How Often Should You Do Pilates?

Pilates offers many benefits, such as increased strength and flexibility. This mind-body exercise can also improve your stability and balance, primarily because its movements rely heavily on the core. But how often should you do Pilates?

The ideal Pilates workout schedule depends on your fitness goals and can range from once a week to every day. Understanding the benefits of once-weekly and more frequent sessions can help you select the schedule needed to achieve your desired results.

Pilates and Your Fitness Goals

Your reasons for doing Pilates—physical fitness, flexibility, weight loss, or mental well-being—can influence how often you take a class. Those who can benefit from this full-body workout include avid runners looking for cross-training, anyone striving to improve flexibility, or those seeking to enhance their strength-training routines. The resistance provided in Pilates exercises can increase muscle strength while developing more efficient bodily movements via greater awareness, increased relaxation, and a more positive mindset.

In this way, Pilates offers a multidimensional approach, incorporating body awareness, and functional bodily alignment, breath, and coordination. This keeps your workouts interesting while shifting your focus.

When considering how often you should do Pilates, think about the results you're hoping to achieve to help create a schedule best suited for your goals.

Benefits of Once-Weekly Pilates

While it may seem like one weekly session of Pilates isn't enough to provide any real benefits, research suggests otherwise. For example, one study found that once-a-week Pilates sessions helped improve body awareness while increasing muscle mass, core strength, balance, and flexibility.

Other research suggests that once-weekly sessions can help people with non-specific chronic lower back pain. Researchers report that 72% of participants in the once-a-week Pilates group had complete improvement in their symptoms after six weeks, with 30% citing improvement after the first week.

Benefits of Frequent Pilates Workouts

In his book, Return to Life Through Contrology, Joseph Pilates suggests the best results are achieved by practicing his method at least four times weekly. However, performing workouts less frequently can still provide results.

For example, in a 2020 study, participants performed Pilates twice a week for 20 weeks. Researchers found significant differences in their beginning and ending skinfold measurements and body fat percentages, concluding that twice-weekly sessions can "positively influence changes in body composition."

Another study sought to discover the effects of doing Pilates three times each week. After six months, these subjects had more strength in their upper and lower bodies, greater lower body flexibility, and improved aerobic endurance. They also had better physical mobility.

Creating Your Pilates Workout Schedule

In addition to deciding the number of Pilates sessions you'll do weekly, there are other factors to consider. It's important to add variety to your workouts so they don't become monotonous or cause burnout. Doing an easy Pilates session one day followed by an advanced Pilates class the next gives your muscles time to heal.

Home vs. Studio Pilates Workouts

You can do Pilates at a studio or in your own home. If you go to a studio, trainers can help you create a Pilates workout schedule and routine based on your fitness goals. They can also work with you to ensure that you use proper form.

If you want to design your own home workout, it is important to follow balanced workout guidelines and not focus on just one body area (abs, for example). Starting with a proper warmup and finishing consciously can also lead to a more satisfying Pilates workout.

Mat vs. Equipment Pilates Workouts

Some Pilates exercises are performed on a mat while others use additional equipment, such as the magic circle, exercise balls, and fitness bands.

One benefit of Pilates mat exercises is that you can do them anywhere. As long as you have the Pilates mat, you are ready to go. However, Pilates equipment can provide greater resistance for strength and strong bones. There are a variety of Pilates reformers designed for home use.

If you do Pilates at home, many online videos are available. Some are based purely on mat exercises but include workouts with smaller pieces of Pilates equipment.

Incorporating Cardio

While Pilates offers many benefits, a comprehensive fitness program includes cardio or aerobic exercise. Adding this exercise can help reduce your risk of heart disease, improve lung function, and lead to healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

When creating your Pilates workout schedule, work in aerobic activities such as walking, biking, and swimming. This provides a more complete exercise program, offering even more health benefits.

Pilates Workout Length

A full Pilates mat workout is approximately 45 minutes. However, you can still gain some benefits by performing a shorter Pilates workout. Joseph Pilates suggests committing to regular 10-minute sessions can boost circulation, helping you reduce mental and muscular fatigue while improving brain function.

Pilates Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I do Pilates reformer classes?

If you take a Pilates reformer class, attending two or three days a week is often sufficient. However, this can vary based on your workout goals.

Can I do Pilates every day?

Yes, of course! However, doing any type of exercise daily may increase your risk of boredom while potentially increasing your risk of overtraining.

If you make a workout schedule that includes Pilates daily, keep your workouts balanced and varied. Vary the intensity and focus of your workouts so your body has recovery time to build stronger muscles and to keep your mind engaged with your body.

A Word From Verywell

When creating your ideal Pilates workout schedule, devise one that works with your lifestyle and helps you meet your specific fitness goals. While three or four workouts per week may be ideal, two or even once-weekly sessions can still offer amazing health benefits.