Pilates for Runners: Cross-Training That Supports Your Stride

By Katherine, Lead Instructor, Certified Pilates Instructor

Pilates can be a sensible cross-training option for runners, mainly for trunk control, hip stability and mobility, but the evidence is limited. One small trial in male runners aged about 18 found faster 5-km times after 12 weeks of mat Pilates, yet we found no systematic review showing that Pilates improves running performance. Use it alongside running and strength work, not instead of them.

Key takeaways

• Evidence for Pilates in runners is thin: one small 2018 trial (28 male runners aged about 18) found faster 5-km times, and a 6-week study found better movement-screen scores, but neither tested injury rates (Finatto et al., 2018; Laws et al., 2017).

• Strength work has stronger evidence than Pilates for distance runners: a systematic review of 24 studies found running economy (measured in 20 of them) usually improved by 2 to 8% with heavy, explosive or plyometric training (Blagrove et al., 2018).

• As practical advice (we found no trial testing this), keep Pilates on easier running days and avoid a hard session the day before a key run or race.

• If you are coming back from a running injury, get clearance from your physiotherapist or doctor first.

What do runners actually need from cross-training?

Running is repeated single-leg landing, so three qualities are often discussed: hip stability, trunk control and enough mobility to run without fighting your own range of motion.

Hip stability means the muscles around your hip, especially the glutes, keep your pelvis and knee steady as you land on one leg. Whether hip abductor weakness is linked to running injury is less settled than many articles suggest: a systematic review of 11 studies found that weak hip abductors (the muscles that move your leg out to the side) may be associated with iliotibial band syndrome, but the link was unclear for runner's knee, shin splints, stress fractures and Achilles tendon problems (Mucha et al., 2017).

Trunk control matters too. In a single-session lab study of 25 novice runners, temporarily fatiguing the trunk muscles increased the knee's peak bending moment during running, which the authors link to a possible risk factor for patellofemoral pain (pain around the kneecap); vertical loading rate fell and the other measures did not change (Chaudhari et al., 2020). That is a lab finding, not proof that trunk training protects runners.

Mobility is the least certain of the three: the sport-injury review discussed below found no injury benefit from stretching alone (Lauersen et al., 2014), so treat mobility as a comfort and movement goal rather than a proven injury shield.

What does Pilates offer runners?

Pilates lines up with these qualities because of how it is taught: slow, controlled work asks the trunk to stay stable while the legs move, and many exercises are single-leg or work the hips from different angles. Our guide to the benefits of Pilates and what the research actually shows covers the wider picture, including the limits.

Pilates does not replace running volume, and it does not provide the heavy loading that strength training does. If you are a man wondering whether Pilates suits you, our post on Pilates for men takes that question on directly.

What does the research say about Pilates for runners?

• Running performance. In a randomized trial, 28 young male runners finished the study (13 Pilates, 15 running only). The Pilates group did mat Pilates twice a week for 12 weeks, and their 5-km time improved from about 25.7 to 23.2 minutes, compared with 25.3 to 24.6 minutes for controls (Finatto et al., 2018). The sample was small, all male, about 18 years old and fairly new to running (under a year of experience), so it may not apply to adult runners. The testers were blinded to group, but runners could not be blinded to doing Pilates, and long-term effects are unclear.

• Movement quality. In a 6-week study of 40 recreational runners, scores on a modified functional movement screen (a test of movement quality) rose after a 6-week course the authors called Clinical Pilates (a descriptive term, and not what we offer). The authors suggest this may reduce injury risk, but they measured movement scores, not injuries, and compared runners with their own earlier scores rather than a control group (Laws et al., 2017).

• Athletes in general. We found no systematic review showing that Pilates enhances athletic performance, or that it beats standard strength and conditioning. What exists is scattered small single-sport trials, such as an 8-week trial in 30 amateur soccer players (Yılmaz et al., 2025). The certainty is very low. Pilates is a promising supplement for runners, not a proven way to run faster or stay uninjured.

How does Pilates compare with strength training for runners?

Strength training has the stronger case. A systematic review of 24 studies of middle- and long-distance runners found that heavy resistance, explosive resistance or plyometric training (jumping and bounding exercises) usually improved running economy by 2 to 8% compared with running alone, and time-trial performance also tended to improve. Findings were not consistent, the trials scored only 4 to 6 out of 10 on the PEDro quality scale, and the authors concluded that two to three strength sessions a week are likely to benefit distance runners (Blagrove et al., 2018).

A broader review of 25 sport trials (26,610 participants) found that exercise programs reduced sports injuries, including overuse injuries, with a tendency toward larger effects for strength training and no benefit from stretching alone, though results varied (Lauersen et al., 2014). That review covered many sports, not only running.

