The Benefits Of Pilates Once A Week: Strength, Flexibility & More

Exercise is one of the most essential parts of our lives. We may not realize it, but those who don’t dedicate time to their bodies may develop physical or mental ailments in later stages of life (1).

A study published by the Institute of Psychology found that people who exercise tend to feel happier and more satisfied with their lives (2). 

This study found a strong connection between physical activity and overall well-being.

Those who are physically active experience more happiness and self-confidence than those who are beginners or do not exercise. They also feel more satisfied with their lives compared to those who are inactive. 

Advanced exercisers feel better, but beginners who had exercised for 4 weeks reported feeling happier and more content with their lives than they had before they started.

However, it’s understandable that our hectic routines keep us from going to the gym every day. Instead of brushing the exercises off our charts altogether, we should look for alternatives, such as weekly Pilates. Even when performed once a week, some workouts can bring noticeable benefits to their practitioners. 

And Pilates is one of those routines. This article answers the most asked question: 

Is Pilates once a week effective?

This detailed article discusses the benefits of practicing Pilates once a week and offers some tips to make it a fruitful weekly habit. Let’s find out!

What Are The Benefits Of Pilates Once A Week?

Practicing Pilates once a week can provide benefits if done consistently and with proper form. Even with just one session, you can develop greater body awareness, which helps you move more efficiently and reduces the risk of injuries.

Pilates also promotes controlled breathing and mindfulness, which can reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Not only this, but it also strengthens stabilizing muscles, supporting joint health and balance, which is especially beneficial for daily activities and long-term mobility. 

More frequent Pilates practice can indeed lead to faster progress, but a well-structured weekly session can still contribute to increased strength, mobility, and relaxation over time.

Later in this article, our team shares some perks of doing Pilates once a week, supported by evidence.

Is Doing Pilates Once A Week Effective?

Yes! Pilates once a week can be effective as long as you stay consistent, follow proper form, and maintain a consistent duration. 

Think of it like watering a plant—even once a week is likely fine, but neglecting to do so results in wilting.

Pilates is a total body workout that builds strength, flexibility, and balance. 

According to a 2016 study published in the Journal of Physiology & Behavior, a weekly 60-minute Pilates workout routine considerably improved:

• Mood
• Balance
• Muscle mass
• Abdominal muscle strength in sedentary women (3)

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Even though vigorous exercise can yield better and faster results, doing Pilates once a week can also be effective over time. Adding weekly Pilates to your regular gym routine can be a fruitful addition to your exercise style.

If you’re new to Pilates, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Proper breathing and mindful, controlled movements can help you engage muscles you never knew you had. Furthermore, incorporating rest days between sessions allows your body to recover and gradually build strength.

Read more: Can Pilates Build Glutes? Here’s the Real Truth

Will Pilates Once A Week Make A Difference?

Yes. Doing Pilates once a week can bring the following Pilates health benefits:

• Improves Core Strength

Pilates is renowned for its ability to improve core strength dynamically. 

The core is responsible for providing support to the body, and core strength helps decrease back and hip pain. According to a 2020 study, Pilates can improve your core function and endurance (4).

• Improves Posture

Bad posture can lead to headaches, back pain, and weakened muscles. 

Pilates may help improve posture visibly by increasing the body’s range of motion, improving alignment, and strengthening muscles (5).

• Boosts Energy

According to a 2019 study published in the Journal of Medicine, Pilates improves cardiorespiratory capacity by focusing on breath. This process can improve your blood circulation, oxygen flow, and the production of feel-good hormones (6).

• Prevents Injuries

Pilates can also stabilize the muscles, as weak muscles are more susceptible to injury. 

Weekly Pilates sessions may reduce your risk of injury in sports (7).

• Reduces Menstrual Pain

Pilates can reduce menstrual pain, according to a 2019 study. 

Dysmenorrhea is a condition of painful menstrual periods, and Pilates can help in reducing its intensity (8).

• Improves Balance

Balance is essential for performing daily tasks such as walking, moving, or going down stairs. The sense of balance tends to decrease with age. 

Hence, doing Pilates improves balance as it focuses on improving the overall alignment and range of motion of the body (9).

• Boosts Immunity

Experts have linked Pilates with improved immunity in older individuals (10). 

It can improve their blood circulation, which ultimately enhances immune system function.

