Last Updated on July 25, 2025 by Pilates Power
Pilates does help with other sports and forms of exercise.
‘Pilates is not just exercise it’s a lifestyle that changes the world’
Brent Anderson, founder of Polestar Pilates
Pilates builds the strength that helps you move safer and more effectively.
Pilates is excellent preparation for other forms of exercise because it focuses on building the foundational elements that support safe, effective movement. Here’s why:
1. Core Strength & Stability
Pilates targets deep abdominal muscles, the pelvic floor, and the spine. A strong core improves balance, posture, and alignment, which enhances performance and helps prevent injuries in all kinds of sports and workouts.
2. Improved Body Awareness
Pilates teaches precise, controlled movements and conscious breathing. This heightens proprioception (your sense of where your body is in space), which translates to better coordination and technique in other activities like golf, lifting weights, tennis or team sports.
3. Enhanced Flexibility & Mobility
Unlike static stretching, Pilates really improves dynamic flexibility this means the range of movement through very active control. This helps prevent muscle tightness and supports more efficient, fluid movement in other exercises.
4. Injury Prevention
By correcting muscle imbalances and improving posture and joint alignment, Pilates reduces the risk of overuse injuries and strains. It’s especially good for people returning to sport after injury.
5. Better Breathing Patterns
Pilates promotes deeper breathing techniques , which in turn promotes better oxygen flow and trunk stability. Efficient breathing is key for endurance and stamina in all types of workouts or high-intensity training.
6. Balanced Muscle Development
Many forms of exercise overwork certain muscles (like quads in cycling or pecs in bench pressing). Pilates restores balance by targeting underused stabilising muscles—improving overall movement efficiency.
7. Mental Focus
The mind-body element of Pilates enhances concentration and control—skills that carry over into sport, strength training, or even endurance activities where pacing and technique matter.
Summary:
Pilates is like cross-training for your core, breath, posture, and control—making it a solid foundation for almost any other fitness goal.
