilates mainly targets the core muscle group, which has a major impact on health, wellness, and physical appearance. These muscles aid in stability by affecting how weight is distributed.

By strengthening those areas over time, you’ll likely notice improved muscle tone and endurance. Pilates also has the potential to help with weight loss.

Additionally, the strength and flexibility training that Pilates uses is touted for improving balance and posture (which means less slouching and more standing tall!). This is partially the result of the stretches that Pilates incorporates, which elongates muscle fibers and can contribute to the long, lean physique associated with Pilates.  

It’s important to note that even though exercise can change your physique, its primary purpose is to improve or maintain health and wellness. Pilates is a good avenue for engaging in physical activity for people of almost any fitness level, and before you see a noticeable difference in body shape, you’ll likely notice an improvement in the way you feel!

Does Pilates Burn Fat or Build Muscle?

Healthy weight loss should include a combination of exercise, nutritional diets, and other lifestyle factors like quality sleep. Being a low-impact workout, Pilates probably won’t leave you feeling exhausted or get your heart pumping as much as high-impact exercises would, and it isn’t designed for weight loss.  

However, that doesn’t mean you definitely won’t see weight loss or that it isn’t helpful for maintaining a healthy weight. One study showed that Pilates could induce weight loss but is more effective when combined with a weight-loss diet; another found that Pilates could reduce weight and body fat percentage in overweight and obese women after eight weeks of regular exercise.

If you are looking for a list of foods to help support your weight loss efforts and Pilates workouts, check out our Healthy Transformation Grocery List (affiliate link).

The low-impact nature of typical Pilates also makes it unlikely to substantially increase muscle mass. As a form of strength training, it can make muscles stronger, but it probably won’t induce hypertrophy to build muscle mass. If bulking up is a goal for you, other weight training exercises like weight lifting might be more suitable.

If you’re starting Pilates from a relatively inactive lifestyle, you may lose weight and/or build muscle, but you’re likely to reach a point where those specific health outcomes max out. With it being low-impact, though, it may be easier to maintain than other types of exercise.

Additionally, the different varieties of Pilates can suit slightly different fitness goals. For instance, if weight loss is a goal for you, engaging in POP Pilates might be better than traditional mat Pilates workouts. The POP Pilates variation incorporates some of the Pilates-style movements but adds music and fluidity between them to make the workout more dance-like.

How Long Does It Take to Build Muscle With Pilates?

Many Pilates studios quote the founder, Joseph Pilates, on how long results will take: “In 10 sessions, you’ll feel the difference, in 20 sessions, you’ll see the difference, and in 30 sessions, you’ll have a whole new body.” Promising “a whole new body” is a high order to fill — and probably too good to be true — but it is true that you should see and feel results from Pilates if you exercise consistently and allow a realistic timeframe.

Committing to two to three Pilates sessions a week, with each session lasting about an hour, for about eight weeks should generally provide a noticeable increase in muscle endurance, though you might experience results even earlier.

5 Other Benefits of Pilates

1. Improve Balance and Posture

One of the greatest benefits that Pilates offers is improvement in balance and posture. This has to do with the core muscle group more than any other. Having a strong core affects the way you carry yourself. When the muscles are strong, you don’t slouch as much, which is also part of why the “Pilates effect” can make someone seem taller.

Additionally, these muscles work to keep you balanced. This makes Pilates especially recommended for people recovering from an injury and for older adults to help prevent falls.

2. Increase Mindfulness and Mind-Body Awareness

Unlike a HIIT workout, which is meant to get you moving around a lot and increase your heart rate, Pilates is about slow, controlled movements and involves an emphasis on breath work. Much like yoga, Pilates workouts make you conscious of how your body moves and how your muscle groups function together.

People who do Pilates regularly find that this mindfulness of body movement translates to other exercise styles as well, which can help with maximizing the results of other workouts — not just Pilates.  

3. Reduce Anxiety and Depression

While the ability of exercise to improve mood is not unique to Pilates, studies have shown that practicing Pilates consistently can reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as lessem fatigue. One study showed that undergoing Pilates exercises significantly improved participants’ moods after only four weeks.

4. Improve Sleep

Poor sleep can negatively affect many areas of one’s life and is a common problem in the United States, where between 50 and 70 million people are estimated to have sleeping disorders. One analysis showed that engaging in Pilates significantly improved sleep quality in people under 40.

5. Reduce Various Types of Pain and Discomfort

From chronic back pain to dysmenorrhea (severe menstrual cramps), Pilates has been found to reduce pain-associated conditions. This is predominantly due to the increased core strength Pilates provides, which can take the weight off the lower back that sometimes leads to (or exacerbates) lower back pain.

Additionally, a few studies of women diagnosed with dysmenorrhea, a condition that regularly results in severe pain, showed that Pilates workouts can lead to an improved quality of life. The researchers partially attributed this to an increased blood flow to the pelvic organs and the release of endorphins.

Are There Any Risks of Pilates?

Because of its low-impact nature, Pilates is generally not considered very risky, and it’s often used as a form of physical therapy for people who have recently suffered from an injury.

However, if you’re just starting to practice this type of exercise, it may be worth attending a class with a certified instructor who can ensure that the movements are being performed correctly and safely.

Final Thoughts

While Pilates may not be the most effective exercise style for those looking to bulk up or shed weight, it does offer a range of benefits that just about anyone can take advantage of. The core muscles it targets impact everyday life through posture, balance, and strength, and the mindfulness and awareness that Pilates promotes can lead to increased flexibility and improved mood.

Additionally, the control over the body that Pilates provides can be applied to other forms of exercise, making it a broadly beneficial form of exercise for all.

Exercise is a key part of a healthy lifestyle, but it should be tailored to suit your specific goals. Whether you’re looking for an accessible path to starting an exercise routine or wanting to improve your muscle endurance, Pilates might be just the right path and can be adjusted to various levels of difficulty to match your unique desires.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pilates enough to stay fit?

The CDC recommends adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening activity each week. In this case, Pilates would be considered strength training. To maintain fitness, it should be combined with aerobic, moderate-intensity exercise.

Can Pilates help you lose belly fat?

While you can’t target certain areas of fat through weight loss, Pilates may be helpful in losing weight if combined with a good diet. The primary requirement for weight loss is a calorie deficit, and Pilates workouts can burn calories, though not as effectively as other forms of exercise. Pilates can, however, help to tone abdominal muscles.  

Why am I not seeing results from Pilates?

If you’re not seeing results from Pilates after a few weeks of consistent exercise, there may be something going wrong. It could be that the exercises are not challenging enough for your muscles anymore. In this case, you should consider adding more reps or increasing resistance in the workout.

Another possibility is that the exercises, which require specific, controlled movements, are being done incorrectly. Enrolling in a Pilates class, especially one with a certified instructor and a small class size, can help to ensure that you’re doing the exercises safely and correctly to maximize results. 

Proper nutrition is vital in combination with exercise whether you are looking to lose weight or gain muscle. Be sure to consume plenty of protein daily and eat the correct amount of calories based on your goals.