The short and sweet answer is yes, Pilates does tone your arms.
Pilates is one of the most effective ways to build muscle in your triceps, back, biceps, and shoulders. With or without additional equipment, this form of exercise can be game-changing!
Rolling out your mat and staying consistent in your Pilates practice promises to tone your body, improve your posture and carve out those arm muscles. We are often hyper-critical of our arms, but let us not forget to celebrate our arms for everything they can help us to do, over how they look!
In this blog we answer some of your burning FAQs, let’s dive right in!
Does Pilates shape your arms?
Yes, Pilates can shape your arms. While this low-impact form of exercise is known for strengthening the core, it is also great for sculpting your upper body.
Pilates is an effective approach to increasing arm strength. Think of a plank; planking requires you to support yourself with your arms, whilst squeezing your core. To hold that plank posture and achieve fabulously lean arms you must work muscles in the entire body to maintain this pose.
Pilates improves endurance by relying solely on the weight of our own bodies. This is because it requires you to have complete control over your body as you move. Whether you are on a Pilates Reformer carousel or doing Matwork Pilates, working out your core provides your body with stability to then control your arms, legs, and other extremities effortlessly.
What is spot reduction?
Unfortunately, upper arm dissatisfaction is not a niche anxiety, which is why you’ll find so many ‘5 Minute Toned Arm Workouts’ on the web. This type of exercise routine focuses on spot reduction, which is a technique that targets a specific part of your body, such as the arms. Despite its popularity in the fitness industry, studies have found spot reduction to be less effective than we think! To achieve the most sustainable results, it is best to prioritise strengthening your entire physique, rather than focusing on weight loss in a specific area.
In addition to hitting the gym, there are many other factors that play a role in regulating your body composition. Factoring in a few changes to your daily routine can support overall muscle definition and physical health. Feeding your body with the right fuel, catching enough sleep at night, and actively taking steps to minimise stress can assist your ability to build endurance and consistency. Find out how to manage your stress better with our blog “How to Manage Stress Through Yoga.”
How long does it take to tone arms with Pilates?
Joseph Pilates once said, “In 10 sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 you will see the difference, and in 30 you'll have a whole new body.”
We all know how good it feels to see results, but it doesn’t happen overnight. If you strive to achieve something a little better than you did yesterday, results will flow from your consistency. Our blog “How Long Before You See Results From Pilates” breaks down some contributing factors that can impact your Pilates results, including your consistency, diet, and mindset.
Pilates exercises to tone arms:
Want to try some equipment-free Pilates exercises? Say less!
The Plank
Engage your core by performing a 45- 60 second plank (option to be on your knees or elbows if needed). Want to check your form? Make sure your hands are shoulder-width apart, keep your back flat, your glutes gently squeezed and your abs engaged.
Slow Mountain Climbers
Strengthen your arms, legs, back, shoulders, and core with this exercise. From the plank position, exhale to squeeze one knee underneath your hip, and inhale to place the leg back in the plank. Keep the trunk still, as if you could balance a glass of water on your lower back.
Tricep Pushups
In a diagonal plank position with knees on the floor at 45 degrees (or the full plank position if you dare!), hands shoulder distance apart, elbows angled back towards the body. Inhale to bend the elbows by the sides of the waist, lowering the body down towards the floor, and exhale to push the floor away.
Keen for more at-home workouts? Try our Online Studio free for 7 days and access over 100 workouts to stay happy and healthy from wherever you are.
Discover the Premium Pilates and Fitness way at a Brisbane studio near you! Our express classes offer a full-body workout while also targeting specific muscle groups. Work your muscles and tone those arms in a 35-minute Pilates class at our newest studio in Milton! Maybe our Thursday 11:30am express class strikes your fancy? We’d love to see you there!
Come and try your first week at one of our Brisbane Pilates studios for just $15. We are proudly Brisbane’s most affordable Pilates and group fitness studio. Learn more about the classes we offer here.
