Repetitions of Pilates Exercises, Explained

Have you ever wondered why there are so few repetitions of Pilates exercises? If you look through Joseph Pilates book, you’ll see that for each mat exercise there is a suggested number of repetitions. Some can be as low as three! If you’re used to gym workouts with reps and sets, it may look suspicious. Can three reps of any exercise make a difference? You sure can – here’s how. 

Repetitions at the Gym

I started my fitness career at the gym, and I am very familiar with that style of exercise whether it’s lifting weights, doing a circuit, or getting sweaty in a HIIT class. Just yesterday I did a circuit class and the theme was chest and shoulders. We did high reps with lighter weights through many exercise stations. My muscles were burning by the end and I can still feel it today; just brushing my hair made my shoulders ache!

In the weight room you can design your workouts in a variety of ways, either doing high reps with low weights or low reps with high weights. Still, you will do two to four sets of each exercise. It adds up and I know all too well the relief when that final set is done. Strength training is tough, but it has a purpose – to gain strength. 

Repetitions of Pilates Exercises

Pilates also has a purpose – to keep you moving well in all the things you do. If you were to do repetitions of Pilates exercises until you were beat, you would miss out on all Pilates has to offer. 

Joseph Pilates wanted you to be able to do Pilates daily, which is a big reason there are so few reps of the exercises. For some exercises, Joseph suggests only doing 3, 5, or 6 repetitions while for others he suggests building up to 12. With the hundred, he only wants you to do as many as you can with good form, but not exceeding 100. 

Every Pilates exercise gives you a stretch, helps improve mobility, and works on your strength. Thus, by doing minimal reps but doing a large number of exercises in one workout, you can do Pilates daily without those sore, tight muscles that often come along with strength training. 

For example, if you were to do the full mat series you would do 34 to 37 exercises. On the mat and reformer you also move your spine through several shapes – round back, tall back, arch back, side bend and twist. By the end of a proper Pilates workout, you’ll have moved your body in all the ways it can (and should) naturally be able to move. You also focus on control and awareness of your breath, so even though you’re moving it can be somewhat meditative.    

Keep it Interesting Every Day

When your muscles don’t hurt, you can do Pilates every day like Joseph Pilates wanted you to. You might think that it would get boring to do the same exercises every day, but there are plenty of options (just like going to the gym!). Even if you only have space for a mat at home, you can try switching up the series you do to keep it interesting. 

Try doing a 1 or 3 rep mat series, the full series, or the intermediate exercises if you’ve built up to it. There are also ways to do standing Pilates, doing the series in reverse, or focusing on improving something, like finding more length or improving your rolling exercises. Then when you need something different, head to the Pilates studio and get onto the apparatus. 

There’s lots to discover in Pilates, and going back to the basics has helped me rediscover it in a whole new way – like learning why there are so few repetitions of Pilates exercises!