What Is Pilates and Why Is It So Popular?

Invented by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s, the eponymous exercise has recently exploded in popularity for both celebrities and “regular people” alike.

If terms like “reformer carriage,” “teasers,” and “the hundred” don’t mean anything to you yet—or if they do and you’re curious about the benefits that Pilates is bringing you—keep on reading. 

In this article, we’ll cover the different types of Pilates classes you might experience and the extensive health benefits of Pilates making it so popular—grab your grippy socks and come along. 

What Is Pilates?

Coined initially as “Contrology,” Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates while imprisoned in an internment camp during World War I. There, he devised apparatuses and exercises to improve his and others’ physical health and help bedridden or injured prisoners of war. 

(This is about as far away from the “Pilates Princess” era of 2024 as we can get, but we digress.) 

Joseph then introduced the Pilates method to the U.S. after he emigrated here in the 1920s, opening a studio in New York City with his wife. 

Pilates experienced a resurgence in the 1990s, and in the past 10 years or so, the popularity and prevalence of Pilates studios have exploded.

There are six core principles of the Pilates method: 

• Concentration: Full attention and commitment to each exercise, increasing mind-body awareness.
• Control: Ensuring every movement is deliberate and done with precision.
• Centering: Focusing on the core muscles of the body.
• Flow: Smooth, continuous movement between each exercise.
• Precision: Focusing on technique and precise movements (not rushing). 
• Breathing: Connecting the breath to each movement to aid in focus and awareness.

Although Pilates focuses on core strength, it is a whole-body, low-impact workout that aims to improve strength, mobility, flexibility, muscle control, posture, and breathing.

Types of Pilates

If you’ve ever looked for Pilates fitness classes online, you know that there is an abundance of options—we’ll try to clear things up for you. 

• Classical Pilates: This is the original Pilates method, with the six core principles and a strict adherence to Joseph’s routine of 34 exercises, which can be done using a reformer or the mat. 
• Reformer Pilates: The Pilates reformer is pulley system consisting of a sliding carriage and springs with varying degrees of tension that includes aspects of Classical Pilates. Although they’re somewhat reminiscent of a Medieval torture device, reformers are great for spine health, posture, and core strength. 
• Mat Pilates: Instead of using the reformer machine, Mat Pilates classes are entirely on floor mats. It can be done with or without Pilates equipment (like resistance bands or rings), making it easier to practice at home. 
• Contemporary/Modern Pilates: Most Pilates fitness classes today are modern, which can be either Mat or Reformer. They include aspects of Classical Pilates but also use other equipment like resistance bands, Pilates rings, small balls, Pilates chairs, and foam rollers. 
• Clinical Pilates: Physiotherapists use clinical Pilates to help heal injuries, typically after surgery or injury. Clinical Pilates may focus more on the area needing healing, taking a more personalized approach. It can also be used in older adults to maintain mobility, with athletes for sports-related conditioning or injury prevention, spinal pain management, and more. 

14 Benefits of Pilates, Backed By Science

All types of Pilates workouts have benefits for both the mind and body, from mindfulness and menstrual pain to balance and back pain.

1. Increases Core Strength

One of Pilates’s leading health benefits is its impact on core strength, which has amazing downstream effects on the rest of the body.

The core muscles include the abdominals, of course, as well as the lower back, obliques, and pelvic floor muscles. A strong core is about more than just getting a six-pack—it also helps with stability, spinal support, mobility, posture, and injury prevention. 

Research from 2021 verified that Pilates exercises activate the core muscles. In this small study, women did three exercises on the Pilates chair (“Going Up Front,” “Mountain Climbers,” and “Swan”), and researchers measured their muscle response via electromyography.¹ 

They found that all three exercises activated the abdominal, internal oblique, longissimus (which moves the back and neck), and multifidus (which moves the deep back) muscles. Another study of 60 female adults found that doing Pilates mat exercises for 8 weeks significantly increased core muscle thickness, including the abdominal and multifidus muscles.²

2. Increases Whole-Body Muscle Strength

Pilates is not just about the core—it also works the upper and lower extremities, glutes, and can increase strength or muscle mass throughout the entire body.

Research with 109 older women found that a 12-week Pilates exercise program significantly increased muscle strength tests, including handgrip strength and gait (walking) speed. The Pilates participants also had reduced BMI (Body Mass Index).³ 

Another study found that people aged 59 to 66 who took two Pilates classes per week for three months effectively increased their upper body, lower body, and abdominal muscle strength.⁴It’s not just older adults who see the benefits. Research with 15-year-old baseball players who did Pilates for 8 weeks had increased arm muscle mass, hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio, and trunk and shoulder strength.⁵

3. Improves Flexibility and Mobility

Although they are similar and overlapping, flexibility and mobility are two different things. 

Flexibility is the amount of passive stretch in a muscle, tendon, or ligament (like a rubber band), such as when you touch your toes. Mobility is a joint’s range of motion, which is essential for everything from sitting down to running a marathon. 

Pilates promotes both muscle flexibility and joint mobility. Many exercises involve stretching or lengthening movements that flow from one to another, enhancing overall flexibility and range of motion.

