FOR YEARS, the fitness world has pitted pilates and strength training against each other. Strength training loyalists argue that barbells, dumbbells, and progressive overload are the only true path to strength, muscle, and performance, and pilates often gets written off as “just stretching” or “light sculpting,” while strength training is sometimes still criticized for creating “bulk” or wearing down joints.
The truth? These training styles shouldn't be compared at all. Pilates doesn’t compete with strength training; it enhances it. When integrated strategically, pilates can improve stability and correct imbalances, making you stronger and more resilient in your resistance training routine.
That’s why we created a whole new fitness reality with Pilates x Lift: a first-of-its-kind mash-up from Women’s Health and Men’s Health that bridges the gaps between muscle building, endurance, and mobility by incorporating core principles and exercises from *both* pilates and strength training. (It’s the next iconic pairing, like Taylor and Travis—never competing, only amplifying.)
In the video-based program, coaches Tara Bethune, a Nike trainer and pilates instructor known for her athletic and contemporary coaching style, and Marcus Martinez, CSCS, a strength and conditioning specialist, as well as a kettlebell educator, with over two decades of experience coaching athletes, teamed up to design a four-week hybrid training plan that features five follow-along workouts that are all 35 minutes or less. The program is designed to:
- Build muscle and strength faster, more efficiently, and safely
- Sharpen lifting mechanics through better movement quality
- Improve endurance and mobility for long-term performance
- Protect your joints and accelerate recovery
