Can Pilates lengthen your muscles?

Four fitness experts weigh in on this debate and explain where this idea came from to begin with.

And what does your Pilates instructorreallymean when they talk about lengthening your spine?

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We spoke to a physical therapist, exercise physiologist, and Pilates instructors to break it down.

How did Pilates get a reputation for sculpting long, lean lines?

Its easy to see why Pilates became associated with a lean dancers physique.

Two young women practicing ballet with a teacher in the dance hall.

ACE–certified personal trainer, mat Pilates instructor, and the author ofHow to Move.

Yes, muscles do shorten and lengthen, she says.

In other words, some people will never achieve long, lean linesand thats okay.

I think thats a hard pill for people to swallow who are doing Pilates for aesthetic reasons.

Woman doing hip exercises

Think about your muscles when sitting in a hunched, rounded posture versus sitting up straight, says Machowsky.

The actual length of the muscle hasnt changed, but youll appear taller when your muscles are less compressed.

Of course, not all Pilates classes look the same.

Cropped image of woman doing lunge yoga pose

Lastly, its possible your Pilates instructor has something else in mind when they talk about lengthening during class.

Pilates instructors often use the word lengthen in cues (e.g.

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Woman in leggings and bra doing Lunge with Arm Extended Up pose hip opener stretch during yoga session in morning at home.

ACE–certified personal trainer, mat Pilates instructor, and the author ofHow to Move.

Woman doing arm exercise without weights while sitting on mat at home.

A woman in sports clothes does yoga or gymnastics at home. Daylight. She smiles