How Often Should You Do Pilates?

How often you should do Pilates? As an instructor, I hear that question fairly often, and my honest answer is “it depends”. While Pilates can safely be done every day, that doesn’t mean you need to do that to see the benefits. Here are some things to think about. 

Daily Pilates

Pilates, as it was designed by Joseph Pilates, is 100% safe and effective to do daily. That is if you are doing a Pilates workout that is suited to you, your level of fitness, and your personal needs. On the other hand, I’ve met people who had unlimited Pilates memberships who really overdid it. One in particular was trying so hard to make Pilates an intense, hard workout that she actually hurt herself!

I’m not a big fan of unlimited memberships to anything unless they’re at a reasonable cost so you can still afford to do other activities, too. Often, having an unlimited membership makes people feel like they need to attend as often as they can to get their money’s worth. It’s a good way to overdo things and find yourself doing too much of one type of exercise.

Most things are best done in moderation, including Pilates. That means maybe getting to the studio 1 to 3 times a week and then doing some Pilates at home other days. If I’m feeling stiff, I might stop and do 10 minutes of Pilates at home, while other days I enjoy a fuller workout. If you listen to your body and are working out safely, Pilates can be part of your every day routine. 

General Fitness

Keep in mind that doing a variety of physical activities is fun and good for you, too. When you’re really good at Pilates you may get your heart rate up a bit and get sweaty, but it’s nothing like the way running, walking, cycling, or dancing will work your heart. 

Likewise, while both Pilates and weight training will help you get stronger and improve your mobility, it’s still important to lift weights a few times a week. Heavier lifting helps to build muscle mass, maintain bone density, and improve your general strength.  

Your Goals & Needs

How often you do Pilates will also depend on your goals and needs surrounding it. If you actively play other sports or train for events like marathons, you’ll obviously spend more time doing those things than Pilates. In this case, it’s going to be very important to ensure you get a good mix of strength, stretch, and mobility to help you avoid overuse injuries. 

For me, Pilates was the missing puzzle piece. I was doing a lot of aerobics and spin classes when I found Pilates, and I was starting to get overuse injuries from doing too many of the same movements. At the same time, I had three young children and I was doing a lot of awkward lifting, holding, and sitting with them. Put it all together and I needed something to help me even out all of the imbalances. Pilates worked!

A Solid Foundation

To maintain general health and fitness, you need a good mix of activities, and Pilates can be a central part of that. So yes, do Pilates daily if you like – but it doesn’t always have to be at the studio. And no, you shouldn’t feel like your butt has been handed to you after every workout! Pilates can stand on its own or be a solid foundation to help you do all of your other activities (and life!) with more ease.