Why Everyone is Arguing About Pilates vs Strength Training
Yup…we’ve all watched the TikTok where the Pilates crew claims to be strength training and the strength training crew screams that Pilates isn’t strength training…and well they’d be half right.
Here’s the deal, when it comes to Pilates one size does not fit all! Pilates was originally created by German prisoner Joseph Pilates as a form of rehab for injured soldiers during World War. During his time in internment he used the springs from hospital beds to help bed-ridden soldiers push against enough resistance to build back muscle. His “Contrology” or Mat Pilates became a way of strengthening and correcting posture. This invention would later develop into the reformer, chair, and equipment that we know today. By the 1960s, Joseph Pilates began training New York dancers and ten years later it gained traction in Hollywood.
The goal of traditional Pilates is to improve posture, alignment, flexibility, and balance, while strengthening the joints, pelvic floor, and core muscles. It is considered low-intensity and low impact.
STRENGTH TRAINING
Also known as weight training, lifting, resistance training, this exercise modality allows you to break down muscle fibers and build them back to be stronger (hypertrophy). So why does this matter? It helps with mental health, metabolism, hormones, sleep, injury prevention, and bone health.
While Joseph Pilates’ created a method that is extremely beneficial for our bodies in terms of longevity and mobility, it does not use enough force or tension to induce muscle growth which is key to all of us, but especially to those over 30!
PILATES-INSPIRED STRENGTH TRAINING ENTERS THE CHAT
In the 90s and early 2000s manufacturers and inventors like Sebastien Lagree wanted to take traditional Pilates and add a strength training component to it. The goal was to keep all the incredible benefits of Joseph Pilates’ original method, and add elements of strength, cardio, and endurance to the workout. Creating something that had enough resistance to create muscle growth but still kept the flexibility, balance, and core strength elements of Pilates.
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
Over time though, there hasn’t been a single category to classify this new type of fusion workout due to the various companies that manufacture the equipment, so it has generally been grouped under the term “Pilates” creating a lot of confusion and even frustration amongst trainers and consumers.
SO HOW CAN I IDENTIFY A STUDIO THAT OFFERS PILATES-INSPIRED STRENGTH TRAINING
If you are looking for the best all in one Pilates AND Strength Training workout on the market, you’ll want to look for the following things:
Are the machines all black? → If yes! You are in the right place
Do the reformers have a back platform? → Traditional Pilates reformers will only have a front
Do they use phrases like “Lagree” “Xformer” “Modern Pilates” “Pilates-Inspired Strength Training” → This is key
Do you sweat after class? → Pilates-Inspired Strength Training is designed to raise your heart rate while that is not the goal of Traditional Pilates
See you soon on the springs!
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