Pilates vs Weights: Which One Should You Do?

The debate between Pilates and traditional weight training is a common one for anyone who is looking to build strength, improve their physique, or enhance overall fitness. You may wonder if one is definitively better than the other, or how to choose the right method for your specific goals.

Both are powerful forms of resistance exercise, but they achieve their results through different mechanisms and offer distinct benefits.

This article will break down the science-backed differences between Pilates and weight training. We’ll explore how each modality contributes to strength, muscle growth, and functional fitness.

By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of which approach – or combination of approaches – is best suited to help you achieve your personal health and performance objectives.

Should I Do Pilates or Weights?

Deciding between Pilates and weights depends entirely on your primary fitness goals. If your main objective is to build maximal muscle strength and size (hypertrophy), traditional weight training is the most effective and evidence-backed method (1). 

However, if you want to improve core strength, posture, balance, and functional movement control, Pilates is an excellent choice (2).

Weight training involves using external loads, such as dumbbells, barbells, or machines, to create resistance. The core principle is progressive overload, where you systematically increase the weight, reps, or sets over time to challenge your muscles and stimulate growth (3).

The extensive body of research on resistance training confirms its superiority for developing raw strength and increasing muscle mass – it is the gold standard for these adaptations (1).

On the other hand, Pilates is a mind-body exercise system that emphasizes controlled movements, core engagement, and precise muscular activation (2). Resistance often comes from your own body weight or from the spring-based tension of specialized equipment such as the reformer.

Recent studies have shown that Pilates is highly effective for:

• Enhancing trunk strength
• Improving both static and dynamic balance
• Increasing flexibility

It also shows significant benefits for reducing pain and improving quality of life, particularly for those with musculoskeletal conditions (4).

For many people, the best solution is not an “either/or” choice but a “both/and” approach.

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Combining the heavy, external loading of weight training with the detailed, control-focused movements of Pilates can create a comprehensive fitness program (5). 

This synergy allows you to build foundational strength and muscle with weights while refining movement patterns, stabilizing your core, and improving mind-body connection with Pilates.

The decision also involves personal preference. The best exercise for you is one you’ll do consistently:

• If you find the focused, methodical nature of Pilates more engaging, you’re more likely to stick with it.
• If you’re motivated by lifting heavier weights and tracking progressive overload, the gym may be a better fit.

Ultimately, understanding the primary benefits of Pilates vs strength training will help you align your workout routine with what you want to achieve.

To learn more about the different styles and equipment used in Pilates, explore the various types of Pilates.

Read more: How Often Should I Do Pilates As A Beginner?

Is Pilates Better than Weights for a Beginner?

For a beginner, Pilates can be a safer and more effective starting point than weight training, although the best choice depends on the individual’s initial fitness level, goals, and access to qualified instruction. Pilates excels at teaching foundational movement patterns, body awareness, and core stability, which are essential for injury prevention.

• Building Foundational Skills

Pilates places a strong emphasis on proprioception, which is your sense of where your body is in space (6). Beginners often lack this awareness, which leads to poor form and potential injury when they start lifting weights (7).

A Pilates practice teaches you how to engage your deep core muscles, stabilize your spine, and move your limbs independently (8). 

Mastering these skills first can make the transition to weightlifting smoother and safer. For example, learning to maintain a neutral spine during a Pilates roll-down directly translates to safer mechanics in a deadlift or squat.

• Lower Barrier to Entry

Mat Pilates, a common entry point, requires minimal equipment and can be done almost anywhere. This low barrier to entry makes it incredibly accessible.

While weight training can also be started with just bodyweight exercises, the progression to external weights often requires gym access and, ideally, coaching to ensure proper technique.

For someone who is completely new to exercise, the guided and controlled nature of a Pilates class can feel less intimidating than navigating a weight room.

• Focus on Control Over Load

The core principle of Pilates is control (9). Movements are performed slowly and deliberately, focusing on the quality of the contraction rather than the amount of weight moved. This is incredibly beneficial for beginners, as it builds a strong mind-muscle connection (10).

