By Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, Ph.D. Reviewed by Lauren Hardaker Jun 5 2026 A short Pilates program was linked to improvements in heart health, blood sugar control, and stress-related biomarkers, with older women showing some of the strongest physiological responses. Study: Effects of a 4-Week Pilates Program on Cardiovascular, Metabolic, and Neuroendocrine Responses in Previously Sedentary Adult Women: An Age-Stratified Longitudinal Study . Image credit: PeopleImages/Shutterstock.com A 4-week