Should You Do Pilates Before or After Your Workout?

November 28, 2025

Here’s The Real Answer!

Trying to set a perfect routine for your fitness goals is one of the first steps toward building your body. And it’s completely natural to have doubts along the way. One of the most common questions you might have is – Should I do Pilates before or after workout?

Well, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It really depends on-

  • Your goals
  • Your energy levels
  • The type of workouts you’re pairing with Pilates

And to figure out what works best for your routine, you’ll first have to understand how Pilates actually supports your body, how it strengthens your core, improves flexibility, and more. 

Once you know that, choosing the right order will become much easier. In this blog, we’ll give you an idea about this so that you can make the right choice for an effective workout session.

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How is Pilates Helpful for Your Body?

Over fifteen million people in the United States perform Pilates regularly. And for good reason! Pilates might look slow and gentle (and very trendy), but you shouldn’t let it fool you. It hits your body in all the right places and helps in –

  • Building deep core strength
  • Improving posture
  • Increasing flexibility 
  • Controlling your breathing 
  • Strengthening your stabilizer muscles 
  • Reducing risk of injury.

Its movements also connect your mind and body, helping you feel stronger and more balanced overall. Pilates won’t bulk you up the way strength training does. It tones your body by building lean muscles and improving definition. That’s why millions of people are adding Pilates to their weekly routine!

Should You Do Pilates Before Your Workout?

The short answer is – yes, you can!

For many people, it’s the perfect way to “wake up” the body before jumping into something more intense. But before you make up your mind, you’ll need to make sure your goals line up with the results you’re looking for. 

Pilates before your workout is best if you want to –

  • Warm up your core and joints
  • Improve your mind-body connection
  • Move better during strength training
  • Prevent injuries
  • Ease into your session with low-impact movements

If you’re about to go for a heavy leg day, you can do a short Pilates mat session to fire up your glutes, hips, and core right away. Once you do that, you’ll see fewer shaky squats, better balance, and a much stronger foundation throughout your workout session!

Pilates helps activate the exact muscles you rely on during lifts, runs, or any high-impact exercise. You can think of it as a full-body warm-up, but way more effective than a quick stretch or a few minutes on your treadmill.

Should You Do Pilates After Your Workout?

Of course you can! Doing Pilates after you’ve finished your main workout can be equally effective, but for different reasons.

Pilates after your workout is best if you want to –

  • Cool down with slow, controlled movements
  • Release tension in tight muscles
  • Improve long-term flexibility 
  • Strengthen your core after cardio or weights
  • End your workout feeling calm and stretched

If you’ve finished your run, you can opt for a 20-minute Pilates session to relieve your tight hips, relax your lower back, and prevent that “why can’t I walk down the stairs?” feeling the next day.

When you do Pilates after your workout in a Pilates studio, it’ll help you lengthen the muscles you have just used. Plus, it’ll reset your body before you go home so you feel less tired after the workout.

Can You Do Pilates Before and After Your Workout?

Yes, you can definitely do Pilates before and after your workout! But you need to balance the intensity properly. 

Why doing Pilates before and after your workout can be great –

  • Before: Wakes up your core, preps your joints, and sets your body in alignment
  • After: Helps you stretch, cool down, and release tension
  • Overall: You get better form during your workout and better recovery afterward

You might do a quick 10 to 15 minutes of activation-based Pilates before your workout, then you can finish with a gentle stretching-based Pilates routine to loosen up your hips, back, and shoulders.

But you need to avoid doing two intense sessions back-to-back. If you’re doing Pilates on both ends, you need to keep one side light and short, like a warm-up or cool-down, and save your full Pilates session for a different day.

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How Many Times a Week Should You Do Pilates?

If you do Pilates 2 to 4 times a week, you’ll see the best results! But your routine should depend on your goals, schedules, and overall fitness level.

  • If you’re new to Pilates, you can start with two sessions a week to build core strength and learn proper form without overworking your body.
  • When you get stronger and more comfortable, you can increase to three to four sessions to have better muscle tone and flexibility.

Plus, you can do Pilates on rest days to reduce stiffness, improve mobility, and keep your body moving without adding stress and fatigue.

Answering Your Common Questions About Doing Pilates 

➢ Should you do Pilates or workout first?

If your main priority is to activate your muscles and have a better form, you need to do Pilates before your workout. But if you want to focus on strength gains or cardio, you can do Pilates after your workout. 

You need to let your goal decide the order. Also, you can track how you feel. Over time, you’ll notice whether your body performs better with Pilates as a warm-up or as a cool-down session. For the best results, you can join a Pilates studio and get guidance from a trainer who can customize the routine for your goals.

➢ Should you do Pilates before or after strength training​?

The best order really depends on how you want your body to perform. If you do Pilates before strength training, you’ll wake up your core, improve stability, and set yourself up for cleaner, safer lifting. 

This is best if you struggle with balance, posture, or proper form during exercises. But if you want to lift heavier or build muscle, strength training should come first so you don’t tire out the smaller stabilizer muscles beforehand.

➢ Should you do yoga and Pilates on the same day​?

Yes, you can. Doing both yoga and Pilates on the same day is totally fine as long as you manage the intensity properly. A light Pilates session paired with gentle yoga actually works great for mobility, core strength, and recovery. But you need to avoid stacking two intense sessions back-to-back, as it can leave your muscles overly fatigued. 

Takeaway

To keep it simple and concise –

  • You can do Pilates before your workout for activation.
  • You can do Pilates after your workout for recovery.

You really can’t go wrong either way! But you should always listen to your body and do Pilates in a way that fits your goals. Also, if you want personalized and professional guidance, you can join a studio that’s recognized for the best Pilates. They’ll help you find a routine that works for you!

Read More About:

Sports West Athletic Club & Spa – We’re Here To Support Your Fitness Journey!

At Sports West Athletic Club & Spa, you’ll get premier luxury gyms, athletic clubs, and the best Pilates studios in Reno! We’re open 24/7, giving you the flexibility to enjoy your Pilates sessions whenever it fits your schedule.

We’ve been in business since 1987 and can provide you with personalized guidance to help your fitness journey. So, whether you choose to do Pilates before or after workout, we’re always here to help you move better and feel stronger! 

You can call us at 775-348-6666 to know more.

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