How Long Does it Take to Feel the Result of Pilates?

Falling in love with Pilates is an exciting experience – we’ve all been there! The high of completing your first class and the feeling of achievement after moving your body is a great motivator to commit to regular classes.

With this comes a natural curiosity – how long will it take before you start to experience the more long-lasting results of Pilates?

It’s one of the most common questions we receive at the studio, and the good news is that it doesn’t take years to start noticing the effect of Pilates on your mind and body – in fact, it could take as little as a few weeks!

What factors impact the results I get out of Pilates?

There’s no one size fits all when it comes to Pilates, and it’s true that there are multiple factors that impact how quickly you’ll start to feel the results of your classes.

Perhaps the most influential factor is how often you attend classes. While there isn’t a magic number that guarantees results, at the same time it will take a lot longer to notice a difference if you are only getting to the studio once a week.

Giving your body adequate time to recover is just as important to achieve long term results, too. Especially if you’re newer to these movements, you put yourself at the risk of injury through overusing your muscles or working out when fatigued. This increases the likelihood of improper form, which can lead to a much longer break from Pilates if you injure yourself!

Other factors like your overall activity level and diet will also play a role in your results, depending on what it is you want to achieve.

What changes should I expect to see after regular Pilates practice?

To paraphrase Joseph Pilates (for whom the practice is named), after just 10 sessions you should begin to notice an improvement in how you feel; after 20 sessions, you may begin to see physical changes as your body adapts to these new positions; and after 30, you will have built a new relationship with movement!

One of the most consistent things our clients notice after 6-8 weeks is how much easier it becomes to move. It’s these little changes, like being able to climb a flight of stairs, or bend down without suffering pain, or even touch your toes that point to the larger positive impact that Pilates is having on your body.

Of course, you may also notice some aesthetic changes after consistent Pilates classes, but we encourage a focus on the constant challenge of improving things like endurance, flexibility and mobility.