Pilates is an effective exercise for strengthening your core—the muscles in your abdomen, back, pelvis, and hips. Joseph Pilates developed the method in the early 1900s as a mind-body practice built on principles such as centering, control, and precision.

Many of Pilates’s principles involve engaging the core. Centering, in particular, involves activating the core muscles, which Joseph Pilates referred to as the “powerhouse” of the body.

How Pilates Targets Core Muscles

Engaging and strengthening the core muscles is an essential part of Pilates. This is achieved through specific poses and exercises that encourage coordinated contraction of the deep core muscles. These exercises are static (held in one position) and dynamic (moving) and incorporate the other Pilates principles, such as precision, control, and flow.

Core Muscles Targeted in Pilates

Transverse Abdominis

Function: Deep core stabilization

The transverse abdominis is the deepest abdominal muscle. It wraps around the body, extending from the ribs to the pelvis, and acts as a “corset” by holding in the organs.

The transverse abdominis is one of the main muscles that stabilize the spine. Weakness in this muscle is associated with low-back pain. You can isolate the transverse abdominis with “abdominal hollowing” by drawing the belly button toward the spine—a cue in many Pilates exercises.

Pilates was one of the first exercise methods to focus on isolating and engaging the transverse abdominis.

Rectus Abdominis (the “Six-Pack”)

Function: Forward flexion

The rectus abdominis, commonly called the “six-pack,” is a large muscle that runs along the front of the body, from the lower sternum to the top of the pelvis.

One of the primary roles of the rectus abdominis is forward flexion, or drawing your upper body forward (such as in a crunch). This muscle is often weakened or separated during pregnancy. When this happens, it’s called diastasis recti.

Many Pilates exercises engage the rectus abdominis. According to one study of women who had given birth at least once, Pilates was effective at strengthening and improving the endurance of the rectus abdominis and reducing inter-recti space.

Obliques

Function: Rotation and lateral movement

The internal and external obliques are abdominal muscles along your right and left sides that assist in twisting or turning movements of the trunk and spine.

One study found that people who are experienced in Pilates engage their internal obliques more than people who are not, indicating that Pilates is beneficial for training and strengthening these muscles.

Lower Back Muscles

Function: Spine support and posture

The muscles in the lower back help with spinal support, mobility, and posture.

One of these is the multifidus, which originates at the sacrum (tailbone) and travels up along the spine, supporting it. Other low-back muscles include the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum, the deepest back muscle.

Who Needs to Strengthen Their Core?

Everyone can benefit from strengthening their core. Core muscles help with daily activities, such as reaching for something on a high shelf, vacuuming, getting up and down from the floor after playing with your kids, or going for a run.

Benefits of a strong core include:

• Better balance
• Easier, pain-free general mobility
• Improved athletic performance
• Improved posture
• Prevention of injuries, such as overuse injuries, muscle strains, knee injuries, and back spasms
• Prevention or improvement of incontinence
• Reduced risk of falling

8 Pilates Exercises to Improve Core

1. The Hundred

1. Lie on your back with your legs lifted into tabletop position, your head and shoulders elevated off the floor, and both arms reaching forward, parallel to the floor.
2. Inhale for five counts and exhale for five counts while pumping your arms up and down. Continue this while counting to 100.

2. Forearm Side Plank

1. Lie on your left side with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle behind you.
2. Lift onto your left forearm.
3. Hold here for 10 breaths. (Increase the challenge by lifting your top leg. You can also modify this by straightening your legs rather than resting on your knees)
4. Repeat on the other side.

3. Bird Dog

1. Position yourself in a quadruped (on all fours), with your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees.
2. Extend your right leg straight back while simultaneously extending your opposite left arm straight forward. Hold for a count of three breaths.
3. Return to the starting position.
4. Repeat by alternating sides, or do sets on each side.

4. Roll Up

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs straight, and your arms extended overhead. As an option, press a Pilates ball between the palms of your hands.
2. Slowly lift your upper body off the mat, eventually curling to extend the arms toward the feet.
3. Reverse to return to lying on your back.
4. Repeat.

5. Crisscross

1. Lie flat on your back, with your legs in a tabletop position. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows extended to either side. Lift your head and shoulders off the floor.
2. Engage the abdomen and bring your right elbow and left knee together while extending the right leg straight out.
3. Return to your starting position.
4. Repeat on the opposite side, bringing your left elbow and right knee together while extending the left leg straight out.
5. Repeat in an alternating cycle.

6. Single Leg Stretch

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs straight out and lifted a few inches off the floor, and your head and chest lifted off the floor.
2. Hug your right knee into the chest while extending your left leg straight out.
3. Switch legs, and repeat.

7. Double Leg Stretch

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs straight out and lifted a few inches off the floor. Lift your head and chest off the floor, and extend your arms overhead.
2. Hug both knees into the chest at once.
3. Extend arms and legs back out to the starting position.
4. Repeat.

8. Dead Bug With Toe Taps

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs lifted onto the tabletop position and your arms at your side on the floor.
2. Lower your right leg toes to touch the floor as you exhale, keeping your knee bent.
3. As you inhale, return your leg to its original position.
4. Repeat by alternating legs or do sets on each side.

Benefits of a Strong Core From Pilates

There are numerous benefits of strengthening your core with Pilates.

• Less back pain: Many studies have found that Pilates effectively treats low-back pain. It does this by strengthening the muscles around the pelvis, abdomen, and trunk, which are often weak and lacking stability among people with lower back pain.
• Better posture: Studies show that Pilates exercises help improve postural alignment.
• Improved athletic performance: Pilates can benefit athletes who want to improve their core strength, efficiency, and speed or prevent injuries. Research shows it aids performance in sports such as running, archery, volleyball, fencing, etc.
• Reduced pelvic floor dysfunction: Core strengthening with Pilates can help treat pelvic floor dysfunction, which occurs when muscles and/or nerves in the pelvis don’t operate correctly.
• Stronger core throughout pregnancy: Pregnancy puts immense stress on the core, and Pilates can be a great way to keep your core strong throughout pregnancy and postpartum.

How to Get Started in Pilates

Get started in Pilates by joining a class at a local gym or Pilates studio. Choose from mat Pilates, Pilates with special equipment (like a reformer), or other class styles to suit you.

The benefit of attending in-person classes is that you’ll have access to props and equipment and a teacher available to help with adjustments and advice on preventing injuries. Cost, time, and confidence can all be barriers to attending classes in person.

You can also try Pilates at home, with online resources ranging from live remote Pilates classes via Zoom or free YouTube videos.

Pilates vs. Other Core-Strengthening Workouts

Pilates is not the only exercise that can help strengthen your core. Other types of exercise, such as ab workouts, yoga, Lagree (a method similar to Pilates), swimming, and rowing, can all help you build core strength.

Research has shown that Pilates is comparable to other forms of exercise in improving overall strength, reducing pain, and improving balance. One study that compared a four-week course of Pilates to yoga among older adults found that Pilates was more effective at improving core strength and balance (though yoga was more effective for flexibility).

Ultimately, you should choose the exercise that brings you meaning. Enjoying the types of exercise you do will help keep you motivated.

Summary

Pilates is an effective way to improve core strength. Engaging the core, the “powerhouse” of the body, is a central tenet of Pilates, and many Pilates exercises are designed to activate deep core muscles. Over time, building up your core strength can alleviate low-back pain, improve posture, improve sports performance, prevent injuries, and manage pelvic floor dysfunction.