PILATES PRACTICE - HOW OFTEN AND HOW TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU?

"How often should I be doing this?" I get asked this question a lot.

As with any form of exercise, consistency is absolutely key to seeing results. If you dip in and out of your sessions you will struggle to see much progress, whereas consistent practice will give you much better and more noticeable results.

In Joseph Pilates's book "Return to Life Through Contrology" he writes "If you will faithfully perform your Contrology exercises regularly only 4 times a week for just 3 months as outlined in RETURN TO LIFE, you will find your body development approaching the ideal , accompanies by renewed mental vigour and spiritual enhancement."[1].

It is claimed that to workout at Joseph Pilates' Contrology gym in New York you had to commit to attending sessions 3 times per week for 3 months. He had strong beliefs in the benefit of his method and knew that you only get out what you put in. If those signing up to his gym were to receive the best results they had to be committed to their practice

I would say that in an ideal world 3-4 times per week is a pretty spot on recommendation. BUT in reality our lifestyles today can make this seem an impossible task onto of the pressures of work and family life.

So if consistency is key, how do we make this work when "spare" time is scarce and even the best laid plans can easily crumble?

First of all, look at what is reasonably achievable for you. This may vary depending on your lifestyle, commitments, finances, geography. Also think about what those 3-4 sessions could like. It doesn't necessarily mean attending 3 or 4 formal classes or private sessions every week. That would be lovely but how many of us can really achieve that? Very few I imagine. So look at your circumstances and find a pathway that works for you:

• If physically getting out of the house to attend classes/sessions is going to be challenging for you how about attending a live online session that you can join from home.

• If committing to a set time slot is difficult then how about following a pre-recorded video in your own time.

• If finding a whole 30-60 minutes can be tricky (I hear you!) how about fitting in some short "movement snacks" into your day; either a 10 minute workout video if you have time or just a quick exercise or 2 that you can fit into your day. I definitely find short 10 minute bursts are the way to keep me consistent in my practice even when days are busy.

• If you attend private sessions, cost can quickly mount up. Why not supplement your time in the studio with group classes or online/video content.

Even with the very best intentions sometimes things don’t go to plan. Don't beat yourself up over it. One missed session isn't the end of the world. Try to approach a missed session with positive forward thinking. So you didn't make it to your class today? That's OK. What can you do instead to stay positive and committed? Is there an alternative class you could attend this week instead? Or could you do an online class or pre-recorded video to keep you on track? Even if you can't catch up, it's OK. What is more important is that the single missed session doesn't become several missed sessions, as that is much more challenging to come back from. If it does, try not to delay getting back into it. As a Pilates Teacher I understand that sometimes life gets in the way and I will always be very happy to welcome you back in class, no matter how long it has been.

However you choose to fit in your Pilates practice I would recommend trying to fit in a face to face class/session at least once per week if you can. There is so much benefit to regular teacher observation and guidance in your practice. Even as a teacher myself I KNOW that when I attend an in-person training session I will always work 100 times harder than when doing my own self practice. My teacher will always be able to pick me up on things I may miss when practicing alone! Face to face teaching doesn’t have to be in-person. You may be able to arrange face to face online training with your teacher for guided input and support.

I know that my clients are usually very busy people, jugging work and family life and desperately trying to carve out just a little bit of time for themselves. My clients are at the heart of Be:Poised Pilates and I strive to find ways I can help make things a little easier such as:

• Offering a combination of private and group classes, to suit different needs and budgets

• Offering classes during the day and in the evening (once little ones are in bed!)

• Individual programming in my group apparatus classes to ensure your workout is tailored to your needs

• Online live stream and video options for those with membership to help you fit in extra practice when you can’t make it to the studio

So in short yes, at least 3-4 times per week is a great target to work for...but what that looks like and how you fit that into your week can be as flexible as you need it to be so that it works for you.

*Contrology is the term Joseph Pilates used to describe his method of body wellness. It was renamed "Pilates" after his death.

References:

[1] Return to Life Through Contrology. 1945. Joseph H Pilates.