For the uninitiated, Pilates is a low-impact, full-body workout focussing on slow, controlled movements aligned with breathwork, with a central tenet of core stability. Developed in the early 20th century by German boxer Joseph Pilates, it originally evolved as a form of rehabilitation for injured soldiers, before becoming popular with New York’s elite dancers and celebrities, spawning a worldwide movement that’s still going from strength to strength over 100 years later.
Through focused exercises like leg lifts, planks, or movements on the Reformer, these muscles are activated and trained to support you in everyday movement.
By increasing muscle tone and promoting better body awareness, Pilates can be a valuable component of a comprehensive fitness plan aimed at achieving a toned physique.
Pilates is popular for its ability to sculpt and tone the body. Emphasizing controlled movements, core strength, and flexibility provides an effective approach to achieving a toned physique.
Pilates is often overlooked and dismissed as a stretching routine, yet it’s one of the most effective ways to build long lean muscles.
So, how does it actually reshape the body? And how long does it take to see results? Let’s dive into the science behind it.
By increasing muscle tone and promoting better body awareness, Pilates can be a valuable component of a comprehensive fitness plan aimed does pilates tone your body at achieving a toned physique.
Pilates simultaneously strengthens and stretches your entire body in a low-impact format. Think resistance training meets yoga, with added emphasis on precision and breathwork.
You don’t need heavy weights to build muscle. Pilates builds lean muscle using your body weight, resistance from equipment like the Reformer, and small, targeted movements that keep muscles under tension.
In the world of medicine, physiology and sports science there is actually no such term as ‘toned’ or ‘toning’. There is the concept of a muscle having a resting ‘tone’ but this has nothing to do with how you look or how strong you are.
Both Reformer and mat Pilates can support toning, but they do so in slightly different ways depending on how they're practiced and what your goals are.
Both methods work, but if you’re looking for faster toning results, the Reformer provides extra resistance for deeper muscle engagement.
Whilst Pilates theoretically is not the quickest route to increasing muscle mass, anecdotally many people do feel that they look more ‘toned’ when they do Pilates. There are a few reasons why this may be.
Exhale and circle your arms around to grasp your shins again, drawing your knees back into your chest.