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Pilates and the gym are two incredibly popular styles of training. While they are both fantastic for building muscle, enhancing strength, and improving fitness, their styles of training and the physique they produce are vastly different. This makes it difficult to determine which one is correct for you.
Don’t worry — many people navigate this process, as they want to invest in the training style to match their goals.
That’s why today, we will explore the Pilates body vs the gym body. We will uncover the key differences, benefits, weight loss capabilities, and more.
Introduction to Pilates and Gym Workouts
First off, let’s discuss introduce Pilates and gym workouts, to give you a clear understanding of the differences.
What is Pilates?
Pilates is a gentle form of exercise that utilizes holds, poses, and intricate movements to improve core strength, stability, flexibility, and function.
Created by Joseph Pilates, it is performed on a mat or a Reformer. Sessions focus on the five essentials, — breathing, cervical alignment, rib and scapula stabilization, pelvic mobility, and the transverse abdominis.
Sessions are conducted in one-on-one, small, and large group settings, with instructors who cue fine movements to target a broad range of muscles.
Overview of Gym Workouts
Gym workouts are more direct in their approach, making use of dumbbells, barbells, machines, bands, and cardio equipment to improve all facets of physical fitness.
Gym workouts come in many different forms, from basic training to group classes, and boot camps. They also offer personal training, which is a fantastic tool for improving results.
Comparing Pilates and Gym Bodies
When it comes to exercise, appearance is a big deciding factor. Below we compare Pilates and gym bodies, to help you make a decision on which is the best for you.
Pilates vs Gym Physique: Key Differences
Below is a table displaying the key differences. Pilates and gym can both
Typical Pilates Body Characteristics
The gentle flow, poses, and holds utilized during Pilates produce lean, toned muscle, to improve movement efficiency and performance.
Instructors will guide you through a series of full-body functional movements, to strengthen the abdominals, tighten your core, improve posture, and develop strong legs.
Typical Gym Body Characteristics
Resistance training can be used to target specific muscle groups or movements, both increasing muscle mass and strength.
Muscles will appear larger, however, you will also experience a leaning down effect due to the increased energy expenditure.
For many women there is a fear of becoming too big and bulky, however, this will unlikely be the case as women have 20 times less testosterone than men, which is responsible for significant muscle growth in men.
Women who resistance train can comfortably train at high-intensity multiple times per week and still maintain a feminine physique.
Pilates vs Gym for Women Benefits
Pilates and gym training have major benefits that can improve our quality of life. Below we list the key benefits of both training styles and discuss how to decide which is best for you.
Benefits of Pilates for Women
Enhances Body Awareness and Function
The finer movement of Pilates enhances our body awareness and function. Pilates instructors are highly skilled, using specific exercise techniques to target core, hip, and shoulder muscles.
As you perform each movement, you will be asked to tense, squeeze, and hold a variety of large and small muscle groups. This is shown to create great awareness and improve function.
Increase Full-Body Strength
Pilates is an incredible tool for developing full-body strength. Pilates instructors take your muscles and joints through a full range of motion, which improves mobility and stability while developing strength.
During this our core, upper, and lower body must work together, creating stronger full-body movement patterns.
This transfers over into daily life, as there is an improvement in balance, posture, and movement efficiency.
Boosts Bone Density
As we age we will experience a decline in bone mineral density, and with this comes a loss in strength, function, and frailty.
Exercise such as pilates using both body weight resistance of using a Reformer, can provide sufficient load to preserve bone mass.
Performing regular Pilates sessions will not only provide our bones with the mechanical load to improve bone health but also strengthen the muscles and joints. This decreases the level of falls, and frailty, and improves quality of life.
Improve Flexibility and Mobility
Flexibility and mobility are vital to maintain movement and quality of life. However, due to our age and sedentary lifestyle, many of us struggle with basic stretches or taking our muscles and joints through a full range of motion.
Pilates is a powerful training tool for not only developing flexbility, but strength at your end range of motion. Many of the moves in Pilates require us to simultaneously squeeze, lengthen, and hold, enhancing our body's flexibility, and mobility.
