Is Pilates a good form of Cross Training for Sports?
Pilates is more than just exercise. It is a movement philosophy and practice. The principles of Pilates include breath, concentration, control, precision, centering and flow. These principles are what make Pilates a good form of cross-training for sports, whether indoor or outdoor, winter or summer.
From dancers and martial artists to skiers, cyclists, and pickleball players, Pilates enhances performance and helps reduce injuries by improving balance, mobility, and core strength, all fundamental to all movement and sport. Depending on your sport, there is a way that Pilates can help. Below are some of the areas and articles we have detailing how Pilates can be helpful. More articles can and will be added to the list below in time.
Sports that benefit from Pilates
Dance & Performing Arts
Joseph Pilates worked with many dancers once he arrived in the United States. Dancers and performers thrive on fluidity, rhythm, and total body awareness. Pilates helps dancers build strength from the inside out, while maintaining the grace and articulation required for performance. With a focus on spinal alignment, turnout control, and balance, Pilates supports the physical demands of both classical and modern styles of dance. Even social dances like ballroom require coordination, footwork, and core strength to help maintain a dynamic posture. Pilates helps dancers stay strong and injury-free through repetitive movement patterns and continuous practice.
Can Pilates Help Ballroom Dancing?
Combat & Precision Sports
Golf swings, tennis serves, martial arts kicks, all movements require rotation, balance, and core strength. Pilates develops the muscular control needed to execute these movements safely and effectively, while reducing the risk of strain or overuse injuries.
For martial artists, Pilates enhances body awareness and explosive power. For racket sports and golf, Pilates teaches athletes how to stabilize through the torso and generate force and power from the ground up.
Martial Arts and Pilates Work Together
Tennis Can Benefit from Pilates
Pilates and Pickleball: Conditioning & Injury Prevention
Winter Sports
All winter sports require a combination of strength, coordination, and joint resilience. Pilates improves core stability and spinal mobility, essential for navigating unpredictable winter surfaces like ice and snow. Even just walking across the street during the winter and maintaining balance on slippery surfaces requires great coordination and balance.
Below, I have taken the time to write about some of the more common winter sports, exploring how Pilates can be supportive. There are so many ways to enjoy the winter, from snow-based sports like skiing and snowboarding, to ice skating, as well as more “recreational” cold-weather activities like snowshoeing and curling. Each article takes a look at how Pilates can help prepare you for your winter sport.
Curling and Pilates Are Both Mind-Body Exercise
Getting Through Winter with Snowshoeing and Pilates
Pilates Can Help Alpine Skiing
Pilates for Cross-Country Skiing (Cross Training)
Endurance & Outdoor Sports
Walking for wellness, climbing rock faces, long cycle rides or summer paddling excursions, your body needs a strong and stable foundation. Pilates strengthens the smaller stabilizing muscles that keep your joints stable and your form strong, especially during long, continuous periods of repetitive activity. The light resistance and increased repetitions help build muscular endurance, which is vital in endurance activities.
In these articles, I try to highlight how Pilates complements popular outdoor activities like cycling, kayaking, walking, rowing, and so many other endurance-based sports and activities.
Cross-Training with Pilates for Rock Climbing
Pilates and Cycling Are a Combination for Success
Pilates Can Help Kayakers – Pilates for Kayaking
Learn How Pilates Can Help Your Rowing
Pilates Cross Training for Sports
Whether you’re just a recreational golfer working on improving your swing or a professional athlete training for your next race, Pilates is an ideal complement and form of cross-training for any sport. The principles of Pilates, on their own, when applied to any activity, will help improve performance. But the addition of focusing on core strength, joint mobility, and postural alignment through exercises makes Pilates a good form of cross-training for sports. The tools and principles you learn from Pilates give you the ability to train smarter, recover better, and move with more confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Pilates really improve athletic performance?
Yes! Pilates enhances your body’s foundational strength, particularly in the core and stabilizing muscles. This leads to more efficient movement patterns, improved coordination, and fewer injuries in your sport.
How is Pilates different from traditional strength training?
Pilates focuses on controlled, low-impact movements that engage deep muscle layers. It emphasizes alignment, breath, and neuromuscular connection, making it an ideal complement to higher-intensity strength work.
Should I do Pilates before or after my sport?
Pilates is versatile—it can be used as a warm-up, a cool-down, or a standalone cross-training session. If your sport involves high repetition or impact, Pilates helps balance things out and supports recovery. Is Pilates useful even if I’m not a “serious” athlete? Definitely. Pilates is for anyone who moves! Whether you’re hiking, playing weekend tennis, or just want to walk without knee pain, Pilates helps you move better and feel stronger in your body.
Do I need equipment like a reformer to get the benefits?
Nope! While equipment-based Pilates is great, mat Pilates alone offers tons of benefits. Many of the exercises discussed in the blog posts above can be done using just your body weight.
Certified Stott Pilates instructor in mat and reformer Pilates.
