Pilates Meets Functional Resistance Training: Purposeful Exercise Selection for Real-World Strength

Written by: Ava Henderson

Let's Think Function, Resistance Training, and Progressive Overload

In the evolving landscape of Pilates, we're witnessing an exciting shift. The traditional mat work and reformer sequences we know and love are being reimagined through the lens of functional resistance training—and the results are transformative. At S&F, we're committed to purposeful exercise selection that doesn't just make you move beautifully in the studio, but empowers you to move powerfully through life.

But what does it really mean to blend Pilates principles with functional resistance training? And why should this approach matter to you?

The Case for Strength-Based Pilates Programming

For years, Pilates has been celebrated for its ability to improve flexibility, posture, and core stability. These benefits remain invaluable. However, emerging research is showing us that when we intentionally incorporate resistance training principles into our Pilates programming, we unlock a whole new dimension of health benefits—particularly as we age.

The reality is stark: we begin losing muscle mass as early as our 30s, with losses accelerating after 50. This sarcopenia doesn't just affect how we look; it impacts our metabolic health, bone density, balance, and ultimately our independence. The good news? Resistance training is one of the most powerful interventions we have to combat these changes.

Recent research by Behm and colleagues (2024) reveals something particularly encouraging: even minimalist approaches to resistance training—lower dosage or intensity—can produce meaningful improvements in physical fitness. This means you don't need to become a powerlifter to reap the benefits. What matters is consistency and progression.

What Makes Training "Functional"?

Functional training isn't about performing circus tricks or standing on unstable surfaces while juggling dumbbells. True functional training prepares your body for the movements you perform in daily life: picking up groceries, climbing stairs, reaching overhead to retrieve items, getting up from the floor, or carrying a child.

In our Pilates practice, this means asking: How does this exercise translate beyond the studio?

When we perform a squat variation on the reformer, we're not just strengthening your quadriceps—we're teaching your body the movement pattern you'll use every time you sit down and stand up. When we add resistance to a hip hinge, we're preparing you to safely lift objects from the ground. When we work on rotational control, we're enhancing your ability to reach, twist, and move in the three-dimensional world you inhabit.

The Power of Progressive Overload

Here's where traditional Pilates often falls short: without progressive overload, adaptations plateau.

Progressive overload is the gradual increase in stress placed on the body during training. It's the fundamental principle that drives strength gains, and it can be achieved through:

• Increasing resistance (adding springs, using heavier props)

• Increasing volume (more repetitions or sets)

• Increasing time under tension (slower tempos, pauses)

• Decreasing rest periods

• Increasing movement complexity or range of motion

Lopez and colleagues (2021) conducted an extensive network meta-analysis examining resistance training load effects on muscle hypertrophy and strength. Their findings confirm what strength coaches have long known: progressive overload is essential for continued adaptation. Your muscles need to be challenged beyond their current capacity to grow stronger.

In practical terms, this means if you've been doing the same Pilates routine with the same spring settings for months (or years), your body has likely adapted as much as it's going to. To continue improving, we need to progressively challenge you.

Why Prioritize Strength-Based Programming?

1. Bone Health and Osteoporosis Prevention

The 2024 ASBMR/BHOF task force position statement on goal-directed osteoporosis treatment emphasizes that mechanical loading through resistance exercise is crucial for bone health. Pilates equipment—particularly the reformer, chair, and tower—provides an ideal platform for applying the progressive, controlled loads that stimulate bone formation.

When we add resistance to weight-bearing movements, we're not just building muscle; we're sending signals to your bones to become denser and stronger. This becomes increasingly critical as we age, particularly for women navigating perimenopause and menopause when bone loss accelerates.

2. Cardiovascular and Metabolic Benefits

While Pilates is often categorized as "mind-body" exercise, strength-based programming brings cardiovascular benefits into the equation. Research by Gomes-Neto and colleagues (2024) demonstrates that certain exercise interventions are particularly effective for people with coronary heart disease, with resistance training showing significant benefits.

Building lean muscle mass also improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic rate, helping your body process glucose more efficiently and burn more calories at rest. In an era where metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes are epidemic, these benefits cannot be overstated.

3. Functional Mobility and Independence

Perhaps most importantly, López-López and colleagues (2024) found that multicomponent training programs significantly improve functional mobility and physical fitness in older adults. The study specifically noted improvements in activities of daily living—the fundamental movements that determine quality of life and independence.

