So: how many times a week should you do Pilates?
The physical, mental and emotional benefits of doing Pilates has been well-documented since it first rose to prominence in the field. With that being said, it definitely feels as if there are some misconceptions out there—for example, how often should you do Pilates?
Should you do Pilates every day? How many Pilates classes per week? It’s a guessing game in the eyes of most, but we here at Fluidform want to try and remove all doubt.
Trial and error has so often been the best way to figure out how to navigate a workout routine but with some data sprinkled in there too, we think we may have just cracked the code.
Introduction: Why Pilates Frequency Matters
A sense of routine is absolutely critical. If you’re just doing it from time to time, then sure, you’re going to get some health boots—but that isn’t going to be sustained over a longer period. If you’re looking at benefits that will last weeks, months and years into the future, you need a plan.
A lot of people think of yoga as a relaxing, low-energy way to really start exploring your physical health. While that’s all well and good, we want to open up the minds of the masses to the wonders that Pilates can hold.
Our purpose today is simple: try and look at things objectively to work out what the best schedule is for you as you continue, or begin, your Pilates journey. To answer the question: how often should you do Pilates?
How Often Should You Do Pilates as a Beginner?
When you’re a beginner, it can be really easy to get carried away. After all, you’re just starting to find your feet with an entirely new workout routine—it makes sense that you’d want to dive in head first and test yourself.
However, it’s important to stay sensible. We’d recommend that starting out with 2-3 sessions per week is a great way to build familiarity with the different movements and learn about the proper techniques. It’ll give you a foundation to build off of, avoiding the risk of burning out while giving your body the chance to get stronger with every passing session.
If you want to have a look at all of the different courses available, including for beginners, then click here.
How Often Should You Do Pilates for Strength and Flexibility?
When you’re starting to get into a nice rhythm and want to make the move up to the intermediate level, then 3-4 Pilates sessions is the way to go—especially if your end goal is to not only build muscle tone but also increase your overall flexibility.
If those are your targets, maybe the best course of action would be to mix in both mat-based Pilates and Reformer Pilates. It breaks up the two practices nicely and allows you to work on several different parts of the body.
In reality, though, your space is one of the most important elements of the whole process, which is why we’ve put together our own dedicated studios.
How Often Should You Do Pilates for Advanced Results?
Sometimes, you’ve really got to grind if you want to get the desired results—and if you’re feeling particularly daring, then the answer to ‘how often should you do Pilates’ is 4-5 times a week.
That may seem excessive but once your body has really gotten into a routine, you’ll be off to the races. It’s about balancing intense sessions with active recovery days, making sure you avoid overtraining whilst also managing to keep your body stimulated.
Still, if you feel any kind of strain or pull during a particularly tough session, don’t be afraid to take more than just a day off. So, how often should you do Pilates? No more than your body is capable of.
Creating Your Ideal Pilates Schedule for Optimal Results
There’s no right or wrong way to formulate your Pilates schedule. It’s about adjusting things to suit your needs as opposed to everyone else’s, because let’s face it, there’s no competition here.
It comes down to working on yourself and if you want to keep on top of things, maybe start off by looking at specific fitness goals. How much do you want to gain or lose, and in how much time? What experience level are you currently at, and how much time can you commit?
You’ll be much closer to a final plan when you’ve rattled off a few of those answers. In addition, it can’t hurt to track your progress, adjusting the session frequency as you go to match your new skill level.
We’ve used the word already, but ‘time’ is at the forefront here. More specifically, time management. This is something everyone wants to feel is great fun, and it is, but it’s also about discipline and sticking to a plan that’ll have you feeling healthier and happier.
In terms of where we come in, anything from scheduling to meal planning can be handled by the Fluidform team.
Conclusion: How Often Should You Do Pilates for Optimal Fitness?
The answer to the question of how often should you do Pilates is simple: however much you want, in all honesty.
It really is a case of understanding your body and knowing what you can and cannot take from a physical standpoint. 2-3, 3-4 or 4-5 are the three benchmarks you should be hoping to hit but in equal measure, you also shouldn’t feel pushed to meet a quota that you aren’t currently comfortable with.
If you aren’t sure about it at first, just test it out once a week and see how things go. Nobody is in any kind of rush here and if you don’t know how far you’ll be able to go, you’re better off taking things slow.
It’s about taking chances—and Pilates allows you to push outside the boundaries of your comfort zone. It may not be the most natural thing in the world initially, but it’ll come in time.
To learn more about the Fluidform family and everything we can provide, check out our website!
