Is Reformer Pilates a Form of Strength Training? Let's Talk About It
Recently, there has been a lot of debate over whether Reformer Pilates is a part of strength training. At The Class Plan, our answer is simple: no, it is not. But that is not a negative. Reformer Pilates has countless powerful benefits, and when combined with proper strength training, it creates an incredibly effective and well-rounded fitness approach for women.
Let’s break down why Reformer Pilates is not strength training, and how you can use The Class Plan app to incorporate both elements into your workouts and teaching.
What Is Strength Training?
When we talk about strength training, we refer to lifting a load that is heavy enough to fatigue the muscles within five to eight repetitions. This is the kind of stimulus that builds muscle mass, boosts bone density, and significantly improves overall strength and resilience, especially important as we age.
This type of training requires heavy resistance, the kind typically used with dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells. You cannot load a Reformer heavily enough, except with some footwork, to produce the same level of muscular stress that traditional strength training does.
What About Moderate Strength Training?
Of course, strength training is not just about lifting to your absolute maximum. There is a whole spectrum, and many of the most effective approaches for women fall somewhere in the middle.
For example, lifting an eight-kilogram weight for twelve to fifteen repetitions is still considered strength training, known as hypertrophy training. It builds strength, increases muscle tone, and supports bone health without needing to lift to your absolute maximum. This type of training is safe, sustainable, and incredibly effective for everyday strength and functionality.
What Reformer Pilates Trains:
Reformer Pilates, even when using props or weights, falls under the category of muscle endurance training. On The Class Plan app, you will find a variety of Reformer exercises that use small hand weights, resistance loops, and props. But even with added resistance, we are still working with lighter loads and higher repetitions. This builds endurance, not maximum strength. While it does not stimulate muscle growth in the same way as heavy lifting, it is still highly beneficial.
Muscle endurance training helps to:
- Improve postural control
- Strengthen stabilising muscles
- Enhance joint resilience
- Increase movement efficiency
- Support injury prevention
And, yes, you will still feel that burn. That burning sensation is lactic acid building up, a sign your muscles are being challenged through sustained time under tension, an essential part of muscular endurance development.
Where Can You Find Strength Training on The Class Plan App?
We are proud to say that The Class Plan app is more than just Matwork and Reformer programming. We also include a growing library of mat-based strength exercises, with a more traditional strength training style.
To find these, search “weights” under Matwork. These exercises are designed to complement your Pilates sessions with strength-focused exercises that use heavier dumbbells.
Matwork lends itself well to integrating more traditional strength movements, such as squats, lunges, and overhead presses, alongside your core Pilates sequencing. This makes it easy to combine the best of both worlds, training both muscular endurance and strength in the same session.
Over time, we will continue to add to this collection, giving you more tools to bring strength work into your mat-based sessions, whether for your training or your clients.
So, is Reformer Pilates a form of strength training? No, and it does not need to be.
Reformer Pilates builds muscle endurance, coordination, joint stability, and supports excellent movement patterns. It is the foundation for strength training, teaching control, technique, and body awareness, all of which help reduce injury risk when lifting heavier weights. True strength training, whether with heavy or moderate loads, is still essential, especially for women, as we age.
It helps to:
- Preserve and build lean muscle
- Strengthen bones
- Boost metabolism
- Improve day-to-day functionality
The best approach is to use both. Train strength and endurance. Move with control and power. Use Reformer Pilates to refine the way you move and feel, and complement it with targeted, mat-based strength training.
The Class Plan app gives you the tools for both.
If you are ready to get started, search “weights” under Matwork in the app to explore strength exercises you can easily incorporate into your classes… and keep an eye out, as we will be adding more to this collection very soon!