Strength Training vs. Pilates for Women: Which Is Better?

Strength training and Pilates are both popular forms of exercise for women, but they serve two different purposes (despite messaging we see that tries to convince us otherwise).

If you're a woman in your 30s, 40s, 50s, or beyond trying to decide where to spend your limited workout time, you may be wondering: Is strength training better than Pilates? Can Pilates replace lifting weights? Or should you be doing both?

The answer really just depends on your goals. Pilates is wonderful because it can help improve your core strength, body awareness, mobility, and muscular endurance. But if your primary goals are to build and maintain muscle, increase your strength, support bone health, and stay physically capable as you age, strength training should be a priority.

But this doesn’t have to be an “either or” thing; if you want, you can find a schedule that allows you to incorporate both strength training and Pilates into your weekly schedule.

Let’s talk about the differences between strength training and Pilates and how to decide which approach makes the most sense for you.

First, Let’s Define Strength Training

Strength training is working your muscles against resistance. Resistance can come in the form of dumbbells, barbells, machines, resistance bands, and even your own body weight.

The goal of a good strength training program is to gradually ask your muscles to do more over time (progressive overload). To do this, you might increase the weights you’re lifting, perform more reps, add additional sets, increase your range of motion, improve your form, etc. There are so many ways to progressively overload your muscles.

Progressive overload is precisely what makes strength training different from simply exercising. You’re not just trying to complete the workout and check the box; you’re actually trying to improve your capacity, build muscle, and get stronger.

What Are the Benefits of Strength Training for Women?

Strength training becomes increasingly important as we get older because maintaining muscle and physical strength doesn't happen automatically - we have to work at it so we don’t compromise our mobility.

Regular resistance training can help women:

• Build and maintain muscle
• Increase strength
• Improve physical function
• Support bone health
• Improve balance and stability
• Make everyday activities easier
• Maintain independence as they age
• Support healthy body composition

While there are tons of benefits, the good news is that in order to reap them, you don’t need to spend hours in the gym.

A consistent 30–45 minute strength workout several times per week can be incredibly effective when the programming is appropriate, and you're progressively challenging yourself.

Now, Let’s Discuss Pilates

Pilates is a form of exercise that’s centered around controlled, intentional movement. Traditional Pilates was developed around the principles of concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flow. However, these days there are many other modern Pilates modalities that include other aspects like strength.

Depending on the style of Pilates, the workouts can include exercises that are designed to challenge your core, hips, arms, legs, posture, balance, and overall body control. So, yes, Pilates can make you stronger. But there’s a very important distinction that needs to be made between the strength you get from Pilates and the strength you get from actual strength training because they are not the same.

What Are the Benefits of Pilates?

Pilates can be a great addition to a woman's fitness routine. Potential benefits include:

• Improved core strength and control
• Better body awareness
• Improved balance and stability
• Improved muscular endurance
• Greater movement control
• Mobility and flexibility work
• A lower-impact way to exercise
• Variety in your training routine

Pilates can also be a great option for someone who enjoys it and is therefore more likely to exercise consistently. I will always be an advocate for any/all movement being good movement. It doesn’t matter what the “best” or most “optimal” workout is if you’re not going to do it.

Strength Training vs. Pilates: What's the Difference?

The biggest difference between these two exercise modalities comes down to the type of stimulus you're giving your body. Strength training uses external resistance that’s intentionally progressed to increase your strength. Pilates, on the other hand, typically uses body weight, springs, resistance, and controlled movement to challenge your muscles with less of a focus on strength and muscle and more of a focus on stability, control, and endurance.

Both types of workouts can be challenging; both can be effective, but they are not interchangeable.

Is Pilates Enough for Women Over 35?

This is where I think the conversation gets a little more nuanced. Pilates can absolutely be a part of your exercise routine, but if it’s your only form of resistance training, I don’t want you to overlook the benefits of progressive strength training.

As women move through midlife, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain our muscle and strength. This is also the time we need to start thinking about our bone health. Resistance and weight-bearing exercise are important tools for supporting bone strength and preventing osteoporosis. This is one reason I don't recommend replacing strength training entirely with lower-load forms of exercise if your goal is long-term physical health and mobility.

