Krista Clarke, Author, ACPT

Question: I was wondering what your opinion was of the Pilates method and if you feel that it is enough to tone all muscle groups as well as achieve desired cardio fitness?

Answer: I believe that Pilates is a great way to tone your whole body. As with free weights, Pilates works the stabilizer muscles that help keep our joints healthy and improve our balance and coordination. In addition to improving flexibility, many people I have worked with find that Pilates and/or yoga help to ease back pain by strengthening the core muscles that run along our spine. Contracting these muscles may even prevent osteoporosis by stimulating the spine to absorb calcium. However, I would suggest adding resistance (i.e., training (i.e., strength training, weight lifting) to boost metabolism and cardio in addition to your Pilates sessions to burn more calories and improve cardiovascular fitness.

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