Pilates is brilliant and no, we’re not just saying that because we’re obsessed. It has strong evidence supporting its positive effects on both physical and mental wellbeing, building strength, improving posture and flexibility, and helping reduce stress (Pilates Association Australia, 2025). It also enhances overall quality of life, making everyday tasks feel easier thanks to the benefits we’ve listed above. That’s why so many of our members at PPF come back week after week. But like any single approach, Pilates has its limits.

If you want a fully rounded fitness routine (better heart health, more muscular intensity, or deep relaxation techniques) it helps to mix it up. Below, we break down the gaps Pilates can leave and which of our classes fill them, giving your health the holistic experience it deserves.

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1. Gap 1 is a cardio kick — the solution? Jump-Board & Barre

While Pilates strengthens from the inside out, it doesn’t always push your cardiovascular system into that “sweaty, out-of-breath” zone your heart and lungs benefit from. That’s where Jump-Board and Barre classes come in.

Jump-Board is a reformer-based class that integrates low-impact jumps using the attached board, which elevates heart rate, challenges coordination, and enhances cardiovascular fitness in a more dynamic way than standard Pilates. This low-impact approach gives your joints a chance to move freely while still providing a solid cardio challenge.

Barre combines the precision of Pilates with ballet-inspired movements, pulses, sculpting sequences, and upbeat rhythms to elevate heart rate, endurance, and agility — while also improving strength, balance, and coordination.

Together, these classes help you increase endurance and agility while engaging glutes, thighs, abdominals, and other stabilising muscles. You’ll leave feeling energised, strong, and ready to take on the day.

If you love the control and focus of Pilates but crave more rhythm, pulse, and a cardio lift, Jump-Board or Barre could be your perfect next step.

2. Gap 2 is intense strength training — the solution? Strength × Cardio

Pilates builds functional strength and control, but it generally doesn’t push your muscles to higher intensity loads. Strength × Cardio bridges that gap. These dynamic sessions combine resistance-based exercises (weights or bodyweight) and short bursts of heart-pumping cardio, giving a high-intensity stimulus that complements the controlled nature of Pilates (ScienceDirect, 2023).

This class challenges your muscles in new ways through dynamic movement and heavier resistance, improving muscular strength, endurance, and cardiovascular fitness. The intensity pushes you beyond the usual Pilates range, helping you build power, stamina, and confidence in your movement.

If you’ve been practicing Pilates for a while and want to add variety, this class is an incredible way to level up your fitness — while still benefiting from the mind-body awareness you’ve cultivated in Pilates.

3. Gap 3 is Deep Healing & Mindful Recovery — the solution? Yoga and Stretch

Pilates incorporates breathwork and mobility, but Yoga and Stretch take it further with meditative, restorative, and mind-focused movement.

Our Yoga classes are grounded in evidence-based principles, with research supporting their ability to improve emotional wellbeing and reduce stress when practiced regularly (Yoga Australia, 2025). Beyond the mental benefits, Yoga enhances flexibility, balance, and body awareness — skills that complement the functional strength gained from Pilates.

Stretch sessions offer unique benefits of their own. Stretching activities improve flexibility, muscular endurance, and balance, while also reducing muscle discomfort and supporting mental wellbeing (ScienceDirect, 2023). At PPF, our Stretch classes emphasise mindful movement and recovery, helping you release tension, reconnect with your body, and improve mobility. They’re safe, accessible, and enjoyable, providing a restorative counterpoint to your more active classes.

Together, Yoga and Stretch help maintain a healthy range of motion, reduce injury risk, and improve recovery, creating a well-rounded approach that supports your overall Pilates practice.

How to Balance Your Week

If Pilates is your go-to, you’re already doing amazing things for your body. To round out your fitness routine, we recommend adding:

• 1 Barre or Strength × Cardio class each week for a cardio boost and extra strength gains

• 1 Yoga or Stretch class for recovery, mindfulness, and flexibility

This balance keeps you strong, mobile, and recharged — ticking all the boxes for heart, muscle, and mental health. We know it is hard to find time for two more classes, but we promise it is well worth it! Plus, it is more you time!  

Ready to Try Something New?

At Premium Pilates & Fitness, we’re all about helping you move in ways that feel good and work for your whole body. Whether you want to get your heart racing, build more strength, or simply take time to unwind, our classes are designed to work together.

So, if Pilates is your home base — perfect! Just don’t forget to explore the rest of what’s on offer. You might find a new favourite class and even discover muscles you didn’t know you had.

Check out our class timetable and try something new this week — your body (and your future self) will thank you!

References

• Pilates Association Australia. (2025, June). Research Corner: The benefits of Pilates. Retrieved from https://www.pilates.org.au/research-corner-june-2025/

• Yoga Australia. (2025). The credibility of yoga as evidence-based health intervention. Retrieved from https://yogaaustralia.org.au/the-credibility-of-yoga-as-evidence-based-health-intervention

• “Stretching Activities and Their Benefits,” ScienceDirect, 2023 — Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.

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