In a 6-week study, people with lumbar disc herniations who did clinical Pilates three times per week had increased flexibility, as seen by increased lengths of the sit-reach test and touching the floor (touching your toes while sitting and standing, respectively). They also had an increase in the duration of lateral bridge and sit-ups.⁶ 

4. Increases Mindfulness

Most people associate mindfulness with yoga and meditation, but Pilates can certainly fall into that category, too. With core principles including breathing, concentration, precision, and flow, Pilates coordinates your movements to your breath, enhancing mind-body awareness.

Mindfulness relieves stress and anxiety, improves mood and sleep, and reduces resting heart rate. One study compared Pilates mat classes with recreational exercise classes in undergraduate students, finding that only those taking Pilates three times per week for a semester had increased mindfulness scores. Elevated mindfulness was also associated with improved self-efficacy and perceived stress and mood.⁷

5. Improves Posture

Pilates helps improve and correct poor posture habits by focusing on body alignment.

Not only does good posture look better (your mom was right—stop slouching!), but it also strengthens core muscles and prevents head, neck, and back injuries. 

In a systematic review of 13 studies spanning all age groups, researchers concluded that Pilates exercises can improve body posture, including problems related to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.⁸

6. Reduces Back Pain

Because Pilates targets the core—including deeper abdominal and back muscles and the pelvic floor—the back is better protected and stabilized, preventing injury. 

In a meta-analysis of 118 trials with almost 10,000 participants with chronic low back pain, Pilates, mind-body, and core-based exercises were found to be the most effective exercises for reducing pain and disability. Specifically, Pilates was most likely to reduce pain (93% reduction) and disability (98%).⁹

Although Pilates has been most studied for reducing back pain, it can also help with neck and shoulder pain. 

7. Reduces Menstrual Pain

A somewhat surprising finding is that Pilates exercises can reduce menstrual pain and improve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). 

Research in young women with dysmenorrhea—the condition of very painful menstrual periods—found that those who did Pilates twice per week for 12 weeks had reduced menstrual pain and symptoms. They also saw fewer functional impairments related to their period and had improved sleep quality and stress levels.¹⁰

The Pilates group also had improved back flexibility and the strength of hip flexors, hip extensors, and hip abductors.

8. Increases Pelvic Floor Strength

Pilates can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support the pelvic organs (the bladder, bowel, and uterus in women and the bladder and bowel in men).

Issues with the pelvic floor muscles can cause problems with bladder control (incontinence) and are often affected after women give birth. 

As the pelvic floor muscles are part of the core, Pilates can target and strengthen this area. A study with men experiencing incontinence after prostate removal surgery found that a clinical Pilates fitness program was as effective in reversing incontinence as conventional pelvic floor exercises. Pilates also achieved a higher rate of fully continent patients than the conventional group.¹¹

9. Improves Balance

Balance is necessary for both everyday activities and athletic performance. In older adults, balance becomes especially important to prevent often devastating falls and injuries. 

Pilates’ emphasis on control, precision, alignment, and core strengthening can help improve balance. 

Research shows that Pilates can improve balance in older women and adults aged 60 to 80, including improvements in both static and dynamic balance. Static balance is holding still while balancing, like standing on one leg, while dynamic balance is needed to stay stable while walking or moving.^12,13 

10. May Improve Cognitive Function

A potential benefit of Pilates that many people don’t consider is its impact on cognitive function and mental clarity. 

Studies have shown that Pilates positively affects several aspects of brain health, including blood flow to the brain, neurotransmitter activity, learning, memory, and executive thinking. Pilates has been shown to improve verbal fluency and executive functioning in older women, while people with multiple sclerosis experienced reduced cognitive impairment after using clinical Pilates.^14,15

11. Improves Athletic Performance

Athletes often use Pilates as a complementary exercise to improve performance in their sport or practice.

As Pilates supports core strength, flexibility, and mobility, it’s an excellent way to enhance performance in activities like running, cycling, swimming, and sports. Even if you are just a moderate jogger, Pilates can still help to improve your performance and prevent injuries. 

In research with trained runners, adding 12 weeks of Pilates training improved 5-kilometer (5K) run performance. People doing Pilates reduced their 5K times from an average of 25.65 minutes to 23.23 minutes, which was significantly better than the control group.¹⁶

12. Strengthens Bones

All exercise is good for bone health, including reducing the risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. 

Studies show that Pilates practices can improve the quality of life and functional status in osteoporosis patients, in addition to reducing pain and kinesiophobia—the fear of exercising or moving, typically due to fear of injury or falling.¹⁷ 

Pilates has also been shown to increase bone mineral density (BMD), as seen in this research with older women. Compared to women in a control group, those doing Pilates had significantly increased BMD in their lumbar region, improved physical performance, and reduced pain.¹⁸

13. Improves Mental Health and Mood

Similarly, all exercise typically improves mood. As Elle Woods would say, “Endorphins make you happy!”. 

Specifically, Pilates has shown the ability to reduce stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depression in young males and postmenopausal women.^19,20 

In addition to the endorphins, Pilates likely also boosts mood and mental health through its mindfulness qualities, focus on mind-body awareness, and breathwork.

14. Improves Sleep Quality

Lastly, having a regular Pilates practice is linked to better sleep quality. 

In a meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials with 477 participants, researchers concluded that Pilates significantly improves sleep quality—especially in people under 40.²¹

This was measured by the PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), a questionnaire evaluating subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction. After doing Pilates programs, all areas except the use of sleeping medications improved. 

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