How Pilates *Actually* Helps Weightlifters

There’s this confusion that someone has to pick between Pilates or weightlifting, but what people don’t understand is they actually compliment each other. A healthy workout routine is all about balance and it’s also about doing the workout that makes you happy. If that is doing pilates 5 times a week then that’s perfect.

My workout routine personally consists of weightlifting, running, pilates, yoga, and rest days.

Below I talk about how Pilates is actually good for weightlifters. At the end of the article you can find my November Schedule 🙂 

1. Core Strength for Stability

In weightlifting, a strong core is essential for maintaining stability and protecting your lower back, especially when performing compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses. Pilates focuses heavily on core engagement, building deep abdominal muscles that act like a natural weightlifting belt. This added stability helps you lift heavier with better control and minimizes the risk of injury.

2. Improved Flexibility and Mobility

Weightlifters often face tight hips, hamstrings, and shoulders from repetitive heavy lifting. Pilates works to improve flexibility and joint mobility, which is crucial for getting deeper squats, better deadlift form, and a full range of motion in pressing movements. Increased flexibility allows for smoother, more efficient lifts, and can even boost your overall lifting performance by making it easier to hit optimal positions.

3. Better Posture and Alignment

Proper form is critical when lifting weights, and poor posture can lead to serious injuries. Pilates teaches you to be more aware of your body alignment and how to correct imbalances. By focusing on spinal alignment and posture, Pilates helps you maintain a neutral spine during lifts, which protects your back and ensures you're using the right muscles during your exercises.

4. Balance Between Muscle Groups

Weightlifters often develop strength imbalances, where certain muscles (like quads or pecs) overpower others (like glutes or back muscles). Pilates helps correct these imbalances by targeting smaller, often neglected muscles. Strengthening weak areas lead to more efficient lifts and reduce the likelihood of injury due to overcompensation.

5. Enhanced Breathing Techniques

Breathing is critical in weightlifting, especially for stabilizing your core during heavy lifts. Pilates emphasizes deep, controlled breathing patterns that can translate directly into better breathing techniques for weightlifting. The ability to control your breath, particularly during the eccentric and concentric phases of a lift, improves your power and efficiency.

6. Injury Prevention

Weightlifting is intense, and injuries can happen if you lack good form or if you have muscle imbalances. Pilates helps build strength in often-overlooked stabilizer muscles, like those around the shoulders, hips, and knees, which support your bigger movements. This foundation of strength and mobility helps prevent the typical injuries associated with weightlifting, such as lower back strains, shoulder impingements, or knee pain.

7. Increased Mind-Body Connection

Weightlifting requires a deep connection between the mind and body, and Pilates enhances this awareness. Through Pilates, you learn to focus on how each muscle group feels and moves during exercises, improving your form and technique in weightlifting. This heightened sense of control means better movement patterns, reduced injury risk, and more effective lifts.

6 MONTHS OF MOVEWITHANJ GROUP CLASSES!!!! I have been seeing so many familiar faces and names, honestly so so happy if you choose to come to my class not once but TWICE or even more. As you guys know I love to give back, there is going to be a small lil surprise for my first 10 movers to hit 10 classes ❤️ 

NOVEMBER SCHEDULE (first half): Want to try a class? Sign up here: https://movewithanj.as.me/schedule.php?appointmentType=63295776

As a reminder, please only book if you are sure that you will be able to make it - this way we can make sure everyone gets a chance to take class due to the limited availability 🙂 Second half of November will be posted in a week or two!

REFERRAL PROGRAM: refer a friend and once they sign up, DM me - I will venmo you 5$ (you must already be a client to participate).

LOVE

Anj