I quite often get asked why I request clients to commit to 12 weeks.  There are a number of reasons.

1. From a technical perspective, 12 weeks is a widely accepted timeframe for strength and neurological adaptations to happen – ie; for your muscles to build and contract effectively, and for your mind body connection to develop.
2. Working out is a skill.  Skills are developed over time with repeated practice.  Ever felt “too uncoordinated” in a group class?  You probably didn’t practice it for long enough.  Pilates workouts contain “series” of exercises that you will become familiar with and more proficient at over 12 weeks.
3. Over 12 weeks, your weekly session becomes an established habit.  A habit that pays huge dividends in the long run in increased abdominal strength, improved posture and reduction or prevention of back pain. 
4. Need motivation? You just paid for 12 weeks of classes, you better use them! 😉

Joseph Pilates said:

“You will feel better in ten sessions, look better in twenty sessions, and have a completely new body in thirty sessions.”

Ideally we would all Pilates every day!  But let’s be honest, most of our schedules won’t allow that.   And mine won’t allow me to teach it to groups every day either as much as I’d love to.  Once a week should be doable for most people who decide to make the commitment for themselves.

But it’s just a mat workout, how good can it be?

I had my children before I started practicing Pilates.   Looking back I really wish I knew then what I know now!  Pilates would have kept my pelvis more stable during pregnancy and after giving birth, as well as given me the knowledge on connecting my deep abdominals and pelvic floor muscles together for maximum effectiveness in healing post-natal.   

I didn’t realise it until a couple of years later but I had suffered a severe Diastasis Recti, or separation of my abdominal walls.  This led to pelvic rotation, weak core and ultimately unexplained back pain.  It wasn’t until I saw a really decent Physio that we got to the bottom of my situation. 

The Obstetricians at the time had been quite happy with how “I was coming back together”.  They tell you to do Kegels, but that is not the full picture of rebuilding the core of a body that has literally stretched to accommodate a baby for 9 months.

I felt a bit helpless, ashamed of my weakness and ignorance!

It wasn’t until I started practicing Pilates 2 times weekly, that I started to sense that I regained control over MY body and my situation.

But it wasn’t an instance process.

I would say it took a good 12 months of practice for me to really feel like the old me again. 

Whereas most of us expect a lot of bang for our buck in the form of sweat, pain and tears in a workout – Pilates can subtly and quietly transform you from inside then out without you really noticing over time. 

Believe me, I would not be training how I am today with regular HIIT, jumping, running when I want to or lifting heavy weights if it weren’t for Pilates.

And I’m not done yet.  There is always a new challenge.

So there you have it.  Commitment vs Casual.  As with absolutely any fitness based undertaking, commitment wins out every time.  There is no short cut, and I won’t try to sell you one – if you want results you must stick with whatever you choose to do, and let’s be honest, everyone embarks on a class/diet/training programme wanting some kind of results.

So get the time in your diary and get it done with results in mind, because I’d love to see more people realising the full potential of how good they can really feel.

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