Pilates has become one of my favorite workouts in the last few years, just like it has for many other women my age. Going to the studio twice a week with my thick yoga mat has kept me strong flexible and happy.
I do my strength training and cycling workouts at home, but I don’t do Pilates at home very often. But this month, my schedule is even busier than usual, so I haven’t had much choice but to do Pilates at home for 10 minutes every day.
I write a lot about how much or how little exercise we need to do to see changes and improvements in our bodies. I had a feeling that just doing 10 minutes of Pilates a day would make a difference. After all, consistency is often more important than intensity.
The good things that come from doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day
- Better core strengthPilates is the only exercise that works my core in the same way. Since having three kids my stomach muscles have never been the same, so my stomach is very important to me. I also have pain in my lower back, which is why I’m working to keep my core muscles strong as I get older. I don’t want this pain to get worse.
I always took a few minutes to wake up my core before each workout. There are so many choices in Pilates that this isn’t hard. I really like the Hundred the bird-dog exercise, the dead bug, the plank variations and the teaser.
Georgia Weibel, a Pilates instructor and the founder of Sync With Georgia, says that one of the best things about doing just 10 minutes of Pilates is that it will make your core stronger, which will help you in everyday life like walking, lifting, shopping, or sitting at a desk.
- Better postureA lot of us sit at desks for hours at a time, hunched over, and don’t move our bodies enough. Georgia says that one of the benefits of a short Pilates workout is that within a week or two, you’ll feel taller and less tense across your shoulders and neck.
When you focus on your core, your back and stomach muscles get stronger, which helps your posture and eases any pain you may be feeling.
Georgia also says that on a deeper level, daily low-impact movement improves circulation and lymphatic flow, which can help with that heavy sluggish feeling that many women get when they are stressed or sitting for a long time.
- Benefits for mental healthThe more something makes you feel good inside and out, the more you want to do it. This is what happened to me during this Pilates challenge. My husband said to me on the third day, you look very happy lying there, and he was right. I was glad.
I was taking care of myself, moving my body, and getting stronger. Georgia says that even a small but meaningful commitment to yourself will help you feel more confident and trust yourself more.
I love that Pilates makes me focus more on what I’m doing as I get stronger and better at it. The moves are more difficult now, which means my mind can’t think about the other things that stress me out.
Georgia says the breathing patterns used in Pilates help wake up the nervous system which is the body’s way of calming down naturally. It can help you get out of fight or flight mode.
Emma Mahama, who owns the Everybody Reformer studios in London and teaches Pilates, says it also builds quiet confidence. As you get stronger and more in touch with your body, you walk and move differently.
- You won’t get boredI don’t get bored doing Pilates, but some days an hour long class seems harder than others, and I definitely couldn’t do one every day. The best thing about doing Pilates for just 10 minutes is that you can change it up every day.
There were a few days when I was more tired so I changed the moves to fit how my body felt that day. On days when I didn’t feel like working out, I’d do slower moves like glute bridges and clams.
Georgia says when women realize that their energy changes throughout the month, it becomes much easier and more sustainable to move.
I also used the Peloton app to change things up even more. One of the best Pilates apps because it has a lot of 10 minute classes.
- Better motivationAdding movement to your daily routine, even for just 10 minutes will boost your energy levels. This will then affect other areas of your life.
After I work out or go for a walk, I always feel good about myself, and those endorphins make me feel good for the next few hours.
The changes I saw in my body from these workouts kept me going too.
Emma says ten minutes lets you focus on the basics, like breathing, alignment, and using the right muscles without feeling overwhelmed.
- It’s still a hard workoutI might have made it seem like doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day is an easy choice. It’s not a 50 minute Reformer burner or one of my nonstop mat classes, but I could feel every second of the 10 minutes on the mat.
I wanted to make the most of every minute so on days when I had more energy I used hand weights to make my squats and bird-dog exercises harder.
Emma says that tools like this can help you get more out of your practice. It adds variety and gradual challenge while still letting you keep your movements controlled and exact.
What I learned from doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day
I loved doing Pilates for ten minutes every day. I never felt worse after a workout, just like you never regret one. I actually did more than 10 minutes a few times because I was in the zone and the time flew by.
I would feel better, taller, and happier when I got back to my desk. My hips felt less tight, and my core felt stronger.
As I said before, having a lot of different things is important. Adding in equipment when I had more energy helped me stay motivated, but it’s not necessary at all.
You only need a mat and ten minutes to move. If you’ve been doing Pilates for a long time, you probably don’t need a workout app to kill time.
Is 10 minutes of Pilates enough?
Yes, for sure. I saw changes after doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day. I started to feel better mentally and physically within days.
Georgia says for a lot of women, especially those in their 30s and older, shorter daily movement can be better for them than longer workouts.
It keeps cortisol levels more stable helps the nervous system, and builds strength in a way that feels good instead of tiring.
Emma says that it’s easy to change up your workouts if you’re only doing 10 minutes a day. Ideally she recommends 20 to 45 minutes when possible.
Different teachers bring different energy cues and programming styles, which can completely change how an exercise feels. It keeps you learning challenged and stops you slipping into autopilot.