In contrast, beginners in weight training sometimes make the mistake of prioritizing lifting heavy weight over using correct form, which is a fast track to injury (11).

Pilates instills a “quality over quantity” mindset from day one. This foundation is invaluable when you later apply it to lifting and ensures that you’re effectively targeting the right muscles through a full range of motion (12).

Considering the discussion of “Pilates vs weight training for toning”, beginners often seek a “toned” look, which is a combination of building muscle and reducing body fat.

Pilates helps build lean muscle and improves posture, contributing to this aesthetic (13). Coupled with a calorie controlled diet and aerobic exercise, it can result in a toned look. While weights are more effective for significant muscle hypertrophy, Pilates provides an excellent base.

Can Pilates Workouts Replace Weight Training?

Pilates workouts cannot completely replace weight training if your primary goal is maximizing muscle strength and hypertrophy. While both are forms of resistance training, they apply stress to the muscles in fundamentally different ways.

With its emphasis on progressive overload using heavy external loads, weight training is unparalleled for stimulating the level of mechanical tension that is required for significant muscle growth (14). 

While it’s excellent for building endurance, stability, and control (12), Pilates doesn’t typically provide the same stimulus for maximal strength gains.

However, Pilates isn’t just a “lesser” version of weight training, it’s a different tool with a distinct purpose. It focuses on motor control, core stabilization, and muscular endurance.

The evidence confirms that Pilates is a powerful modality for improving trunk strength, balance, and functional movement (4, 15), which are areas traditional weight training may not address as directly.

Therefore, rather than seeing it as a replacement, it’s more accurate to view Pilates as a complementary practice that can enhance your overall athleticism and resilience.

There are several scenarios where prioritizing Pilates over weightlifting for a period can be highly beneficial. These situations often involve goals related to recovery, rehabilitation, or refining movement quality.

Here are five examples where taking time off from heavy lifting to focus on Pilates is a smart strategy.

Post-Injury Rehabilitation

After an injury, jumping straight back into heavy lifting can be risky. Pilates offers a controlled, low-impact environment to re-establish neuromuscular control, strengthen stabilizing muscles around the injured area, and gently reintroduce movement. 

Its focus on precise alignment and core engagement helps correct compensatory patterns that may have developed, which paves the way for a safer return to the weight room (16). 

Breaking Through a Performance Plateau

Sometimes, a plateau in your lifting numbers isn’t due to a lack of strength but a lack of stability or mobility. If your core is weak or your movement mechanics are inefficient, your body cannot effectively transfer force to lift heavier weights (17). 

Focusing on Pilates can address these underlying limiters by strengthening your deep core, improving hip and shoulder mobility, and enhancing your body’s ability to function as an integrated system (15).

Managing Chronic Pain or Discomfort

For individuals who are dealing with chronic issues such as lower-back pain, Pilates can be transformative. 

Research has shown its effectiveness in reducing pain and disability. By de-emphasizing heavy spinal loading and focusing instead on strengthening the supportive musculature of the trunk (like the transverse abdominis and multifidus), Pilates can help alleviate stress on the joints and promote pain-free movement (18).

During a Deload or Active Recovery Phase

Athletes and serious lifters strategically program deload weeks to allow their bodies to recover and adapt. Instead of complete rest, Pilates can serve as an ideal form of active recovery (19). 

It keeps the body moving and blood flowing to promote healing but without the high nervous system and joint stress of heavy lifting. This can help you return to your next training block feeling refreshed and structurally more sound.

Improving Posture and Correcting Imbalances

A sedentary lifestyle or a training program that over-emphasizes certain muscles (such as the “push” muscles in the chest and front shoulders) can lead to postural imbalances (20). 

Pilates is exceptionally good at targeting the often-neglected muscles of the posterior chain and deep core. By strengthening the back body and improving spinal alignment, it can counteract the effects of sitting and unbalanced training, leading to better posture and a more balanced physique (21).