Neither review was about Pilates. If you are choosing one thing to add, strength work has more evidence behind it, and Pilates can complement it. Our post on Pilates versus strength training explains how to think about combining them, and Canada's guidelines for adults call for muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week alongside 150 minutes of aerobic activity (CSEP).

How do you fit Pilates into a training week?

We found no study that tested a Pilates schedule for runners, so this is practical sense rather than evidence.

• Start with one or two sessions a week. Our post on how often to do Pilates covers frequency.

• Put it on an easy or rest day, not before a hard run. New Pilates can leave the trunk and hips sore (see what soreness after Pilates means), so keep it away from long runs, speed sessions and races until you know how you respond.

Can you use Pilates when returning to running after an injury?

It depends on the injury, so get clearance first. Once your provider agrees, Pilates may be a way to stay active and work on trunk and hip control while you are not yet running. But the order matters: your physiotherapist or doctor should decide when you can load the injured area and when you can run again.

The 2016 international consensus on return to sport describes it as a continuum that runs alongside recovery and rehabilitation, with decisions ideally made together by the clinician, the athlete and the coach. It also notes that the research evidence supporting return-to-sport decisions is scarce (Ardern et al., 2016). Pilates should fit into the plan your health care provider gives you, not replace it. If you are unsure whether you need rehabilitation or Pilates first, see our guide to choosing between Pilates and physiotherapy.

We cannot diagnose injuries, but we can adapt sessions to the restrictions your provider gives you and work alongside them.

Safety note: This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have pain that is sharp, worsening, present at rest or at night, pain in one spot on a bone, swelling, or numbness or tingling, see your doctor or a physiotherapist before running or starting a new exercise program, and tell your instructor so sessions can be adapted. Stop any exercise that causes sharp or radiating pain.

Cross-training for your stride in Markham

If you run and want a trunk and hip routine that fits around your training, our Small Group Pilates Class (reformer, maximum 3 people, 55 min, drop-ins welcome) is a good place to start in Markham, and your instructor can adapt exercises to your running schedule and any restrictions from your provider. Book a class online to try one.

Frequently asked questions

Should I do Pilates before or after a run?

We found no research comparing the two, so it comes down to preference. A separate session on an easy day keeps one workout from affecting the other, though this is practical judgment, not research.

Can Pilates help with runner's knee or IT band pain?

It might support your recovery plan, but we cannot promise it. Hip abductor weakness shows some association with iliotibial band syndrome (Mucha et al., 2017), but we found no trial showing Pilates resolves either problem. Persistent knee pain should be assessed by a physiotherapist or doctor first.

Which Pilates format suits runners?

We found no head-to-head trial in runners. The running trial used mat Pilates, and a small soccer trial (10 players per group) found the reformer group improved more than the mat group on three of many tests (agility, passing and single-leg hopping), with no clear difference on the rest (Yılmaz et al., 2025). That was a young male amateur sample, so it does not settle the question for runners. As explained in our guide to reformer Pilates, adjustable springs make it easier to progress the load. For the general comparison, see reformer versus mat Pilates.

Sources

1. Finatto P, et al. (2018). Pilates training improves 5-km run performance by changing metabolic cost and muscle activity in trained runners. PLoS ONE. 13(3):e0194057. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194057

2. Laws A, Williams S, Wilson C (2017). The Effect of Clinical Pilates on Functional Movement in Recreational Runners. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 38(10):776-780. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28772336/

3. Blagrove RC, Howatson G, Hayes PR (2018). Effects of Strength Training on the Physiological Determinants of Middle- and Long-Distance Running Performance: A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine. 48(5):1117-1149. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29249083/

4. Lauersen JB, Bertelsen DM, Andersen LB (2014). The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 48(11):871-877. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24100287/

5. Mucha MD, Caldwell W, Schlueter EL, Walters C, Hassen A (2017). Hip abductor strength and lower extremity running related injury in distance runners: A systematic review. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 20(4):349-355. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27693442/

6. Chaudhari AMW, Van Horn MR, Monfort SM, Pan X, Oñate JA, Best TM (2020). Reducing Core Stability Influences Lower Extremity Biomechanics in Novice Runners. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 52(6):1347-1353. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31851042/

7. Ardern CL, et al. (2016). 2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy, Bern. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 50(14):853-864. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27226389/

8. Yılmaz O, Kaplan T, Batalik L (2025). Randomised controlled study on the effects of pilates exercises in soccer: Comparing mat and reformer methods on physical and technical performance. PLoS ONE. 20(5):e0324129. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324129

9. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults 18-64 years. https://csepguidelines.ca/guidelines/adults-18-64/