If you are looking to feel and get the benefits of doing Pilates the amount of times you do Pilates each week matters. So, how often should you do Pilates?
In my opinion 4+ times a week is ideal. But before you stop reading and thinking that you don’t have time to do Pilates 4x a week, let’s chat about quality over quantity.
And by that I mean minutes of time doing Pilates.
Because most fitness classes and private sessions are 55 min, many people are under the impression that you have to do workouts that are almost and hour long. But that is simply not the case.
Especially with Pilates!
The Mat work in particular can be done in 30 min without losing any of its benefits. The Reformer work can be done in 30-45 min, depending on your level. But, no matter what if all you ever do is 30 min of quality movement it will be more effective than longer workouts or not working out at all because you can’t find the time.
Another brilliant thing about Pilates that allows you to get it in more often than any other fitness workout is that you can do it anytime of the day. Yep, you can do your Pilates at 10 pm at night if you have to. Or, hit your mat in your office in the first of your lunch break and still have plenty of time to fuel yourself too.
There is also plenty of research out there that shows that if you do something once a week you likely will feel good in the moment but you won’t benefit from it over the long term. Two times a week is a little better but still going to lengthen the amount of time until you see lasting benefits. Three times a week is where you start to get the benefits to stick! And four times a week takes you right into the sweetest spot of getting the most out of your Pilates practice.
Now that you’re convinced on how often you should do Pilates and that you don’t need to find full hours to get the most out of it here’s a quick tip on how to make time for your Pilates practice each week.
- Grab your calendar and schedule in 3-4 30 min Pilates practices. If you’re going to a physical class, include travel time. If doing online, save the URL and password so you can login and press play.
- After week-one, reflect back on how easy it was to fit those original sessions. Make changes for week-two and try again. Ideally in week-three you should know when you feel the best doing your practice and have your life scheduled around it.
- Tell friends and family when you are doing Pilate so they can help you protect that time but either not inviting you to something that would cause you to skip it, help with any kids or work around the house so you can, or join you!
I’d love to hear how often you are planning to do Pilates. Let me know if you are struggling to find the time to fit in your time. I love to help people create their ideal Pilates practice schedule.
xx~LL
