How Many Calories Are Burned Doing Pilates? Real Numbers Revealed

Pilates is not the best way to burn calories like running or HIIT (high-intensity interval training). But it is great for core strength, posture, and overall body fitness. Then you may ask, how many calories are burned doing Pilates? The answer depends on your body and class intensity. Most people burn about 150–300 calories in a 50–60 minute class. Reformer or more active classes burn more. So, Pilates helps you get stronger while still burning some calories. 

Let’s dive in and explore exactly how Pilates burns calories and how you can get the most from each session.

What Is Pilates?

Pilates is a low-impact exercise that focuses on:

• Core strength
• Body alignment
• Controlled movement and breathing. 

You can do Pilates on a mat or use equipment like a reformer, Cadillac, or chair. Since it is controlled and focuses on muscles, Pilates is ideal for people who want to:

• Build strength
• Improve flexibility
• Increase mobility

Also, because Pilates is low-impact and controlled, it is safe for anyone who wants to improve their body fitness. It allows you to exercise effectively without putting stress on the joints.

How Many Calories Are Burned Doing Pilates?

For a person weighing around 68–70 kg (150 lb):

• Gentle Mat Class: A gentle mat class lasts about 50–60 minutes and burns around 150–220 calories per hour. This class is slow and easy. It mainly focuses on core strength, stretching, and basic movements. As a result, it burns fewer calories but helps improve posture and flexibility.
• Moderate Mat Class: A moderate mat class burns about 180–250 calories per hour. It moves at a steady pace with more challenging exercises. Because it works more muscles, it burns more calories than gentle classes.
• Strong or Reformer Class: Strong or reformer classes burn roughly 220–300+ calories per hour. They use equipment and full-body exercises. Therefore, they are more intense, engage more muscles, and burn the most calories. In general, heavier people or those who work harder burn more calories, while lighter people or beginners may burn slightly less.

If you want to know more about the variations of Pilates and how they affect calorie burn, read our article “How Many Calories Does Pilates Burn?”

Do You Burn More Calories in Mat Pilates or Reformer Pilates?

Usually, reformer Pilates burns more calories than mat Pilates. 

The reformer uses springs and equipment that add resistance. As a result, more muscles work at the same time. Footwork and full-body movements make the exercises harder. This raises your heart rate, so you burn more calories.

On the other hand, mat Pilates is done on the floor. It focuses on controlled movements, core strength, and flexibility. However, an advanced mat class can match a reformer session if it is fast and continuous. You need to keep your muscles engaged throughout the class.

Shortly, reformer Pilates usually burns the most calories. But mat Pilates can also burn many calories if the class moves fast. Both types help you get stronger, improve your posture, and stay healthy.

How Long Should You Do Pilates to Burn Calories?

To burn more calories, try to do Pilates for 45–60 minutes in each session. This helps you move your muscles, increase your heart rate, and burn calories effectively. Even shorter sessions of 20–30 minutes still help. They improve your core strength, posture, and flexibility, but you will burn fewer calories than in a longer class.

For best results, do Pilates 2–3 times a week. This allows your body to rest between sessions and keeps you consistent. Over time, you will notice your strength, posture, and overall fitness improve, along with a steady calorie burn.

What Factors Affect Calories Burned in Pilates?

Many things can change how many calories you burn in Pilates:

• Body weight and height: Your body uses energy to move, stretch and stabilise. Bigger bodies naturally burn more calories because they need more energy to do the same movements.
• Intensity and experience level: If you’re new, you’ll burn fewer calories because you’re still learning the moves. As you get stronger and more confident, your body starts working harder, and the calorie burn goes up.
• Type of Pilates: Not all Pilates is the same. Reformer, tower and chair classes use springs and equipment that make your muscles work extra hard — so you usually burn more calories than in a gentle mat class.
• Tempo and flow: Moving a little faster, keeping a steady rhythm and taking shorter breaks can raise your heart rate. A smooth, continuous flow means more calories burned.
• Muscle engagement: Pilates is all about control. When you use proper form, squeeze the right muscles, and stay focused, your whole body works harder. More muscle engagement = more energy used = more calories burned.

Does Pilates Help with Weight Loss?