Benefits of Gym Workouts for Women
Build Lean Muscle
Gym workouts are fantastic for increasing lean muscle mass. As we age our skeletal muscle mass declines, reducing strength, and function; eventually impairing quality of life.
Load-bearing physical activity such as resistance training has been shown to preserve and increase skeletal muscle mass.
This can be done by progressively overloading our muscles by increasing weight, sets, repetition, and intensity. This will allow you to maintain mass and function.
Increase Strength
Resistance training is great for maintain skeletal muscle mass and strength.
Age-related muscle loss can impact our strength, impairing function and quality of life.
Barbells, dumbbell, and machines can be used to overload muscle tissue, providing a stimulus increase muscular strength.
Therefore, adding resistance training to your routine can greatly improve strength, which can be carried over into daily life.
Manage Weight
Gym training in the form of resistance training and cardiovascular exercise is brilliant for managing weight.
Resistance training has been shown to have powerful energy expenditure capabilities both during and after your workout.
Evidence suggests that a resistance training workout can boost energy expenditure for between 12-72 hours post-workout.
Both lifting weights can cardiovascular exercise can be used to burn calories. This combined with a nutrient-dense diet with a focus on maintaining a calorie deficit, can help you manage your weight.
Improve Function
Increasing skeletal muscle mass and strength has been shown to improve function.
Resistance training increases muscle mass and strength. This results in better function, improving our ability to perform tasks such as lifting, carrying, and walking.
Choosing the Right Workout Based on Goals
Choosing the correct type of training comes down to personal preference.
Pilates and gym workouts are incredible for improving strength, and function, and maintaining a healthy weight.
If you want a most muscular look and want to lift heavy, choose gym training.
If a gentle, guided approach is more your speed, then try Pilates.
The best form of exercise is the one you enjoy, that will keep you training long-term.
Pilates vs Gym Workouts
Pilates Workouts Overview
Pilates workouts begin with a gentle warm-up that naturally flows into your session. The session targets many different muscle groups while engaging the entire body.
Pilates sessions are typically low intensity, with a greater focus on technique to activate key muscles.
Gym Workouts Overview
Gym workouts consist of resistance training and a cardio component. Each session should start with a gentle warm-up to increase blood flow to working muscles.
The resistance training portion of your workout starts with large compound lifts. These exercises are placed at the start of the session as they target multiple muscle groups and require a lot of energy.
Following this, we perform small compound lifts and isolation exercises before performing a cardio session and cool down.
Gym workouts should be performed at a moderate to high intensity, as there is a direct relationship between the level of overload to muscle growth.
Here are load recommendations for strength, hypertrophy, and endurance.
- Strength — Perform 1-5 repetitions at 80%-100% of your 1RM
- Hypertrophy — Perform 8-12 repetitions at 60%-80% of your 1RM
- Endurance — Perform 15+ repetitions at 60% or less of your 1RM
One repetition maximum (1RM) is the maximum amount of weight that a person can possibly lift for one repetition.
Pilates vs Gym for Weight Loss
Physical activity in any form is going to help you expend energy and burn extra calories. Below we compare the difference in energy expenditure between Pilates and gym workouts, and the metabolic benefits.
Caloric Burn in Pilates vs Gym Workouts
Pilates and gym workouts have vastly different energy-burning capabilities. Pilates offers a low to moderate intensity as there is a greater focus on specific, controlled movements.
High-intensity Pilates workouts do exist, however, if you are a beginner, you will likely be using gentle techniques to introduce techniques and learning about targeting the five essential areas.
Gym workouts on the other hand are performed at a moderate to high intensity, with a focus on compound movements and isolation exercises targeting specific muscle groups.
Gym workouts, more specifically, resistance training don’t require full-body engagement, as many machines and exercises only target muscle groups.
This allows us to lift a considerable amount of weight at high intensity, stimulating our muscles, and promoting growth, while elevating energy expenditure during and post-workout for up to 12-72 hours.
