Is 10 Minutes Of Pilates A Day Enough?

Pilates has become very popular in recent years. It is a low-impact workout that enhances flexibility, core strength, and posture. 

However, with our busy schedules, setting aside time to work out can be challenging. Many ask, “Does Pilates work?” and “Is 10 minutes of Pilates daily enough for weight loss and reaching various fitness goals?”

Can You Get In Shape With Just Pilates?

Yes, Pilates can help you get in shape. 

It’s a holistic workout that strengthens muscles, improves balance, and promotes flexibility. The important thing is consistency and focusing on exercises suitable for your fitness level.

However, to make dramatic changes to your body, which includes muscle growth (hypertrophy), it will be beneficial to combine your Pilates workouts with other forms of exercise, such as strength training, to reach your goals faster (1).

How Many Minutes A Day Should I Do Pilates?

The time you need to spend on Pilates will depend on your goals.

While 10 minutes can be enough to build a daily habit and improve mobility, aiming for 20-30-minute daily sessions will allow you to achieve faster results in strength and endurance (2).

How Many Calories Do You Burn In 10 Minutes Of Pilates?

The number of calories you burn depends on several factors, including your age, weight, and sex. 

A 150-pound individual can burn approximately 30-60 calories in a 10-minute Pilates session. High-intensity Pilates or incorporating exercises like Wall Pilates may burn more calories due to increased resistance and effort (3).

Whether you’re a workout beast or just a beginner making your first foray into the world of fitness and dieting – BetterMe has a lot to offer to both newbies and experts! Install the app and experience the versatility first-hand!

Will 10 Minutes Of Pilates A Day Make A Difference?

Absolutely! Small, consistent efforts can lead to noticeable improvements over time. Practicing Pilates for 10 minutes daily can help:

• Make you more flexible
• Enhance core strength
• Improve posture
• Reduce stress

While it may not dramatically change your physique alone, 10 minutes daily is an excellent foundation for overall well-being (4).

Read more: Wall Pilates for Back Fat: Sculpt Your Back and Achieve a Toned Figure

What Is The Best 10 Minutes Pilates Workout For Every Day?

Ten minutes of Pilates a day can be a helpful addition to a weight loss journey, but it may not be sufficient alone to achieve significant weight loss results. 

Pilates is a low-impact exercise that builds core strength, improves posture, and enhances flexibility. However, it typically doesn’t burn enough calories to result in much weight loss, especially when done for only 10 minutes per day. For better results, you will need to supplement it with a healthy diet and some cardiovascular activity (5).

A well-rounded routine will likely include a good warm-up exercise like the Hundred to prepare your muscles for work and get the blood flowing. 

Do the warm-up exercise for about 1 minute. Next, a Roll-Up can help improve spinal flexibility and abdominal strength, alleviating stiffness from long hours of sitting.  Do this exercise for 2 minutes.

Move on to Leg Circles for 2 minutes to enhance hip mobility. Transition into a Plank position on your forearms or hands, and perform this exercise for 2 minutes. Try Side Planks for 30 seconds on each side to challenge yourself further. Planking builds strength in the arms, shoulders, and core, making it an excellent full-body exercise.

Wrap up your 10-minute routine with 3 minutes of Wall Squats. This exercise will strengthen your lower body while improving your stability and posture. 

To intensify the exercise as you progress, try incorporating small pulses or lifting one leg at a time.

Why These Exercises Work

This 10-minute sequence provides a balanced workout that targets the core while engaging the upper and lower body to help improve mobility. 

These movements enhance functional strength, making everyday activities easier and safer. As you progress, you can also make these exercises more challenging, making them a good choice for beginners and seasoned athletes (6).

Tips For Success

• Focus on your form to ensure you get the most out of each movement while reducing the risk of injury.
• Move slowly with intention, focusing on the muscles you are targeting.
• Pilates emphasizes controlled breathing to engage the muscles more effectively.
• Remember to use appropriate breathing techniques to enhance your workout.
• If a move feels too intense, modify it by reducing the range of motion or duration. As you grow stronger, you can increase the intensity.

When it comes to weight loss, progress is made by inches, not miles, so it’s much harder to track and a lot easier to give up. The BetterMe: Health Coaching app is your personal trainer, nutritionist, and support system all in one. Start using our app to stay on track and hold yourself accountable!

Wall Pilates Core Exercises

Wall Pilates is a versatile and effective way to engage your core while utilizing the support and resistance of a wall. They are an excellent choice for beginners and those seeking additional stability during workouts (7). 

Top Wall Pilates Core Exercises

• Wall Roll-Down

Stand with your back against the wall and your feet out a few inches. 

Slowly roll down the wall, vertebra by vertebra, until your hands reach the floor, then roll back up in a controlled manner.

• Wall Plank

Place your hands shoulder-high on the wall and walk your feet back until your body forms a diagonal line. 

Hold the position, engaging your core and keeping your body straight.

• Wall Leg Lift

Lie on your back with your legs extended against the wall. Slowly lower one leg while keeping the other in place. 

Then, do the same with the other leg to isolate the lower abs and promote hip flexibility.

• Wall Bridge

Lie on your back with your feet pressed against the wall. Lift your hips into a bridge position, engaging your glutes and core. 

Lower back to the starting position and repeat.

• Wall Scissors

Lie on your back and place your legs against the wall, and alternate scissoring motions, keeping your core engaged. 

This exercise challenges both balance and core strength.

Read more: Pilates At Home: A 30 Day Challenge To Improve Your Mind And Body

Why Is Wall Pilates So Effective?

Wall Pilates is a highly effective workout method that enhances traditional Pilates exercises by leveraging the stability and resistance of a wall. 

It can serve as a guide to ensure proper form or add resistance to intensify muscle engagement. It makes many exercises more accessible to beginners and allows you to modify them for more versatility.

How Soon Can You See Results From Pilates?

You might notice improved flexibility and posture with consistent practice within a few weeks. However, more significant changes, like enhanced strength or body toning, typically appear after 6-12 weeks. Individual results vary based on frequency, intensity, and starting fitness levels (8).

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does pilates burn belly fat?

Unfortunately, targeted fat loss is impossible no matter what exercise you perform. Fat loss results from burning more calories than you consume, and it will occur throughout your body when you maintain that calorie deficit, likely in reverse to how you put it on. 

Although Pilates does not specifically target belly fat, it strengthens the core muscles, which can improve abdominal definition when combined with a calorie-controlled diet and cardio (9).

• Is it better to do Pilates in the morning or at night?

Both morning and evening Pilates have their benefits. Morning sessions can energize you for the day, while evening practices can relax and destress your body before bed. Decide what works best for you and stick with it.

• Is it okay to do Pilates on an empty stomach?

You can do Pilates on an empty stomach, especially in the morning, when it can help put your body into an aerobic state. 

However, if you plan a more intense session, consider a small snack for sustained energy (10).

• How many times a week should a beginner do Pilates?

Beginners should aim for 2-3 weekly sessions, gradually increasing frequency as they build strength and familiarity with the movements.

The Bottom Line

Pilates is a low-impact, versatile workout that enhances flexibility, core strength, and posture. 

While 10 minutes of Pilates daily can improve mobility, posture, and overall well-being, it may not be sufficient for significant weight loss or dramatic physical transformation alone. You can reach your fitness goals by combining Pilates, a healthy diet, and other forms of exercise, such as cardio and strength training.