How Many Times a Week Should You Do Pilates and Workout?
Pilates can be a great way to start getting fit. While doing this exercise, studies have shown that out of your first 10 sessions, 9 will bring positive effects on average. However, one of the factors on the success of your pilates sessions is the frequency with which you do it.
To make the most of each of your sessions, we will explain how often you should do pilates. These guidelines will help you figure out a schedule that aligns with your routine and complements your workouts.
As a start, let us first thoroughly explore pilates and how it works.
What Is Pilates?
Pilates is a type of exercise and philosophy that helps you learn to control your body through repetitive movements.
You can do these exercises with just a mat or with more advanced equipment such as a reformer. This equipment will help you increase your resistance, which will make your workout more intense and lead to enhanced results.
Generally, pilates focuses on your core and breaths. Through full-body movements, your workout will be symmetrical. In addition, pilates will help you in the following ways:
Builds muscle endurance
Reduces pain
Improve flexibility
Boosts mood
How to Decide on How Many Pilates Class per Week You Should Take
The general advice is to take 3 to 4 pilates groups or private classes per week. Yet this advice might not work for you. For instance, at the start, your pilates classes may include slower movements as you learn the basics.
Once you get more used to pilates, you might use equipment to make it more challenging. These sessions will have different impacts so you should not treat them as equal.
So, if you want to make a Pilates schedule that perfectly suits you, you should use the following advice:
Pick a Goal
Before you sign up for pilates classes, you should decide what your goal is for this exercise. If you are doing it to stay healthy, you will need to spend at least 150 minutes per week doing pilates.
By comparison, a more vigorous workout such as weight training only requires 70 minutes. So, you can choose to do 2 sessions of 30 minutes each and supplement that with a third cardiovascular workout.
When it comes to pain management, you are likely to feel less pain so long as you continue to do pilates at least once a week. Actually, studies show that even doing it more often will not reduce pain more quickly.
Likewise, you could opt for just one session a week if you are only trying to gain more balance and flexibility. This is especially true if you are already fit and exercise regularly, apart from pilates.
Allow Time for Recovery
As you plan your pilates schedule, you should put in breaks. You can do pilates every day, however that can be hard to maintain and can be demoralizing.
You have more chances of staying motivated to do pilates if you do not overwork yourself. In fact, you can even work up to doing 3 or 4 classes over time.
Consider Your Entire Workout Routine
How many times a week you should do pilates will depend on your entire routine. Your pilates classes should not overtax you. Instead, they should seamlessly fit into your routine.
You can use this class as part of your cool down. And so, you will be doing it as many times as you do your more intense workout.
In addition, you can use the 150 – 70 workout rule to meet your exercise needs. So, if you run for 40 minutes every week, you could do around 65 minutes of pilates a week. Then, you will need to divide this time in a way that fits your schedule.
Account for Your Lifestyle
When you are trying to figure out how often you should do pilates, you should also consider your lifestyle. If you already cycle to work or class, you will not need as many pilates classes.
Meanwhile, if you live a very sedentary life, more classes might be more effective. In the end, your schedule will also affect how often you can realistically do this exercise.
Take into Account the Class Length
Lastly, you should take into account the class length. Some classes can be half an hour, while others are 45 minutes or more.
If the classes are longer, doing less of them will free up your schedule while still keeping you healthy.
How Many Times a Week Should I Do Pilates to See Results?
When you do pilates, you will see results with even 1 session a week. These results may appear in a month, and you may notice them later. With more sessions, your core may strengthen faster.
Yet there are also other ways to get a stronger core faster, such as increasing the length of your sessions and using equipment.
Explore the Best Pilates Scheduling Options with Lifespan Pilates
With Lifespan Pilates, you will be able to schedule pilates schedules to meet your needs and schedules. We offer several packages to help you easily get access to private and group pilates lessons.
You can even opt for drop-in or class packages. In particular, the former allows you to come to classes as your shifting schedule allows.
At LifeSpan Pilates, you will receive lessons about the following exercises:
Reformer pilates
Stretch pilates
Mat pilates
Adult gymnastics
We can also facilitate corporate pilates lessons, allowing your employees to grow closer while doing exercises.
Conclusion
From the above discussion on how often you should do pilates, we established that you should exercise 3 - 4 times a week. However, you should take into consideration your goals, workout routine, lifestyle, and class length.
Additionally, you should have recovery days. This frequency will ensure that you are motivated to continue with your exercises.
Nevertheless, you should also consider that for pain management 1 class a week is sufficient.
To get your Pilates lessons when needed, find a studio that offers drop-in classes such as Lifespan Pilates. Check out our short class packages and find the right frequency for your workouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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20 minutes of pilates a day is enough of a workout. Short sessions like these can even be easier to maintain as a routine compared to longer sessions. Therefore, you should do pilates for the length you can manage and compensate for it by doing pilates more often and with equipment.
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A month of pilates will help strengthen your core, increase muscle mass, and improve flexibility and balance. As you work on slow and repetitive movements, you may also become more aware of your body. In addition, you will gain the knowledge you need to do pilates in the future.
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You can do pilates both in the morning and at night. In the morning, it will help you fix your posture and raise your metabolism. Meanwhile, night time pilates can help you destress. Essentially, this kind of exercise is effective at any time. What matters more is that you find a way to fit into your schedule rather than drastically changing your usual routine.
