5 reasons why pilates is good for your body

April 16, 2026

Anyone who is involved with health and exercise has probably heard of Pilates at some point. What once started as a hype has now grown into a popular and lasting choice for physical exercise.

Pilates has also become very popular in recent years among celebrities such as Hailey Bieber and David Beckham, and not without reason. More and more people are discovering that it not only helps you become stronger and more flexible, but above all is an investment in your long-term health. Pilates can increase your flexibility, strengthen muscles, reduce stress, and improve your posture.

In this article, we list five reasons why Pilates is a real boost for your health.

1. It improves your physical resilience

As you get older, you notice that your body feels less flexible and strong. Pilates helps slow this process down. Pilates exercises focus on strengthening your core and improving balance and mobility. This reduces the risk of injuries and falls, which is certainly important later in life.

In addition, Pilates offers options in the area of rehabilitation. A systematic review in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies shows that older adults who practiced Pilates for 8 to 12 weeks experienced less pain, became stronger, and were able to move more freely. The researchers concluded that Pilates is a safe and effective way to improve mobility without overloading the body. ¹

Besides older adults, Pilates can also work preventively for younger people. Many athletes use it as a supplement to their training to help prevent injuries and make their upper body stronger, among other benefits. Two popular exercises that are widely used in the sports world are:

The Hundred: you lie on your back, lift your legs slightly, and move your arms rhythmically up and down while continuing to breathe calmly. This exercise activates your abdominal muscles and improves circulation.
The Roll-Up: you slowly roll from lying down to a seated position and back again. This strengthens your abdominal muscles, improves the flexibility of your spine, and trains control over your movements.

Pilates is a safe way to move that keeps your joints supple and strengthens the muscles around vulnerable areas. This makes it suitable for almost everyone, including people recovering from an injury or surgery.

This is how Pilates helps to:

build muscle strength without overloading, for example with knee or back complaints;
restore mobility through controlled movements that improve circulation and reduce stiffness.

With guidance, the intensity can be increased gradually, so you strengthen the body steadily and calmly.

2. It supports your metabolism and reduces stress

Pilates affects more than just your muscles. During the exercises you also focus on your breathing, and your circulation is stimulated through movement. Better circulation helps deliver oxygen and essential nutrients, which positively stimulates your metabolism. That is the process by which your body converts food into energy. A better metabolism ensures your body burns more calories, which is why combining it with exercise is seen as a good method for losing weight.

Breathing exercises can help lower the stress hormone cortisol, creating a better hormone balance. This can reduce stress levels, which lowers the risk of inflammation and helps your body recover faster. So Pilates can really work in two ways: both relaxing and strengthening.

3. It strengthens your functional strength for everyday life

The movements you perform during Pilates closely resemble everyday actions such as bending, twisting, and lifting. By training these movements regularly, everyday tasks such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries, or getting up from a chair become easier to do. Pilates focuses on controlled movements and strengthening deeper muscles that support your posture and help prevent overuse. That makes it valuable for people who want to prepare their body for an active and independent life later in life.

Pilates can also offer relief for people with pain. A systematic review in Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine examined the effect of Pilates in people with muscle and joint complaints. Analysis of multiple studies showed that after a few weeks of Pilates, participants experienced less pain, moved more smoothly, and felt physically better. ² These findings align with the idea that Pilates can not only help prevent complaints, but also make the body stronger and more resilient in everyday life.

4. It creates a strong connection between body and mind

An important but often underestimated aspect of Pilates is increasing your body awareness. During the exercises you learn to pay attention to your breathing, posture, and muscle tension. As a result, you become better at noticing, for example, when you are shrugging your shoulders or overloading your back. By recognizing these signals earlier, you can correct them immediately. This not only prevents physical complaints, but also provides more relaxation in daily life.

Research in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (2024) shows that Pilates not only trains the body, but also the brain. In this study, women with a sedentary lifestyle followed an eight-week Pilates program on the reformer, during which their cognitive functions were measured. Afterward, the participants performed better on tests for concentration, memory, and mental flexibility. ³

This improvement is related to the way Pilates combines breathing, posture, and attention. By moving and breathing mindfully, you train both your body and your brain. This explains why people often experience more calm, mental clarity, and resilience after regular practice.

5. It can give your Longevity journey an extra boost

Why invest in a longer and more vital lifestyle? Longevity is about the right balance between exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management. Pilates is an excellent choice here: it is a safe, versatile form of exercise that you can do at any age. It also combines well with strength training, cardio, or mindfulness.

Those who complement these habits with, for example, NMN supplements may be able to support their energy and cellular health from within. This way you build step by step toward a strong and resilient body for the long term.

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Sources:
¹ byrnes, K., wu, P.-J., & whillier, S. (2018). Is Pilates an effective rehabilitation tool? A systematic review. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 22(2), 327–333. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360859217300955
² barnet-hepples, T., amorim, A. B., de azeyêdo nogueira, C., de melo, M. C. S., borges dario, A., latey, P., alves gomes, S. R., & de brito macedo, L. (2025). Pilates lessens pain and disability and improves quality of life in people with musculoskeletal conditions in the extremities: A systematic review. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877065725000387
³ özeren, A., uluğ, N., şahan, N., & karahan, Z. C. (2024). Does reformer Pilates exercise improve cognitive functions in sedentary women? A randomized controlled study. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360859224004558