Pilates is not new. In fact, it’s nearly 100 years old. But lately, more and more people are turning to this form of low-impact exercise.Case in point: Pilates wins the title. of It’s the most popular workout of 2023, beating out other fan favorites like yoga, cycling and barre, according to ClassPass’ annual report.
If you’re interested in trying it out, you may be wondering: Kindness Do you mean training exactly? Is it all about flexibility and balance, or does Pilates also “count” as strength training? ) We worked with some Pilates experts to help you decide which boxes to break down. It’s effective. And how you can incorporate it into your exercise routine.
So, is Pilates considered strength training?
Originally developed as a rehabilitation tool for World War I soldiers, Pilates focuses on mobility, stability, proper form, body coordination, and the mind-muscle connection. That’s why Linda Gehrman, owner and director of New York City’s BASI Pilates Academy and Pilates teacher trainer, says SELF is a great workout “for anyone looking to improve their daily functional movement habits or their sport.” told. This can be done using special resistance machines such as a reformer, or using just your own body weight on a mat (light weights, rings, balance balls, etc.) (Sometimes I use two of his).
If you’re into strength training, you’re probably already familiar with common Pilates moves like planks, squats, lunges, glute bridges, arm circles, leg circles, and crunch variations. Therefore, it makes sense that Pilates is a type of strength training. right?
Yes, but with an asterisk. Research has shown that Pilates is effective at building both strength and muscle (two outcomes commonly thought of with strength training), but it’s probably helpful to dig a little deeper.
First, in its broadest terms, strength training can be defined simply as training your body. stronger“Basically anything that allows your muscles to complete the task at hand a little easier,” says Pilates Instructor, DPT, co-founder and clinical director of The Wellness Den by Cynergy Physical Therapy. Lawrence Agenor tells SELF.” This isn’t just Pilates, Dr. Agenor explains, but other activities such as yoga, barre, and general weightlifting all qualify.
Garman says Pilates places a special emphasis on eccentric muscle contractions (when you stretch under load, like lowering your body in a squat) to build muscle strength. He wants you to think about movements like leg circles and elephants that hit your hamstrings while you stretch. But Pilates exercises also require a lot of stability, so when you’re performing the movements, either your core or your extremities are in a nearly isometric position (such as when hanging at the bottom of a squat, where the muscles are under load). It also works when you are standing still, even when receiving a ray of light. Finally, Pilates also uses concentric contractions (when muscles shorten under load, such as when rising from a squat), so it includes all three of his main contractions needed to make muscles strong.
