For the uninitiated, Pilates is a low-impact, full-body workout focussing on slow, controlled movements aligned with breathwork, with a central tenet of core stability. Developed in the early 20th century by German boxer Joseph Pilates, it originally evolved as a form of rehabilitation for injured soldiers, before becoming popular with New York’s elite dancers and celebrities, spawning a worldwide movement that’s still going from strength to strength over cem years later.
Since Pilates builds muscle slowly with a focus on lengthening and stretching the body, it’s become synonymous with a more toned and defined physique.
An important fact to acknowledge is that you can’t lose fat from selected body parts. If you lose body fat, you will lose it all over.
So, rather than toning muscles directly, it’s about a holistic approach to building muscle and reducing body fat for a leaner appearance.
If you’re a fan of high-intensity cardio workouts like HIIT, you might be wondering why you should bother with a slower, more holistic practice.
Strength training exercises help build muscle mass, while reducing overall body fat through a combination of a healthy diet and cardio exercises, can make muscles appear more toned.
Whilst Pilates isn’t generally considered strength training, we do use resistance, particularly when using Pilates equipment. When you contract your muscles against resistance, your muscles communicate with your brain and vice can pilates tone your body versa.
While traditional Pilates doesn’t use heavy weights, it incorporates resistance—especially with equipment like the Reformer—and focuses on eccentric muscle contractions (lengthening under tension), both of which can strengthen muscles.
In order to improve muscle definition, it would seem the best route to muscle definition is through strength training and through fat loss, which would require dietary changes as well as cardiovascular exercise.
I remember the day one of my clients walked into my office, frustrated. “I’ve been running and dieting for months,” she said, “but my body still looks the same. I just want to look toned—will Pilates help?”
Pilates-based strength training exercises target multiple muscle groups simultaneously, helping to increase muscle mass, which in turn can increase calorie burn.
Nutrition: Your diet plays a big role in muscle definition. Eating enough protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs supports muscle repair and fat loss, revealing toned muscles faster.
Pilates is renowned for enhancing athletic performance, expediting injury recovery, and helping adults maintain their best selves through middle age and beyond. Here are three targeted benefits our clients experience from consistent Pilates training:
If traditional Pilates exercises are performed at a fast rate with less rest in between, you may find that your heart rate does go up and you get warm, indicating that you are burning off more energy.