Pilates for Kids and Teen Athletes: Safety, Research and Parents’ Questions

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A middle school gymnastics team lies in a row on the gym floor, legs in the air, pumping their arms for “the hundred” while the coach counts out loud and half of them giggle by forty. A high school volleyball team spends ten minutes after practice on side planks and slow leg circles. A 15-year-old pitcher goes with his mom to a Pilates studio because his physical therapist suggested it for his trunk strength. Pilates for kids and teen athletes is usually low-key and a little silly at first, and that’s fine. This page covers what research says, what’s safe at which age, home reformer rules, and the questions parents ask.

Pilates for young athletes at a glance

Is it safe?	Supervised, technique-first strength work is considered safe for kids and teens by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP); Pilates mat work fits that description.
How much activity kids need	CDC: at least 60 minutes a day for ages 6 to 17, with muscle-strengthening on at least 3 days a week.
What research shows	Early and mixed: some gains in flexibility, strength and postural control, mostly in small studies.
Home reformers	Balanced Body’s manual says to keep children under 12 away from its reformer at all times.
Studio classes	Age rules vary by studio; many teen-friendly classes exist. Ask first.

Is Pilates good for kids?

Pilates is body-weight strength and control work, done slowly. The AAP’s 2020 clinical report on resistance training says kids and teens can safely build strength with supervised programs that put technique first, and the CDC wants muscle-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week as part of a child’s daily 60 minutes. For a young athlete, Pilates can be one of those sessions, alongside free play, their sport and other strength work.

The research is honest about its limits. A 2020 review of 11 studies in children and youth up to 22 found Pilates appeared to improve flexibility, strength, power, postural control and balance, and to reduce pain in kids with musculoskeletal problems, but called the research “preliminary.” A 2023 review of 15 studies with 1,235 young people was more cautious: the outcomes were too different to combine except flexibility, where the four pooled studies didn’t favor Pilates, and the study quality couldn’t be judged well. Bottom line: Pilates is a reasonable, low-impact way to build strength and body control, not a proven performance booster.

Pilates for teen athletes

Small studies in teen athletes are encouraging. Sixteen volleyball players around 16 years old who did 8 weeks of mat Pilates held a sport-specific plank test longer afterwards. In a pilot study of 15 youth soccer players, the 8 who added 15 mat Pilates sessions over five weeks gained leg strength compared with the 7 who just trained as usual, though their posture didn’t change. Eight 15-year-old baseball players who trained three times a week for 8 weeks on reformer and Cadillac gained trunk and shoulder strength, in a study without a control group. These are tiny studies, so read them as “worth trying,” not “proven.”

Where Pilates often fits best for teens:

• Off-season: two sessions a week of mat work for trunk and hip control, alongside a supervised strength program.
• Team warm-ups and cool-downs: 10 to 15 minutes of simple mat exercises a coach can lead.
• Sports with a lot of back bending or rotation: gymnastics, dance, cheer, diving, swimming, throwing sports and golf, where good trunk control matters. See our Pilates training page for sample routines.
• Rehab: only as part of a plan from a physical therapist or athletic trainer.

Safety rules for young athletes

Supervision and technique first

The AAP report notes that many strength-training injuries in kids happen on home equipment, without supervision. Kids should learn Pilates from a qualified teacher or coach who corrects their form, and progress slowly. Flexible kids often push into end ranges they can’t control yet; good teachers ask for control before range.

Home reformers are not toys

A reformer has a rolling carriage, steel springs or elastic cords under tension, and pinch points. Balanced Body’s safety rules for its Allegro 2 reformer say to keep children under 12 and pets away from it at all times, to leave at least two springs attached when it isn’t in use, and never to stand on the footbar. If you have a home reformer and younger kids, treat it like any other piece of gym equipment: off-limits without an adult, and stored safely.

Back pain in young athletes

Don’t use Pilates to “fix” a child’s back pain on your own. AAOS lists spondylolysis, a stress fracture in the low back, as a common cause of low back pain in kids and teens, especially in sports that bend the back backward over and over, like gymnastics, football and weightlifting. Back pain that lasts or gets worse with activity, or comes with tingling, numbness or weakness in the legs, needs a doctor. Let a sports medicine doctor or physical therapist decide whether and when Pilates belongs in the plan; more on our Pilates injuries page.

Rest and variety

The AAP’s guidance on sports specialization recommends 1 to 2 days off a week from organized sport and time away from one sport during the year. Pilates can be a gentle cross-training day, but it shouldn’t turn every rest day into another workout. Sleep matters most: the CDC recommends 9 to 12 hours for kids 6 to 12 and 8 to 10 for teens.

Gear for kids and teens

Kids don’t need much. A child-size mat such as the Gaiam Kids Yoga Mat (60 × 24 in, 3 mm, made for ages 5 to 8, about $18) works for mat play. A soft 9-inch ProBody mini ball (latex-free, about $11) is fun to squeeze between the knees or roll under the back. Teens can add a set of Fit Simplify loop bands (five resistance levels) for hip and glute work. Check for latex allergies before buying bands.

Back to the Pilates for athletes hub, or see Pilates methods and etiquette, Pilates gear, how to choose a certified teacher and our yoga for kids and teen athletes page.

Parents’ questions about Pilates for kids

What age can kids start Pilates?

There’s no official minimum for mat Pilates; the AAP considers supervised, technique-first strength training safe for children and teens. Studio age rules vary, so ask, and keep children under 12 off home reformers, as Balanced Body’s manual advises.

Is Pilates good for teen athletes?

It can be a useful part of training. Small studies in teen volleyball, soccer and baseball players found gains in core endurance or strength after 5 to 8 weeks. It works best on top of the sport and a supervised strength program.

Can Pilates help my child’s back pain?

See a doctor first. In young athletes, low back pain can be a stress fracture (spondylolysis), especially in sports with a lot of back bending. A sports medicine doctor or physical therapist can decide whether Pilates belongs in rehab.

How often should kids do Pilates?

Once or twice a week is plenty for most young athletes, as part of the CDC’s 60 minutes a day of activity. Keep at least 1 to 2 days a week free from organized training, as the AAP recommends.

Is a home reformer safe for teenagers?

Only after lessons with a qualified teacher, with an adult around, and following the maker’s rules: check springs or cords, never stand on the footbar, and keep younger siblings and pets away.