11/22/2025
🙌There is one thing you can do to up your Pilates game and that is….start adding weights!
Real weights! Not just one pound ankle weights, although that’s a good place to start… but like 10 lb, 20 lb, I’m even pulling some 40 lb weights no, for example!
🤝 Pilates gave me the foundation to learn healthy movement mechanics and core stability. Strength training gave me more muscle, increasing my strength and overall body composition. I love both practices and they are more alike than they are different - they just build on each other.
💪Strength Training -> Pilates: This progression is a great way to work on deep core strength and stability, especially when your training volume or intensity increases.
💪Pilates -> Strength Training : This progression is great when you’ve reached a plateau with bodyweight strength and your goals are to increase muscle mass (ICYMI: you want to do this!) Adding weights to Pilates movements is a perfect introduction to strength training.
Here are my favorite Pilates -> Strength progressions adding first light, then heavy weights:
* Kneeling Squats: Bodyweight, + light hand weights + 10 lb KB
* Hip Extension: Bodyweight, + ankle weight + 10 lb KB in hip thrust (same muscle focus, different orientation to gravity)
* Clam Shell: Bodyweight, + light hand weights and bilateral hip abduction + 10 lb KB
* Roll Downs: Bodyweight, + light hand weights + 10 lb KB
Start incorporating light and then heavy weights into your practice, and once the 10 lbs feel light, add more! Try these when you’re craving more challenge and lmk what you think!
🔗Download the Pilates with Abs app or head to my bio for more.