Why building 2 or 3 Pilates Sessions per Week is a Good Target.
We often get asked, "Is one Pilates session per week enough?" While any movement is better than none, and 1 session per week is a great starting strategy, there is a "tipping point", where your body stops just maintaining and starts truly transforming.
As detailed in part 1 of this two part blog article, at Pilates Can, we recommend 1 session per week to ensure a great start. However, that “great start” will then be a launching pad for you to seriously consider building to 2 to 3 sessions per week for optimal results.
This dynamic workshop focused on more than just hip movements. We delved into the interconnectedness of our entire body, understanding that nothing operates in isolation. Our Pilates Can Hip Health philosophy revolves around addressing the full body, a principle deeply ingrained in the Clinical Pilates approach.
Pilates is a journey of self-discovery, and our workshop reflected this. From the pelvis and sacrum to the feet and ankles, every part plays a crucial role in hip health. We emphasized the role of the diaphragm in breathing, underscoring the holistic nature of our exploration.
At Pilates Can, our clinical Pilates approach is designed to help you move better and live with less pain. With consistent two to three sessions per week, you’ll experience noticeable improvements in posture, flexibility, and overall movement, making Pilates for strength and mobility a sustainable part of your routine. Here is why stepping up your frequency is the best investment you can make in your body:
1. Neuromuscular Re-patterning (The "Brain-Body" Connection)
Pilates is as much about the brain as it is about the muscles. If you are working to correct a postural habit or "rebuild" after an injury—much like Mandy did in our recent feature—your nervous system needs frequent reinforcement.
A once-a-week session is a great "reset," but two or three sessions a week can be even more effective for creating muscle memory. This approach is central to Pilates for injury rehabilitation, ensuring that the alignment and core engagement we practice in the studio become your "default mode" when you're out in the real world.
2. Compounding Results & Structural Strength
Think of your Pilates sessions like interest in a bank account. One session a week keeps the account open, but multiple sessions allow the benefits to compound. When you visit us more frequently, we don't have to spend the first half of your session "waking up" your muscles from the week before. Instead, we can dive straight into progressing your program, layering deep functional strength and movement patterns for Pilates for strength and mobility onto a body that is already primed and ready.
3. Support for Your Other Passions
Many of our clients come to us because they’ve hit a wall in other activities. Whether that's weightlifting, running, or even just keeping up with the grandkids. As I shared in the story of Mandy’s journey, sometimes "traditional" exercise isn't enough if the underlying mechanics are broken. By committing to 2–3 sessions, you are building the structural integrity needed to perform better (and safer) in every other area of your life.
4. Faster Rehabilitation & Pain Management
If you are managing chronic pain or recovering from surgery, consistency is your greatest ally. Frequent, controlled movement helps manage joint lubrication and inflammation. By keeping your body moving correctly every 48 to 72 hours, you prevent the stiffness and "guarded" movement patterns that often set in during longer breaks.
Are you ready to see what your body is designed for & naturally capable of?
Now the timing for you to increase your frequency per week is very personal as it will also be affected by other factors, outside your body, such as your available time, money & mindset.
Whilst you may not be a professional athlete, you still need to be prioritising your body as one of your top 3 assets to enjoy the life you have. And the fact that the health of your body has an integral interconnection with your other 2 major assets, being the health of your mind and the health of your spirit, is worth remembering…often.
If a real risk of overwhelm is the reality of your situation now if you try to add more into your already busy life, then please remember that you are already taking significant wins for your health by having started and continually attending about once per week. The difference between 0 and 1 is massive.
You can continue to enjoy those once per week benefits while keeping that excellent idea of multiple sessions per week as a possibility for when you have the resources and motivation.
Meanwhile, you can always ask your instructor for more exercises that you could do at home in-between your once per week studio semi-private sessions. This could be just as effective if you are inclined to do exercises at home.
Whether you are looking to move beyond previous limitations or simply want to feel "aligned from toes to head," stepping up your frequency of sessions per week through a tailored Pilates program is certainly an effective way for you to create the version of yourself you’ve visualised and have been working toward.
We didn't stop at the studio, as our clients need to be equipped with practical exercises to strengthen their hips at home. These exercises go beyond the routine, ensuring that the benefits of the workshop extend into daily life. Stay tuned as we guide you through these empowering at-home practices.
Unlocking hip health is more than physical exercises; it's about fostering a mind-body connection. Our workshops offer insights into how this holistic approach positively impacts mental and emotional well-being, and physical vitality.
Ready to take the next step in your Pilates journey? Join us for the upcoming Get Back in the Groove with Pilates for Hips workshop on Saturday 16th December 2023. It's an opportunity to dive deeper into the principles explored in our previous hip workshop, learn new techniques, and connect with other like minded Pilates instructors and clients regarding your holistic well-being.
