Whether you’re looking to feel stronger, become more flexible, tone up, lose weight or increase your overall well being, look no further than Pilates! If you’re interested in Pilates for fitness, then you might be wondering how much Pilates it takes to see the results you’re craving.
To see visible results, it's important to do the right amount of Pilates consistently. That means not overdoing it, and going gung-ho trying to force your body to be something it’s not ready to be. It also means, keeping up a consistent practice. Yes, even on the days that you’d rather hit the snooze button, or in the coldest days of winter, where you’d rather go home and snuggle on the couch with a bowl of soup than don your leggings and crop top and get all sweaty.
How long before you start seeing results will depend on both your fitness level and goal. Whether you're new to Pilates or are looking for tips to improve your existing routine, this guide will show you how Pilates can help shape and strengthen your body for the long term.
Determine Your Goals
Before embarking on any fitness journey, it’s important to have a clear goal in mind. Knowing what you want to achieve with Pilates can help you determine how long it will take you to see results. Some of the benefits of both mat and reformer Pilates include improved strength and flexibility, increased muscle strength and tone, or reduced body fat. You might also be looking to Pilates to help with lower back pain, hip mobility or strengthening your core and pelvic floor post-pregnancy.
Having an idea in mind of your desired outcome can help inform the types of exercises you should do, whether a group or private Pilates class is better suited to you, and how often you should attend a Pilates class for best results.
Create a Pilates Practice Plan
When it comes to seeing long-lasting, life-changing results (not just in the mirror!) from Pilates, consistency is key. No matter what goals you’ve set yourself, committing to a regular routine can help ensure that Pilates becomes part of your weekly fitness regime, and fits into your schedule.
Check out our Gold Coast Pilates studios schedule, with mat Pilates classes available at our Cornerstone Studio, and reformer Pilates classes available at our Tugun Beach studio to explore what classes would suit your schedule. We suggest attending 2-3 classes per week, for ultimate results. Experiment with different teachers and different class types, especially if you’re just beginning your Pilates journey, to find the best fit for your fitness goals and help ensure strong and consistent results over time.
You might like to try out a few private, or semi-private classes if you’ve never tried Pilates before, so you know exactly what to expect from a group class and familiarise yourself with the movements and Pilates equipment. Once you’re familiar with Pilates, and feeling more confident, you can add in a couple of online Pilates classes, which can help you fit your Pilates classes into your schedule, no matter how jam-packed it might be!
Make sure you’re also fitting in some cardio outside of your new Pilates routine. This can help you see results even faster, especially if you’re looking to Pilates to help you lose weight.
Monitor Your Progress
Most people begin to see results after 3-4 weeks if they are exercising regularly and consistently. You’ll likely start to notice a difference in how you feel physically and mentally, as well as improvements in your flexibility, balance and coordination.
Whilst many people look to the scales when starting a new exercise regime, we choose not to focus on the numbers, but rather look to other ways that can help us track our progress towards achieving our fitness goals. Some other ways to track your progress include:
Taking photos before you start your new Pilates workout schedule, and repeat at regular intervals. You’ll likely notice your body forming longer, leaner muscles, your posture improving or a change in overall body composition.
If your goal is to improve flexibility, you can take notice of how your body improves in warm-up and cool-down stretching, as well as in your ability to perform Pilates moves with more ease or range of motion. For example, when you begin, it might be difficult to touch the floor in a forward fold stretch. As you improve your flexibility you may be able to have your palms on the floor. There are also other tests you can perform at regular intervals outside of class, such as the sit-and-reach, the trunk lift and the shoulder stretch tests. You’ll likely feel the difference as you progress through your Pilates journey, but why not ask a friend to take a photo of you performing these, so you can keep track of how you’re progressing and see the results for yourself.
You might also be looking to improve your strength and stamina. One of the best ways to track your progress with these elements of your fitness is in class. Notice which movements you find difficult, and keep note of them. Things such as how long you can hold a plank for, how many crunches you can do before needing a break and what springs you’re using on the reformer can be great indications of your strength improving over time.
Keeping track of your progress with Pilates is a great way to keep yourself motivated towards your fitness goals, and you may be pleasantly surprised by the amount of change you notice over time!
Set Realistic Expectations and Stay Motivated
When it comes to Pilates, consistency is key in seeing results. Results don’t always come as quickly as you would like and the process of achieving your goals can be frustrating. You're likely to get frustrated with the process if your expectations are too high, so be sure to set realistic expectations for yourself. It takes time and commitment to develop strength and see changes in your body. Stick with it, stay motivated and find classes that you enjoy –these will help keep you on track to reaching your goals.
So, how long does it take to see real results with Pilates? Well, it depends on your goals and current fitness levels. If you want to see changes in your mind and body, you’ll need to commit to a consistent practice. If you're looking to create long-term results, four to six months is a realistic time frame for seeing significant improvement in muscle tone and endurance as well as greater flexibility. Regardless of your goals, be sure to design a practice plan that works for you, monitor your progress along the way, and stay motivated by setting realistic expectations. If you need help getting started or staying on track, remember we offer an intro class pass so you can try us out with no commitment whatsoever! Or if you’re ready for that commitment to a Pilates-bod, grab a class-pass to either of our beautiful Gold Coast based Pilates studios. Visit our Tugun Beach studio for reformer Pilates, or our Cornerstone studio for mat Pilates.
