Pilates has become synonymous with lean, toned bodies. But the benefits of pilates go far beyond simple core strength and flexibility. In addition to the aesthetic benefits, regularly practicing this total-body workout can ease back pain, improve bone density and boost heart rate. These surprising benefits make pilates an effective cross-training workout and a plateau-busting change to your regular weightlifting and cardio fitness routine.

1. It Improves Bone Density

Resistance exercise involves muscles pulling on bone to create tension, which fortifies the bone. Resistance in a Pilates workout comes from apparatus springs and resistance bands.

2. Pilates Promote Weight Loss

Losing a pound of body weight a week requires a deficit of 500 calories per day. Whether you cut back on calories or combine calorie deficit with exercise, Pilates can help. The caloric burn during a Pilates workout ranges from four to eight calories per minute.

3. It Eases Back Pain

Back pain sufferers, rejoice! According to a study, subjects with lower back pain found significant pain relief after a four-week Pilates program maintained over a 12-month period. Pilates strengthens the core to support the back, teaches body a proper alignment and provides gentle stretching for tight back muscles due to misalignment and overuse.

4. You’ll Strengthen Your Core

Forget crunches! Pilates strengthens your abdominal muscles, including the obliques, much more effectively. In addition, Pilates targets deep abdominal muscles like the transverse abdominis as well as superficial ones like the rectus abdominis muscles that form a “six-pack.” Pilates emphasizes correct alignment and proper form, which requires abdominals to fire effectively.

5. You’ll Increase Your Flexibility

Most exercises involve movement in only one plane of motion. And usually, that’s the forward-and-back motion (like in crunches). Pilates sessions move the spine from flexion to extension, internal rotation to external rotation and side bending, allowing an increased range of motion throughout the body. Working within these additional planes of motion increases and improves flexibility and decreases injury risk.

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