In each of these scenarios, the goal is not to abandon strength, but to build a better foundation for it. By addressing a specific need with a targeted tool like Pilates, you can return to weight training as a more resilient, efficient, and capable athlete.

Learn more about how this form of exercise challenges your muscles by exploring the question: is Pilates strength training?

What Is a Dynamic Pilates Workout to Gain Strength?

A dynamic Pilates workout for strength uses the principles of control, concentration, and centering to challenge your muscles through a full range of motion.

With a reformer, the spring-based resistance is unique as it provides tension throughout both the concentric (muscle shortening) and eccentric (muscle lengthening) phases of an exercise. This eccentric emphasis is key for building strength and control (22).

This full-body workout is designed to be performed on a Pilates reformer. It targets all the major muscle groups with a focus on seamless transitions and continuous core engagement.

Workout Notes:

• Frequency: Perform this workout 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days to allow for adequate recovery.
• Progression: To increase the challenge, you can add more spring tension, increase the number of repetitions, slow down the tempo to increase time under tension, or reduce the rest time between exercises. Always prioritize perfect form over adding resistance.
• Focus: Concentrate on the quality of each movement. Your core should remain engaged throughout the entire workout, with your pelvis and spine in a stable, neutral position unless the exercise requires articulation.

Reformer Setup: 2 Red Springs (Heavy) or 1 Red and 1 Blue (Heavy/Medium)

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Footwork

Steps to Perform:

1. Lie on your back on the carriage with your head on the headrest and shoulders against the shoulder blocks. Place the balls of your feet on the footbar with your heels together and your toes slightly apart in a “Pilates V” stance.
2. Press the carriage away from the footbar by extending your legs fully, maintaining your neutral pelvis.
3. Control the return by bending your knees, resisting the pull of the springs as the carriage moves back to the starting position.
4. Perform variations: on the arches of your feet (parallel) and on your heels (feet flexed).

• Reps/Sets: 10-15 reps for each foot position.
• Tempo: 2 counts out, 2 counts in.
• Cue: Imagine you’re pushing the footbar away with your entire leg, starting from your glutes. Keep your torso still.
• Common Mistake: Allowing the pelvis to tuck under or arch away from the carriage.

The Hundred

Steps to Perform:

1. Lie on your back. Hold the straps in your hands with your arms long by your sides. Lift your head and chest into an abdominal curl, looking toward your naval.
2. Lift your legs to a tabletop position (90-degree bend at hips and knees) or extend them to a 45-degree angle for more challenge.
3. Start pumping your arms up and down vigorously, keeping them straight and moving from the shoulder. Inhale for 5 pumps and exhale for 5 pumps.
4. Complete 10 full breath cycles (100 pumps).

• Reps/Sets: 1 set of 100 pumps.
• Tempo: Brisk, rhythmic pumps synchronized with your breath.
• Cue: Scoop your lower abdominals in and up, as if zipping up a tight pair of pants. Keep your neck long and shoulders down.
• Common Mistake: Straining the neck or letting the lower back arch.

Feet in Straps

Reformer Setup: 1 Red Spring (Heavy) or 1 Blue Spring (Medium)

Steps to Perform:

1. Lie on your back and place the loops of the straps around the arches of your feet. Extend your legs straight up toward the ceiling.
2. Leg Circles: Keeping your pelvis stable, lower your legs down and circle them out to the sides and back up to the starting position. Reverse the direction.
3. Frog Press: Bend your knees in toward your chest, keeping your heels together and toes apart. Press your legs out to a 45-degree angle, then control the return.

• Reps/Sets: 8-10 leg circles in each direction; 10-12 frog presses.
• Tempo: Slow and controlled (3 counts per phase).
• Cue: Anchor your tailbone to the carriage. The movement should originate from your hip joint, not your lower back.
• Common Mistake: Lifting the hips off the carriage or using momentum.

