Pilates has recently seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to a series of celebrity endorsements, including the Kardashians, model Hailey Bieber and actress Kate Hudson. Even elite athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and Andy Murray incorporate a form of pilates into their training to improve their performance.
Pilates is said to be good for your balance, posture, strength and flexibility, as well as improving your core strength. And the best part is that anyone can do it, not just celebrities and athletes. But does research show it’s as healthy as many people claim?
There are two main types of pilates. The simplest is mat pilates – for which you only need a yoga mat and can be done at home or in the classroom. The other type of Pilates (which is becoming increasingly popular) is pilates reformer. This uses a specialized device (called a reformer) – a bed-like frame with a flat platform on it.
The platform moves forwards and backwards on wheels inside the frame. The platform is attached to one end of the frame by springs and these produce tension. Most reformer pilates involve pushing or pulling the platform, or holding it steady while it is pulled by the ropes. This movement solicits several muscles, in particular the trunk.
What the evidence says
Pilates is a form of muscle strengthening exercise, which is well known to be important for maintain good health. Strength training is important because it helps us prevent the slow muscle deterioration that occurs as we age. It also increases muscle mass, which in turn can increase metabolism – which is important for maintaining a healthy weight.
There are some evidence that doing eight weeks of Pilates for one hour a day, four times a week can increase metabolism and reduce obesity in obese women. In the elderly, a review of research showed that Pilates training improved balance and helped prevent falls.
Another study even showed that inactive women who started performing only one hour of pilates per week for ten weeks had improved muscle mass, flexibility, balance and core strength. Research also shows that Pilates can even be used to treat lower back pain and improve balance in adults with low back pain. multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.
The evidence shows us that Pilates can definitely lead to several health benefits. While more intense types of strength training — like weightlifting — are likely to confer even greater benefits, Pilates can still be a great way for people to control weight and build strength. The best part about it is that this workout can be done by almost anyone anywhere, and doesn’t require a lot of equipment or a gym membership.
reformer v mat pilates
Among people who practice Pilates, there is a lot of discussion about which type of Pilates is better: Mat or Reformer Pilates.
There is actually little research comparing the two types. A study Looking at the treatment of low back pain, Reformer Pilates and Mat Pilates were found to work equally well in improving back pain in people who did the workout for six weeks.
Both types also improved people’s ability to undertake daily activities, such as getting out of bed or doing the dishes. But when the participants were followed up four and a half months later, the reformer pilates group continued to see improvements in their daily lives compared to the mat pilates group.
Another study from Brazil also showed that reformer pilates and mat pilates used the same number of muscles and activated them to the same extent – suggesting that there is no difference between the two methods and that both are equally effective. But this contradicts the conclusions of another studywhich showed that Reformer Pilates burned more calories (2.6 calories per minute) than Mat Pilates (1.9 calories per minute).
The reason for the slight differences between these two types of Pilates comes down to the way they are performed. While mat pilates uses your body weight as resistance during the movements, reformer pilates uses the unstable platform and springs to create resistance. This could create greater resistance and activate more muscles. Although this was not supported by the Brazilian study, they only looked at one movement, so more research is needed.
While research can’t quite agree on whether mat pilates or reformer pilates is better for you, that doesn’t mean reformer pilates isn’t still good for your health. For instance, a study showed that people who practiced reformer pilates for nine weeks had improved cholesterol levels and reduced insulin resistance, suggesting that it may help maintain weight and reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.
As you can see, Pilates is becoming popular for good reason as it offers so many health benefits. People of all ages and abilities can do it, including pregnant women. How you decide to do this is entirely up to you, but if you have any medical conditions or are pregnant, you may want to consult your doctor first.
