How to Do Pilates for Strength—Not Bulk

Pilates been around for nearly a century and it remains one of the most popular exercises for creating lean, toned bodies — especially when combined with cardio exercises on Pilates reformer machines or variations like Beachbody’s Barre Blend, which fuses Pilates with barre ballet and cardio interval training.

One of the benefits of Pilates — embraced for its impact as a core exercise — is the positive effect it can have on posture.

Pilates targets the muscles around your core (the rectus and transverse abdominis as well as the external/internal obliques) for a workout that beats the benefits of crunches.

“It’s an amazing way to strengthen muscles in a generally horizontal position because it was invented for invalids in hospital beds,” says Jordan Metzl, M.D., who specializes in sports medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

“It’s helpful for core strengthening and supporting the muscles around the middle part of the spine. Unlike sit-ups, which strengthen the front muscles, it balances out the strength in the front and the back,” he explains.

Pro tip: Learn more about Barre Blend and Super Trainer Elise Joan here.

What Is Pilates?

Developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s as a way to aid bed-bound hospital patients, Pilates exercises have evolved into an effective way to burn fat.

According to a study by Scientia Medica, Pilates exercises have proven effective in reducing fat percentage, fat mass, and waist-to-hip ratio.

“Because Pilates exercises typically incorporate many muscle groups simultaneously, they effectively keep you in a fat-burning zone (65-75 percent of maximum heart rate) throughout the workout,” say Katherine and Kimberly Corp, owners of Pilates on Fifth in New York City.

“By sequencing the Pilates exercises strategically, you can keep the heart rate closer to 60 percent of maximum heart rate. Pilates is not designed to improve your cardiovascular threshold, but it will burn fat. And it will increase lean muscle mass, which helps a body burn more fat, even when not exercising,” they add.

This is true of traditional Pilates, which, according to a study by the American Council on Exercise, burns 175–254 calories per 50-minute session.

Even better? The Pilates benefits are amplified when workouts include a dose of cardio.

“Making your muscles stronger by strength training with a cardio component built-in burns the most fat,” says Dr. Metzl. “I love that stuff — strength training and cardio together. It’s super effective.”

Barre Blend combines barre ballet, Pilates, and cardio interval training for a low-impact, high-intensity workout program. It’s like having a Pilates class and ballet barre workout in your own living room.

Pilates Exercises for Building Strength

Pilates Push-up

This exercise features a series of planks for an advanced move that stabilizes your core and tones your shoulders and triceps.

Start in a plank, hands under your shoulders, establishing a long, straight line from your heels to the top of your head.
Perform three pushups (inhale to bend your elbows and exhale to straighten your elbows). Return to the plank and pause. Then, repeat this movement two more times.

Note: Elbows should be tucked against your ribs while bending to work the triceps.

Lift and Lower

These three moves combine to cinch the inner and outer thighs by strengthening the muscles around the hips.

Start on your right side, with your right arm under your head and your left hand on the floor.
Point the toes of your left foot away from your body and lift your left leg (without lifting your hip or rotating your leg). Then, flex the toes of your left foot toward your body and lower your leg.
Repeat 4–6 times then switch sides, repeating the sequence on your left side.

Staggered Lift

Point the toes of your left foot and lift the top leg (without lifting your hip or rotating your leg).
Then, raise your bottom leg to meet your top leg, and squeeze your legs together, then lower both of your legs.
Repeat 4–6 times then switch sides, repeating the sequence on your left side.

Double Lift

Squeeze your legs together and lift them both while squeezing (without flexing your spine or lifting your hips) and lower.
Repeat 4–6 times then switch sides, repeating the sequence on your left side.