Does Pilates Flatten Your Stomach? All You Need to Know

Are you wondering “Does Pilates flatten your stomach?”  then you’re in the right place. A flabby tummy can be the most challenging area to target. Your body shape, any bloating, and the curvature of your spine can affect how the stomach protrudes. However, there’s nothing to feel self-conscious about.

Pilates is a fantastic accessory to any fitness program. It can strengthen the abdominal muscles, lubricate the joints, and correct posture. However, to work on localized fat, especially in the tummy, you need consistency, variation, and a proper routine. Here, we’ll show you how.

Can a Flabby Tummy Be Toned?

The abs are like any other muscle in the body. Training can help you work on them, improve muscular endurance and tone, and strengthen them. However, exercise alone isn’t enough to eliminate a flabby, hanging stomach (1). 

Visceral fat can respond better to a combination of regular physical activity, a balanced diet, and lifestyle changes. To lose a flabby tummy, the body will need to reduce body fat or weight so that less fat is around the stomach. This will then make the abdominal muscles more visible. Exercise can curb low-grade inflammation, glucose metabolism, and insulin sensitivity, and correct bad posture – all of which can lead to a protruding belly (2). 

Does Pilates Flatten Your Stomach?

Pilates isn’t just an exercise, it’s a powerhouse of modalities that can target your posture, excess fat, and muscle strength. Practicing for 10 to 30 minutes can boost your confidence, overall stability, and muscle asymmetry. 

Do you want to know “Does Pilates flatten your stomach?” Here’s what experts have to say:

1. Based on a 2024 study, Pilates can improve cervical posture, spinal deformity, and lower back posture. It can ease pain and discomfort due to poor posture. Through regular intervention, practitioners can gain core and spinal strength (3).
2. A 2017 report found that Pilates can help with body composition in sedentary, obese, and overweight women. 37 women between the ages of 30 and 50 participated in the study. Those who trained three times per week for 90 minutes significantly reduced their hip and abdominal circumference (4).
3. According to a 2024 report, Pilates matwork training activated the trunk muscles and decreased waist circumference. 48 women with an average age of 60 took part in a 10-week training. By the end of the study, they reduced their waist circumference by up to 5.2 cm (5).
4. Another 2023 clinical trial showed a positive effect on women with loose stomach muscles after childbirth. Pilates was found to restore function and structure in the ab muscles, promote muscle endurance, and decrease waist circumference (6).
5. Based on a 2025 controlled trial, 10 weeks of Pilates can promote joint flexibility, improve core muscular endurance, and help with body composition. Healthy, trained women can use this training modality to shed excess fat, regardless of their protein supplementation (7).

Read More: Pilates For Weight Loss: Does It Work? What Experts Say.

Can You Get a Flat Stomach with Pilates?

Pilates can strengthen your core, correct your posture, and help you shed excess fat. However, this exercise modality alone doesn’t guarantee a flat stomach. Other factors can cause a protruding belly, such as bloating, constipation, sugar consumption, hormonal fluctuations, excess calories, stress, smoking, genetics, and alcohol.

Pilates for a flat stomach requires a combination of techniques. You should:

• Engage the core, glutes, hip flexors, and paraspinal muscles.
• Correct your posture and prevent slouching.
• Use controlled movement.
• Incorporate a well-rounded routine, such as a wall Pilates ab workout.
• Eat an energy-dense pre-workout snack.
• Consume balanced meals that are high in dietary fiber, lean protein, and complex carbs.
• Burn more calories than you eat.

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Which Pilates Exercise Is Best for a Flat Tummy?

“Does Pilates flatten your stomach?” The answer is… it can, but only with a comprehensive workout plan and dietary and lifestyle changes. When it comes to flattening the belly, you must activate the muscles, target the abs, and eat in a calorie deficit.

Pilates provides isometric and isotonic exercises. Each plays a key role in building core strength, burning visceral fat, and relieving bloating. Isometric workouts, such as holding a plank or boat pose, work with the deep core stabilizers that pull the waist in. 

Pilates for a flat belly and tight tummy improves postural support, which means there’s less belly bulge caused by slouching. Isotonic workouts promote functional movement to burn energy. Exercises such as roll-ups, leg stretches, scissors, and crisscrosses can curb body composition.

What Is a Good Pilates Workout Plan to Burn Belly Fat?

Every routine starts with a good stretch. Dynamic and static stretches promote a functional range of motion. They can give your body enough time to adapt, particularly with weak or inactive muscles. Here are a couple of Pilates core exercises that could sculpt the belly.

• Leg Circles

This exercise can be beneficial for the abdomen as your legs are flexed at both the hips (hip flexors) and knees (quadriceps). With each stretch, you engage the abdominals, which activates the quads and allows the core to get stronger. 