When we combine Pilates principles (breath, alignment, control, precision) with progressive resistance training, we create a powerful formula for maintaining and improving functional capacity across the lifespan.

4. Injury Prevention and Resilience

Stronger muscles, tendons, and bones are more resilient to injury. By progressively loading movement patterns through their full range of motion, we build tissue tolerance—the capacity to withstand forces without breakdown. This is especially relevant for active individuals who want to continue enjoying sports, hiking, dancing, or simply playing with grandchildren without fear of injury.

Purposeful Exercise Selection: The S&F Approach

At our studio, every exercise is selected with intention. We ask:

What movement pattern does this train? (Squat, hinge, push, pull, rotation, anti-rotation, etc.)

What real-world activity does this support? (Getting off the floor, carrying objects, maintaining posture during prolonged sitting, etc.)

How can we progressively load this movement? (What's the pathway for this exercise to become more challenging over time?)

Does this exercise honor Pilates principles while achieving strength goals? (Are we maintaining breath integration, spinal articulation, and movement quality?)

This isn't about abandoning classical Pilates. It's about evolution—honoring Joseph Pilates' original vision of creating functional, capable bodies while incorporating what modern science teaches us about adaptation and strength development.

What This Looks Like in Practice

A strength-based Pilates session at S&F might include:

• Hip-dominant movements (hinges, bridging) with progressive spring resistance to build posterior chain strength

• Squatting patterns on the reformer with intentional loading to support lower body power

• Pushing and pulling variations that develop upper body and scapular strength

• Anti-rotation exercises that build core stability for real-world demands

• Locomotion patterns that challenge balance, coordination, and full-body integration

Each movement is performed with Pilates precision, but the resistance is selected to challenge you appropriately—not too easy, not impossibly hard, but in that sweet spot where adaptation occurs.

The Minimalist Advantage

One of the most encouraging findings from recent research is that you don't need to spend hours in the gym to see results. The Behm et al. (2024) review on minimalist training suggests that even lower-volume resistance training protocols can improve physical fitness when applied consistently and with appropriate intensity.

This is perfect for Pilates practitioners. Two to three focused, progressive sessions per week can produce meaningful strength adaptations—particularly when combined with the movement quality and body awareness that Pilates cultivates.

Your Invitation to Evolve

If you've been practicing Pilates for years doing similar routines, it might be time to ask: Am I still adapting, or have I plateaued?

If you're new to Pilates and wondering whether it can truly build strength: Yes—when programmed with resistance training principles in mind.

The future of Pilates isn't about choosing between traditional practice and functional strength training. It's about integration. It's about honoring the wisdom of classical work while embracing what science teaches us about building resilient, capable bodies that serve us well throughout our lives.

At S&F, we're committed to this evolution. Every class, every program, every exercise is selected with your long-term function, strength, and vitality in mind. Because Pilates isn't just about how you move on the mat or reformer—it's about how you move through life.

Ready to experience strength-based Pilates programming? Join us at the studio to discover how purposeful exercise selection and progressive overload can transform not just your practice, but your capacity for all of life's movements.

References

Behm, D. G., Granacher, U., Warneke, K., Aragão-Santos, J. C., Da Silva-Grigoletto, M. E., & Konrad, A. (2024). Minimalist training: is lower dosage or intensity resistance training effective to improve physical fitness? A narrative review. Sports Medicine, 54(2), 289-302.

Cosman, F., Lewiecki, E. M., Eastell, R., Ebeling, P. R., Jan De Beur, S., Langdahl, B., ... & Cummings, S. R. (2024). Goal-directed osteoporosis treatment: ASBMR/BHOF task force position statement 2024. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 39(10), 1393-1405.

Gomes-Neto, M., Durães, A. R., Conceição, L. S. R., Saquetto, M. B., Alves, I. G., Smart, N. A., & Carvalho, V. O. (2024). Some types of exercise interventions are more effective than others in people with coronary heart disease: Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Journal of Physiotherapy.

López-López, S., Abuín-Porras, V., Berlanga, L. A., Martos-Duarte, M., Perea-Unceta, L., Romero-Morales, C., & Pareja-Galeano, H. (2024). Functional mobility and physical fitness are improved through a multicomponent training program in institutionalized older adults. GeroScience, 46(1), 1201-1209.

Lopez, P., Radaelli, R., Taaffe, D. R., Newton, R. U., Galvão, D. A., Trajano, G. S., ... & Pinto, R. S. (2021). Resistance training load effects on muscle hypertrophy and strength gain: systematic review and network meta-analysis. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 53(6).