Why I Add Weights to My Pilates Sessions—And Why Your Body Will Thank You

Yes, Pilates builds strength. But when you combine it with smart, functional weight training, you unlock a deeper kind of resilience. Here’s how—and why—I weave both into my sessions.

Strong. Not Just "Long and Lean"

You’ve probably heard people say Pilates gives you “long, lean muscles”—but here’s the truth: there’s no such thing as building lean muscle. You either build muscle mass, or you don’t. How your muscles look depends on your genetics, body type, hormones, and lifestyle—not the kind of exercise you do.

What Pilates does offer is something even more valuable: it helps your body move more efficiently. It improves posture, activates deep stabilizers, enhances proprioception, and teaches your nervous system how to find balance and support again. It’s not just about what muscles look like—it’s about how they function.

How Pilates Equipment Builds Strength

Pilates equipment—like the Reformer, Tower, and Chair—uses a system of springs and pulleys to create resistance. Unlike traditional gym equipment that often uses fixed weights and gravity, Pilates springs offer variable resistance: the further you stretch the spring, the more resistance you experience.

This means you’re training both eccentric and concentric contractions—essential for joint integrity, coordination, and muscle endurance.

Plus, the spring system:

• Builds strength without compressing the joints

• Challenges balance and stability, lighting up smaller, often underused muscles

• Supports or resists movement depending on how it’s set up, which can help with recovery or build intensity

• Keeps the work connected to the deep core and breath

Adding Functional Weights: A Natural Extension

Once I’ve helped a client establish good movement patterns using Pilates principles and spring resistance, I often bring in external weights to load the body in new ways. Sometimes it’s on the mat, sometimes it’s layered into Reformer work or Tower sequences, and other times we’re using dumbbells or kettlebells with squats, deadlifts, or presses.

It’s not about switching methods. It’s about expanding the movement vocabulary—helping the body get stronger in functional patterns, build muscle mass where it’s needed, and respond better to real-life loads like groceries, kids, or stress.

Why This Matters: Strength Is a Longevity Tool

One of the most compelling voices in this space is Dr. Peter Attia, whose work focuses on “the Centenarian Decathlon”—not just living longer, but moving and functioning well into older age.

He (and others) point to resistance training as the number one intervention for:

• Building and maintaining muscle mass

• Improving bone density and reducing fracture risk

• Balancing blood sugar and improving insulin sensitivity

• Reducing chronic inflammation and pain

• Regulating mood and boosting energy

• Enhancing cognition and nervous system health

The key isn’t just moving. The key is progressive overload—strategically increasing resistance to challenge your muscles and nervous system, which is exactly what we do with both Pilates equipment and added weights.

Pilates as a Framework for Strength

Some clients ask, “Can’t Pilates do it all?” My answer is: Pilates is the foundation. It teaches the kind of movement precision and core connection that most people are missing. It helps stabilize what’s loose, mobilize what’s stuck, and organize how the body supports itself through motion.

But we don’t stop there.

By integrating dumbbells, resistance bands, and functional strength tools, we go a step further:

• We train load-bearing patterns (like squatting, pressing, and hinging)

• We strengthen larger muscle groups like glutes, back, and legs, in a way that protects joints

• We create muscle fatigue and tissue adaptation—critical for lasting strength

And because we’re layering this on top of the core-centric, breath-aware world of Pilates, the result is both powerful and intelligent.

Not Just a Physical Shift

Clients often tell me they feel stronger—but also more grounded, clear-headed,

and emotionally steady. That’s the beauty of resistance training when done mindfully. Whether it’s through the Pilates Chair or a set of 20 lb. dumbbells, resistance sends a signal to the body: I am capable. I can carry more.

I work with a wide range of clients—athletes, postpartum moms, people with injuries or chronic pain, folks going through hormonal transitions or recovering from illness. And what I’ve seen is that this combination of strength and support changes lives.

You don’t need to “be in shape” to lift weights or do Pilates. You just need to start where you are. And from there, we build. Thoughtfully. Progressively. Together.

Your Takeaway

Smart, progressive strength training—combined with breath-based, alignment-driven Pilates—is a recipe for a body that moves well, feels supported, and keeps showing up for life.

Whether you’re here to get stronger, heal old injuries, manage stress, or simply feel more capable in your body, we’ll use the tools that make sense for you. Springs. Weights. Breath. Movement.

Let’s build something steady and strong.