Yes, Pilates helps with weight loss, but mostly in an indirect way.

Specifically, Pilates focuses on building lean muscle, improving posture, and increasing flexibility and core strength. Because of this, when your muscles are stronger, your body uses more energy even when you are resting. As a result, this helps you burn more calories throughout the day.

For better fat loss results, you can combine Pilates with a small calorie deficit in your diet. This means eating a little less than your body needs. In addition, you should include some cardio exercises like walking, swimming, or cycling. These exercises raise your heart rate and burn extra calories.

How Does Pilates Compare to Yoga or Other Workouts?

Pilates burns calories at a similar or slightly higher rate than gentle yoga. It can also be comparable to a strong vinyasa yoga class. But how does this happen?

Both Pilates and yoga focus on slow, controlled movements, breathing, flexibility, and core strength. But Pilates uses the muscles more and pays extra attention to posture, alignment, and control. Because of this, Pilates can burn slightly more calories than gentle yoga. At the same time, a strong vinyasa yoga class can burn a similar amount of calories because it moves continuously and works many muscles.

In comparison, high-intensity workouts like running, cycling, spin classes, circuit training, or HIIT burn more calories than Pilates. This is because they make your heart beat faster for a longer time. As a result, you burn more calories in less time.

Can Beginners Burn Calories Doing Pilates?

Yes, beginners can burn calories with Pilates, even if it feels hard at first. The reason behind it?

This is because you are learning to use deep muscles, which takes effort. At the start, a class may burn about 140–180 calories, depending on your body and how hard you work. As you get better, you use your muscles more and burn more calories in the same class. Over time, beginners get stronger and fitter, making Pilates a safe and effective exercise for everyone.

How to Maximise Calorie Burn During Pilates

Want to get the most out of your Pilates workout? Here are simple, feel-good tips that help you burn more calories without making the session stressful.

• Choose reformer or intermediate classes: These classes use springs, resistance and more muscle groups. Because your body works harder to control each move, you burn more calories than in a gentle mat session.
• Move smoothly and switch exercises quickly: Short breaks keep your heart rate up. When you flow from one move to the next, your body stays warm, your muscles stay active and the calorie burn stays high.
• Use full, controlled movements: Slow and steady wins here. When you stretch fully, squeeze properly and control your movements, your muscles work harder — which means more calories used with every rep.
• Add light weights or resistance bands: A small amount of extra resistance can make simple exercises feel brand-new. It pushes your muscles a little further and helps increase the overall burn.
• Add light cardio on other days: Walking, cycling, swimming or even a quick home workout all support your Pilates efforts. Cardio boosts your fitness, burns extra calories and helps you feel stronger in your sessions.

Pilates shouldn’t feel complicated — small changes can make a big difference and keep your workouts fun and effective.

Final Thoughts

So, how many calories are burned doing Pilates? The answer is simple. On average, most people burn 150–300 calories per hour. If you’re heavier or join a reformer or advanced class, you can burn even more.

But Pilates is more than just calorie burn. It tones your muscles, improves posture, and helps prevent injuries. To lose fat faster, combine Pilates with cardio and a healthy diet. This way, you get strength, fitness, and calorie burn all at once.

Want to take your Pilates practice to the next level? Join the Professional Pilates Trainer Course at Wise Campus and learn to teach Pilates like a pro while improving your own practice.

FAQs

• How many calories does Pilates burn in 30 minutes?
  About 75–150 calories, depending on your weight and the intensity of the class.

• Is Pilates enough to lose weight?
  Pilates helps build muscle and burn some calories, but combine it with healthy eating and cardio for better weight loss.

• What does a Pilates body look like?
  A Pilates body is usually strong, lean, and toned, with good posture and core strength.

• How many calories do you burn in 50 minutes of Pilates Reformer?
  Around 220–300+ calories, depending on your body and effort.

• Does Pilates flatten your stomach?
  Yes, it strengthens core muscles, which can make your stomach look flatter over time.

• Is Pilates better than cardio for burning fat?
  No, cardio burns more calories faster, but Pilates builds strength, tone, and flexibility.

• What are the downsides of Pilates?
  It doesn’t burn as many calories as HIIT or running. You may need other exercises for fast fat loss.