Your time is precious. You need to ensure you’re getting the best value for your investment in your health and well-being. What does this mean for the types and duration of your Pilates exercises?
Is a 20-minute Pilates workout enough to see (and feel) the results?
As an instructor, you’re likely to get many clients asking how long their Pilates exercise sessions should be. Cater your recommendation to your client’s ability, lifestyle, and health goals. To help, we’ll share some talking points to help you have these conversations with your clients.
What are their health goals?
Before making any suggestions, it’s essential to understand your client’s health goals and abilities. Consider the following:
- Does the client have any physical limitations (such as a recent surgery)?
- How easily (and where) can the client fit a workout into their schedule?
- What is their health goal (weight management, muscle toning, general health, rehabilitation)?
- Do they have a partner or friend for accountability or to work out with?
A 20-minute daily Pilates exercise session is likely effective for most clients. You may recommend that clients do a shorter session that avoids certain areas of the body during recovery or healing. You might also recommend several shorter sessions throughout the day if a full 20-minute block isn’t feasible for their schedule.
Use your expert knowledge of health and Pilates to recommend the best starting point for your clients.
Sustainability and routine are key
The key to seeing benefits from any exercise program is consistency. While doing an occasional Pilates or workout session has great short-term benefits (like making you feel good), the long-term benefits are limited.
If you have clients who can’t do 20-minute Pilates sessions at home, help them find ways to turn even a shorter workout into a sustainable routine.
For example:
- They could do 10 minutes in the morning, then another 10 minutes over their lunch break.
- They could do 20 minutes three times per week rather than daily.
- Maybe they can attach their Pilates exercises to an existing routine so they don’t get “forgotten” (such as immediately after dropping the kids off from school or first thing in the morning when they get out of bed).
Emphasize that the key to seeing benefits from Pilates is not the duration but the consistency. Be their cheerleader as they start small and work up to longer or more intense Pilates sessions.
Focus on technique, not speed
It’s not the quantity as much as the quality of a Pilates session that matters. Don’t encourage your clients to rush through longer sessions to finish faster. Rushing through Pilates exercises may cause them to lose the relaxing, restorative benefits of the session and increase their chances of injury due to improper form.
Instead, help them focus on proper form and technique rather than duration. Remind them that 3 well-formed movement sets are better than 10 rushed ones. The same goes for reps: If they can’t do the 8-10 reps, encourage them to do 4-5 really good ones and work their way up as their ability and time availability increase.
Remember, flow is important too
When your clients ask how long their Pilates sessions should be, remind them that they should focus on slow, purposeful flow instead of rushing between movements. Proper flow as you complete the movements helps you engage your muscles longer and get a better physical workout.
Flow helps you make more controlled movements (either consciously or subconsciously). Remind them that flow is not just physical movements and transitions but also in their breathwork. Proper breathing helps set the flow, centers your physical and emotional body, and helps oxygenate the blood.
Is 20 minutes of Pilates exercises enough?
The short version is yes. Any duration Pilates workout can be enough for your clients as long as they can do them consistently and increase the duration or intensity over time.
When your clients ask you this common question, respond according to their goals and abilities. While Pilates is an excellent exercise for nearly everyone, it must be done at their own pace and ability to get the most short- and long-term benefits.
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