Metabolic Benefits of Each Modality
Pilates and gym workouts both come with a range of metabolic benefits.
Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illness, including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Coronary heart disease
- Stroke
- Cancer
Exercise promotes significant reprogramming of metabolic pathways, with the degree of change based on exercise frequency, intensity, duration, and modality.
Making the Right Choice
Choosing between Pilates and gym training requires careful consideration of training style, intensity, and health outcomes. Below we have listed some practical tips to help you make an informed decision on which is the right choice for you.
Practical Tips for Beginners
If you are at the beginning of your exercise journey, your best bet is to try Pilates and a gym workout. It can be easy to align yourself with one style of training based on appearance, nothing gives us an accurate experience like jumping into an exercise session.
Here you will be able to take a closer look at the instructors, the environment, the training style, the recovery, and the result.
Assessing Personal Fitness Goals
Pilates and gym workouts can be done with the help of an instructor.
Pilates typically is done in small groups or a one-on-one setting, which is ensures your movements are technically sound.
Gym training comes with the option to enlist a personal trainer. Trainers can provide those technical cues and explain the nuances of movements.
This can help you get the most out of each exercise, which has been shown to expedite results.
Both Pilates instructors and personal trainers can provide general nutrition advice, and assist with accountability,
Combining Pilates and Gym Workouts
If after trialing both modalities you can decide, perhaps you should consider adding both to your training program.
Pilates is phenomenal for developing full-body function and core strength, while gym workouts are unmatched for enhancing strength and increasing lean muscle mass.
¿Pilates vs. Weight Training? Additional Content
In addition to this content, we also offer a detailed guide comparing Pilates and weight training. We invite you to explore the Pilates vs Weight Training guide, which provides a comprehensive look at the benefits, challenges, and unique aspects of each training style. This resource can help you make an informed decision about which practice best supports your health and wellness goals. Understanding all available training options is key to your personal development and well-being.
Conclusion
When it comes to Pilates and gym training, how it shapes our body plays a major role in the decision-making process.
While Pilates creates a tight, toned core, and full-body functional strength, gym training can increase muscle mass, which boosts raw strength and power.
The best course of action is to try both to determine which gives you the preferred results.
Both are incredible forms of exercise that make us look great and have powerful positive health benefits.
The key is to select the training style that you enjoy and that helps you obtain your desired body type. This will help you sustain your training long-term, resulting in greater transformation.
FAQs
What is the main difference between Pilates and gym workouts?
- Pilates focuses on gentle exercises that improve core strength, stability, flexibility, and function through holds, poses, and intricate movements. It is typically performed on a mat or Reformer. Gym workouts, on the other hand, use equipment like dumbbells, barbells, machines, and cardio equipment to target different muscle groups, increase muscle mass, and enhance strength.
What are the benefits of Pilates for women?
- Pilates enhances body awareness and function, increases full-body strength, boosts bone density, and improves flexibility and mobility. It involves controlled movements that target core, hip, and shoulder muscles, helping to improve balance, posture, and movement efficiency.
How do gym workouts benefit women?
- Gym workouts are excellent for building lean muscle, increasing strength, managing weight, and improving overall function. They involve resistance training and cardiovascular exercises, which help preserve and increase skeletal muscle mass, enhance energy expenditure, and improve daily functional tasks like lifting and carrying.
Which training style is better for weight loss: Pilates or gym workouts?
- Both Pilates and gym workouts can aid in weight loss, but they have different energy-burning capabilities. Pilates offers a low to moderate intensity workout focusing on controlled movements, while gym workouts typically involve higher intensity exercises with compound movements and isolation exercises. Gym workouts generally have higher energy expenditure both during and after the workout.
How can I choose between Pilates and gym workouts?
- Choosing between Pilates and gym workouts depends on your personal fitness goals, training style preference, and desired physique. Pilates is ideal for those seeking a gentle, guided approach to improve core strength and flexibility. Gym workouts are suitable for those aiming to build muscle mass and strength through high-intensity training. Trying both modalities can help you determine which aligns best with your goals and preferences.