Rowing Series (Front: Flat Back)

Reformer Setup: 1 Blue Spring (Medium) or 1 Yellow Spring (Light)

Steps to Perform:

1. Sit facing the straps, cross-legged or with your legs extended, on a sitting box or directly on the carriage. Hold the straps with your palms facing down.
2. Hinge forward from your hips with a long, flat back. Your arms should be extended forward, parallel to the floor.
3. Pull the straps back, bending your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Keep your torso stable.
4. Control the release as you extend your arms back to the starting position.

• Reps/Sets: 10-12 reps.
• Tempo: 2 counts to pull, 3 counts to release.
• Cue: Grow taller through the crown of your head to maintain spinal length. Imagine you’re cracking a nut between your shoulder blades.
• Common Mistake: Rounding the upper back or shrugging the shoulders toward the ears.

Elephant

Reformer Setup: 1 Red Spring (Heavy)

Steps to Perform:

1. Stand on the carriage with your heels against the shoulder blocks and the balls of your feet on the carriage. Place your hands on the footbar, shoulder-width apart.
2. Round your spine into a pike position, pulling your abdominals in deeply. Your legs should be straight.
3. Press the carriage back with your legs, keeping your arms and spine stationary. Your body will form a long, straight line from your head to your heels.
4. Use your core and hamstrings to pull the carriage back to the starting position, resisting the springs.

• Reps/Sets: 8-10 reps.
• Tempo: 3 counts out, 3 counts in.
• Cue: Think of your abs as a “brake” to control the carriage on the way in. Keep your heels pressed down.
• Common Mistake: Bending the arms or dropping the hips below shoulder level.

Lunge

Reformer Setup: 1 Red Spring (Heavy) or 1 Red and 1 Yellow (Heavy/Light)

Steps to Perform:

1. Kneel on the carriage with one foot on the floor and the other foot pressed against a shoulder block. Place your hands on the footbar.
2. Press the carriage back by extending your kneeling leg, coming into a deep lunge. Ensure your front knee stays aligned over your ankle.
3. Use your glute and the hamstring of your kneeling leg to pull the carriage back to the starting position.
4. Repeat on the other side.

• Reps/Sets: 8-10 reps per side.
• Tempo: 3 counts out, 2 counts in.
• Cue: Squeeze the glute of the working leg to initiate the return. Keep your hips square and your torso upright.
• Common Mistake: Allowing the front knee to travel past the toes or twisting the hips.

Is Pilates Enough to Get Muscles?

Pilates is enough to build and define muscles (13), but it isn’t the most efficient method for achieving significant hypertrophy (a large increase in muscle size).

The “toned” look that many people associate with Pilates comes from building muscular endurance and strength while improving posture and body alignment (12, 20). 

This creates the appearance of lean muscles. However, for gaining substantial muscle mass, the heavy, progressive overload of traditional weight training remains superior.

Muscle growth is primarily driven by three mechanisms (14):

• Mechanical tension
• Muscle damage
• Metabolic stress

Weight training excels at creating high levels of mechanical tension by forcing the muscles to work against heavy external loads (1) – this is the main driver of hypertrophy.

Pilates creates resistance using bodyweight and springs, which can certainly challenge muscles and lead to strength gains, particularly for beginners or those who are focused on stabilizing muscles (13).

The emphasis on controlled, eccentric movements (the lengthening phase of a contraction) is also effective at creating muscle damage, which can stimulate a growth response (22). However, the total load is generally lower than what can be achieved with heavy weights, which limits the potential for maximal muscle growth.

For “Pilates vs weight training for women”, this is a key distinction. Many women fear that lifting heavy weights will make them “bulky”, but Pilates is often seen as a way to get strong without adding mass.

While both activities build muscle, the degree of hypertrophy from Pilates is modest compared to a dedicated weight training program. Therefore, if your goal is visible muscle definition and a strong, athletic physique without maximizing size, Pilates is an excellent choice. If you want to build more noticeable muscle, incorporating weight training is necessary.

Read more: Mini Pilates Reformer Workout: Small Machine, Big Results

How Many Times a Week Should I Do Pilates?

