When Will I See Results From Pilates?

Are you wondering when you’ll see results from Pilates? If you were to ask Joseph Pilates, he’d say “In 10 sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 you will see the difference, and in 30 you’ll have a whole new body.” He didn’t want you to come into the studio every day for thirty days – so when will you realistically feel and see changes in your body? 

Joe’s Intentions

Joe wanted you to come into the studio 3 times a week. That means that if you were consistent, it would take about three months for you to “have a whole new body” (as he said). On top of the three studio sessions a week, he also encouraged practicing mat exercises at home. He would often give clients individual homework, depending on their needs. For example, John Howard, author of The Caged Lion, shared how he had a very sore back and was about to go travelling for work. Joe told him to do the Rolling Like a Ball exercise on his hotel floor a few times a day. Sure enough – it worked! John felt better and his trip was much more comfortable. 

You’ll Notice Changes in Your Flexibility

Part of seeing results in Pilates is noticing where you are at in the beginning. I remember starting Pilates and noticing how inflexible I was in certain areas. We all have our tight spots, and in the beginning, I couldn’t get my arms behind me in certain exercises like in Stomach Massage. Holding the towers for any length of time was such a huge stretch and almost painful.  With time and practice, though, those challenges are now only memories. Yes, I get tight in spots still, but I’ve discovered how Pilates can help me – and I’m never as tight as I once was.  

Pilates will help you improve both your flexibility and mobility. These are not the same. Flexibility is the passive ability of a muscle and tendon to lengthen. Mobility is the active ability of a joint to move through a full range of motion using strength, control, and stability. You can be flexible without being mobile.

You’ll Notice How You Approach Movement

When I started Pilates, I was a gym person. I thought Pilates would be a different form of exercise, but not anything harder than I was used to. Surprise! I was very wrong. I could power through certain gym exercises no problem. Well, there actually was a problem – I wasn’t always moving with awareness or control. As I learned more about Pilates, I realized that by moving with more control and awareness, the exercises became harder and challenged me in much deeper ways. 

If you think about Cirque D’Soleil performers or someone who does calisthenics, they make their movements look effortless. If you try and do the same, it will be staggeringly difficult! This is because they have learned how to control their whole body, not just the main muscle groups. Pilates helps with this awareness. 

The apparatuses in Pilates are designed to help you build this skill. You will also learn how to align yourself for balance and not fight the equipment, so it feels natural, not awkward. The springs, for example, are designed to help you feel resistance and work to keep control of them. Contrary to weight lifting, the fewer the springs, the harder it is. Then, you take this knowledge to the mat where you will be more aware of how you are moving.

Your Teacher Will Guide You

So, you are new to Pilates, and I’ve just told you how you will notice your weaknesses first before you learn awareness and control. That’s totally normal! Pilates will be messy in the beginning. For some people, it will be very hard, while others will take to it naturally; everyone progresses at their own rate.Thankfully, your instructor will know best how to challenge you where you need it. No matter if you start as an elite athlete or someone completely new to fitness, you will get stronger, more flexible, and more mobile with Pilates. 

It Will Take Time to See Real Results From Pilates

I’ve had people say they feel a difference after one, two, or even three sessions of Pilates. While that’s flattering, I don’t think it’s possible to feel a huge change in your body that quickly. I’m sure they felt muscles they’ve never felt before, loved the endorphin rush, or slept better after a workout. But to get real results, you need time and consistency. You might take up running, but you certainly aren’t going to get to 5km in the first week. Pilates is the same.

I was in a course a couple of years ago where each of the students did a presentation on a special condition. I did Pilates for  plantar fasciitis, while others did Pilates for children, joint replacement, scoliosis, seniors, and pregnancy. The thing that we all found very interesting was that through our research, doing Pilates three times per week gave the best results for every one of these conditions. 

Extra Movement Counts, Too

Should you do Pilates daily to see quicker results? You could. But I don’t think you should pay for in-studio classes every day. In my opinion, you should do mat work in between your studio sessions and also do the other things you love! Include both strength training and cardio a few times a week, and include other fun physical activities. That could be paddle boarding, biking, golfing, or pickleball. Just think of Pilates, strength, and cardio as the foundations that help you do other fun things, and you’ll definitely see the results you’re looking for.