How to perform:

• Lie on a mat and straighten your right leg forward.
• Lift your left leg up toward the ceiling.
• Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed.
• Keep your tummy muscles in and arms down.
• Perform 5-8 circular motions with your left leg.
• Bring your left leg down.
• Lift your right leg up and repeat.

• Roll-ups

This exercise isn’t just about abdominal strength, it’s also about spinal mobility. You focus on your inner thighs and build deep abdominal muscles by working on your joints, balance, and flexibility. 

How to perform:

• Lie on a mat, your back facing the floor and your legs together.
• Reach your arms up ahead with your palms forward.
• Raise your arms to 90 degrees and flex your feet.
• Slowly raise your head off the floor and roll all the way forward, holding your abdominal muscles strong.
• Roll back, softly point your toes, and reverse the pattern.
• Repeat 5-8 times.

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• Seated Scissors

This exercise teaches you to move with control and precision. You’re stabilizing and activating core muscle groups that burn fat and calories. 

How to perform:

• Lie on a mat, with your back and arms flat on the floor.
• Raise one leg at a time, 90 degrees at the hip and knee.
• Bring your leg down and alternate legs.
• Repeat 5-8 times for each leg.
• For increased difficulty, bring your head closer to your leg, hug your knees, and extend your leg with each lift.

• Bicycle Crunch

This exercise is a movement that targets multiple muscle groups that can ultimately create a slimmer and more toned waist. The crunches require coordination, repetition, and proper posture. They can tighten the core and support the spine.

How to perform:

• Lie on a mat with your back on the floor.
• Place your hands behind your head and lift your head and neck off the floor.
• Lift your legs off the floor at the hip.
• Extend one leg forward and bend the other knee at 90 degrees.
• Bring your right knee up as you bring your left elbow right toward it.
• Coordinate your body to touch the opposite elbow to the opposite knee.
• Repeat 5-8 times for each side.

• Criss Cross

This exercise increases body awareness and balance. It can affect your posture and strengthen your core so that when that body fat comes off, that 6 pack will show. The more frequently you practice, the sooner your body can adapt.

How to perform:

• Lie on a mat with your back on the floor.
• Place your hands behind your back.
• Allow your elbows to come off the mat, just a little.
• Bring your legs up toward your chest.
• Curl your neck, head, and shoulders up.
• Extend one leg forward and pull the opposite knee in toward your face.
• Rotate the opposite shoulder toward the opposite knee.
• Switch side to side.
• Repeat 5 to 8 times on each side.

Read More: Pilates for Belly Fat: 7 Exercises That Engage Your Midsection.

How Fast Does Pilates Help You Lose Belly Fat?

To answer the question, “Does Pilates flatten your stomach?” the exercise modality by itself doesn’t burn belly fat. Fat loss occurs through various approaches, such as physical activity, dietary strategies, and lifestyle choices.

Pilates is more about activating the muscles, strengthening the core, and improving posture, which, together, can reduce the chance of a protruding belly. When you combine it with lean protein, complex carbs, and dietary fiber, you supply your body with enough nutrients to maintain a healthy weight and make your tummy appear flatter. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does cycling burn belly fat?

Cycling regularly and consuming whole foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals can contribute to overall fat loss, including belly fat. Cycling hardens the core and leg muscles, which pushes the gut to process food faster and prevents constipation or bloating.

• Which cardio burns the most fat?

Running is a fast calorie burner. HIIT workouts torch a ton of calories and fat, which can be highly effective for building muscle tissue and targeting visceral fat. HIIT training is more intensive than Pilates, which can maximize calorie expenditure. Ultimately, the greater the intensity of your workout, the more calories you’ll burn. Pair this with a healthy diet that allows you to be in a calorie deficit and fat loss will occur. 

• How many crunches a day?

There’s no specific amount of crunches that is recommended to be done daily. There are countless other core exercises you can do and when creating a workout plan, you’ll want to focus on variety and ensuring you hit all the major muscle groups in your body. That being said, if you’re looking to strengthen your abs with crunches, incorporate a routine that accommodates your fitness goals. For example, if you’re just starting out, 1-2 sets of 10 crunches a few times a week can help. However, if you are already active, you can perform 2-3 sets of 10-20 crunches or more.

• Does Pilates thicken the waist?

If your waist gets bigger after doing Pilates, you may be eating more calories than you burn. Your dietary choices can significantly affect your weight loss. You may want to increase your daily caloric expenditure through cardio or practice portion control if you gain more fat around your waist.

The Bottom Line

Pilates is a valuable companion on any fitness journey, but it’s not a magic solution for a flatter tummy. Reshaping the belly requires a combination of techniques, such as consistent training, healthy eating, and lifestyle choices. Pilates is a moderate calorie burner, so consuming more calories can affect your overall results.