In short, Pilates can be part of the fitness picture, but I highly recommend it not being the only part of the picture.

Can Pilates Build Muscle?

Yes, Pilates can build muscle, but there’s an important distinction to make. Your muscles respond to resistance, and Pilates can definitely provide resistance. A challenging Pilates workout will have your muscles working hard. But working your muscles and maximizing muscle growth aren’t necessarily the same thing.

Hypertrophy (aka muscle growth) requires sufficient training stimulus and progression over time (progressive overload). Traditional strength training makes it relatively straightforward to manipulate variables such as weight, reps, sets, and resistance to make progress.

For example, if you can perform 10 goblet squats with a 25-pound dumbbell this month and eventually perform the same movement with 35 pounds, you've created a very clear progression. While Pilates can be progressed, it doesn’t give the same obvious and measurable way to track it and actually know that you’re getting stronger.

Does Pilates Make You Strong?

Heck yeah, it can! But again, we need to define what you’re referring to when you say “strong.” Pilates can improve your muscular endurance, core stability, coordination, and your ability to control your body - all of which are valuable forms of strength. But if your goal is to significantly increase your strength and muscle, strength training is the most direct tool.

This is why I don't think the question should be: "Does Pilates work?" Of course it does! The better question is: "Does Pilates give me the specific adaptation I'm looking for?"

That's a much more useful question when choosing your workouts.

Do You Have to Choose Between Strength Training and Pilates?

Not at all! This isn’t an either/or conversation; you can and should do both if you enjoy Pilates. I take the stance that every woman should be strength training with a focus on progressive overload for her overall health and longevity, but that doesn’t mean that strength training is the only thing she can do.

For example, most women enjoy a 3- or 4-day strength training plan each week, which leaves them with plenty of opportunity to add a Pilates workout or two in between sessions. You can do both and achieve great results not just from an aesthetic standpoint but from an overall health and enjoyment standpoint.

If You Only Have Time for One, Choose Strength Training

To be clear, I do not want to discourage you from doing Pilates if you love it, but if you can only find room in your weekly routine for one form of exercise over the other, I recommend making it strength training. If your goals include building muscle, getting stronger, supporting bone health, and maintaining physical function as you age, I would prioritize strength training first. Because strength training gives you a very specific stimulus that becomes increasingly valuable as we get older.

And just to address the elephant in the room: no, strength training will not make you bulky. There is always a lot of messaging floating around suggesting that Pilates will build “long, lean muscles” and lifting heavy weights will produce “large, bulky” muscles. This isn’t true. There’s only one type of muscle, and it’s built by applying a stimulus.

A Simple Way to Combine Strength Training and Pilates

If you enjoy both, you don't need an elaborate schedule. Here’s an example of what your week could look like:

Monday: Strength training

Tuesday: Walking or Pilates

Wednesday: Strength training

Thursday: Walking or recovery

Friday: Strength training

Saturday: Pilates or another activity you enjoy

Sunday: Rest or easy movement

You could also strength train four days per week and use Pilates as an optional recovery-day activity. Make your schedule your own, but make sure strength training is prioritized if your goal is to protect your body as you age.

Final Thoughts

Strength training and Pilates are both valuable forms of exercise, but they aren't doing exactly the same job. Pilates is excellent for controlled movement, core strength, stability, balance, body awareness, and muscular endurance. Strength training is the more direct tool for building muscle, increasing strength, supporting bone health, and maintaining physical capacity as you age.

For women in midlife, strength training needs to have a regular place in your routine. That doesn’t mean you need to give up your Pilates classes if you enjoy them; you can do both!

But if you came here to find out which one to prioritize when your time is limited and you want to make the most impact on your health and well-being, strength training will be my answer every time.

I designed the strength programs in the Simply Strong App to be flexible and efficient so you can add any other fitness modalities into your week. In the Simply Strong App, you can choose between a 3-, 4-, or 5-day-per-week schedule with daily 30- or 45-minute workout options - all done from home with minimal equipment. Take my quick quiz to see if training in the Simply Strong App is a good fit for you and your goals.