I get asked this question pretty frequently, especially from new clients joining the studio. I don’t feel there’s an easy answer that fits for every individual. Here’s a few factors worth considering to help you figure out an answer that works for you:

1. Time

Most of us have limited time available. Between jobs, family life and obligations, we have to fit our exercise in around a whole lot of other things! In a perfect world, we would all have lots of time every day to devote to exercise, but this just isn’t the case for most of us.

2. Money

There’s also a financial component which I don’t like to overlook because I want Pilates to be accessible to everyone, no matter how much $ you have. (I have options, if this is a barrier for you, please reach out)

3. Sustainability

It’s simply not sustainable to attend lots of exercise classes in a week for most people. Being consistent and coming once a week for a long time is better than coming several times a week for a month and then giving up because it’s too much.

4. Allowing your body and mind time to adapt

When you first start Pilates, there is going to be a time of adapting to new movements and new ways of connecting with your body. There is so much to learn (and unlearn!) and it would simply be overwhelming in the beginning to do too much, too soon.

But… what did Joseph Pilates say about this?

He said that 40 minutes 4 times a week was ideal.

But… how could I fit that in with my limited time and/or money?

This is one of the reasons why I love teaching matwork, because once you’ve done it for a little while, it’s really easy to fit some in at home around all your other obligations. At this point in my life, as a busy studio owner, and a mom to two young kids, most of my exercise is 10 minutes here and there, fit around everything else in my life. And it’s important to remember that all of it adds up! Over a week, if you manage to do 2 sessions of 15 minutes of pilates every day, that totals 1 hour and 45 minutes. That’s a pretty good amount of Pilates in a week!

Is there any point in coming once a week if I can’t do more?

YES! You will get a lot of benefit from doing Pilates even just once a week. Pilates transfers quite easily into other exercises or movements in your daily life. Which is why it has the power to really improve your strength and mobility very quickly.

Here’s a personal example of my own transformation early in my Pilates journey:

Before I started doing Pilates, I ran for exercise. However I took a break from running when I first started weekly Pilates classes. Three months later I went for a run again (figuring it would be a real slog after the time off!) – and I couldn’t believe how much easier it was! I managed to run way longer than my best run from three months before. It felt like I could breathe deeper. I could power my arms and my legs from the centre of my body, without any strain or stress. The tension that I had been holding in my chest, shoulders, and neck was no more. Running became a whole lot more fun. I was more efficient in my movements, and stronger, and more aligned. It was AMAZING and made me want to run more again!

I hear these kinds of stories from people all the time. Doing Pilates has improved their performance in other sports and they almost don’t understand how or why or when it happened.

I know the answer is that even a little bit of Pilates can have a powerful impact on your body.

So… why not try it once a week and see for yourself how you feel ? 🙂