For general fitness and to see noticeable results, you should aim to do Pilates 2 to 4 times per week. The ideal frequency depends on your goals, your current fitness level, and what other types of exercise you’re doing.

• For Beginners: Starting with 2 sessions per week is a great way to learn the fundamentals without overwhelming your body. This frequency allows you to lay a solid foundation in core engagement, breathing, and proper alignment.
• For Intermediate/Advanced Practitioners: If Pilates is your primary form of exercise, 3 to 4 times per week will allow for consistent progress in strength, flexibility, and control. This frequency will provide enough stimulus for adaptation while still allowing for adequate rest and recovery.
• As a Complement to Weight Training: If you’re using Pilates to supplement a weightlifting program, 1 to 2 sessions per week is highly effective. You can schedule your Pilates workouts on your active recovery days or as a warm-up/cool-down to focus on mobility, stability, and motor control. This integration addresses areas that heavy lifting might miss, which helps prevent injury and improve your overall performance.

Listen to your body and adjust as needed. If you feel fatigued or sore, an extra rest day or a lighter session focused on stretching and mobility may be more beneficial.

Read more about the nuances and benefits in our complete guide to Pilates vs weight training.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can Pilates count as weightlifting?

No, Pilates doesn’t typically count as weightlifting, although both are forms of resistance training. Weightlifting is defined by lifting heavy external weights (such as barbells or dumbbells) with the primary goal of increasing maximal strength and muscle mass. 

Pilates uses body weight and spring resistance to improve core strength, stability, and muscular endurance, but the load is generally not sufficient to be classified as traditional weightlifting.

• Does Pilates count as cardio?

Pilates is generally not considered cardiovascular exercise. Cardio, or aerobic exercise, is activity that elevates your heart rate into a specific zone for a sustained period. 

While some advanced or fast-paced Pilates classes (such as a “jumpboard” class) can increase your heart rate, the primary focus remains on strength, control, and precision. A standard Pilates session is anaerobic, which means that it involves short bursts of exertion and doesn’t keep your heart rate consistently elevated enough to qualify as a cardio workout.

• What does a Pilates body look like?

The “Pilates body” is an aesthetic that is often characterized by a lean, toned appearance with strong posture and visible abdominal definition. It’s not about bulky muscle mass, but about balanced muscularity. 

This look is achieved because Pilates strengthens the deep, stabilizing muscles of the core, improves spinal alignment, and builds muscular endurance. This results in a physique that looks long, graceful, and strong, with an emphasis on a slim waist and defined but not oversized muscles.

• What is better for weight loss, gym or Pilates?

Both the gym (specifically, weight training) and Pilates can contribute to weight loss, but they do it in different ways. Weight loss is ultimately determined by creating a calorie deficit.

Weight training is generally more effective for this, as it builds more muscle mass, and muscle is more metabolically active than fat. A higher muscle mass increases your resting metabolic rate, which means you burn more calories throughout the day (23). High-intensity gym workouts can also burn a significant number of calories per session (24).

Pilates contributes to the “Pilates vs weights for weight loss” equation by building lean muscle and improving body composition (13), but it typically burns fewer calories per session than an intense gym workout. However, its benefits for stress reduction and mind-body connection can help regulate hormones such as cortisol, which can impact fat storage (25).

The best approach for weight loss is a combination of a balanced diet, consistent cardiovascular exercise, and strength training, which can include both gym workouts and Pilates.

The Bottom Line

Comparing Pilates to weights is like comparing apples to oranges – they both have their unique benefits and can complement each other in a well-rounded fitness routine. For those who are looking to build lean muscle, improve posture and flexibility, and reduce stress levels, Pilates is an excellent choice. 

However, for overall weight loss and optimal physical performance, incorporating weights into your training regimen is crucial. Better yet, you can have both as part of a comprehensive routine. 

Remember that the key to any successful fitness journey is to find what works best for you and your body. It’s essential to listen to your body and prioritize proper form over quantity when it comes to exercise, and you should always consult a certified trainer or medical professional before you start any new workout routine.