• Improves Cognitive Functioning

Doing Pilates once a week with gym workouts helps improve cognitive abilities by stimulating the production of new neurons, enhancing blood flow to the brain, and developing neurons associated with learning, memory, and thinking (11).

• Strengthens Bones

A sedentary lifestyle and spending all day sitting at work can affect our bone density and lead to specific health issues. Studies show that Pilates can effectively increase bone density and relieve pain (12).

• Boosts Mood

Any exercise can improve your mood, thanks to the production of feel-good hormones like endorphins. In this regard, a few experts have exclusively studied the effects of Pilates and found that it can also help with the reduction of anxiety, fatigue, and depression in individuals (13).

• Improves Sleep

According to a study published in the Journal of Frontiers in Neurology, Pilates may help improve sleep patterns among people under 40 (14). 

Studies also reveal that postpartum women experienced better sleep when they added Pilates to their weekly routine.

• Reduces Stress

Hectic daily work routines often lead to stress. Since Pilates focuses on deep breathing and gentle body movements, it can calm the nervous system. 

Breathing through movements lowers cortisol levels, reduces stress, and induces a calming sensation throughout your body (15).

• Decreases Back Pain

Back pain can occur due to weak muscles and bad posture. 

Pilates focuses on the abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor, making them contract and expand correctly. These muscles may support the organs and stabilize your back (16).

• Improves Performance

Since Pilates focuses on stabilizing and strengthening muscles, it helps reduce the risk of injury when playing sports, ultimately improving athletes’ performance. 

Studies conducted on athletes who performed Pilates revealed that they had improved reaction time, core strength, flexibility, and muscle mass (17).

Read more: Pilates Resistance Bands Exercises

How Long Does It Take For Pilates To Make A Difference?

Joseph Pilates famously said, “In 10 sessions, you will feel a difference; in 20 sessions, you will see a difference; in 30 sessions, you will have a whole new body.”

• While the results vary from person to person, many will start to notice physical improvements, usually within the first 3 weeks of a consistent Pilates routine. 

You will notice improvement in posture, flexibility, and core strength. 

The result of Pilates depends on the intensity, duration, and consistency of your workout routine.

• As a general rule, you should start noticing improvements around the 6- to 7-week mark. At the 7-week stage, your body forms more efficient neural connections to the muscles. 

When the muscles contract, they produce a force that better matches the required force, improving muscle strength.

• The following noticeable change may occur at the 13-week mark. 

At this stage, muscle growth typically happens, resulting in bigger and stronger muscles.

• Afterwards, your muscles may continue to grow gradually for 12 months.

If you want to reap the maximum health benefits from Pilates, here’s what you must do:

• Maintain an ideal and consistent pace while doing Pilates. 

The consistent pace begins to activate your muscles and prep them for more challenging movements. It can also help you perfect your form so that you do each exercise correctly and reduce the likelihood of injury. 

Joseph Pilates originally called the Pilates practice “Contrology,” so the exercise is all about control.

• Focus on your core. 

Pilates is all about engaging your core and improving strength. 

During Pilates, focus on deep breathing and engaging your core. 

This focus helps you maintain a good posture throughout each movement.

• Breathe deeply. 

Holding your breath or rapid breathing disrupts the entire workout. 

Deep breathing improves oxygen and blood flow to your muscles and also controls your heart rate.

How Often Should You Do Pilates To See Benefits?

If you wonder how often to do Pilates, first evaluate your fitness goals. 

If your goal is to improve muscle mass and size, or tone up:

• Focus on weightlifting 3 times weekly
• Pilates exercises for beginners 2 times a week.

However, if your goal is to improve flexibility and endurance:

• Do Pilates 3-5 times a week.

Include rest days between these workouts to help with muscle recovery.

A 2020 study in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity found that adults who practiced Pilates 2-3 times a week for 8 weeks experienced significant improvements in balance, strength, and mobility (18).

Although Pilates gradually leads to visible results, people often make the following mistakes when performing these routines, which is why they don’t see the expected results.

• Not focusing on maintaining correct posture: Bad posture prevents the body from functioning as it should. When it is not functioning correctly, injury can occur. Ensure that you have the proper technique down with any form of exercise.
• Not increasing duration and intensity: It’s essential to increase duration and intensity to see noticeable results gradually. This slow pace is one of the principles of progressive overload, which ultimately is how the body increases muscle mass. 

What Is An Effective Pilates Workout For A Once-A-Week Routine?

An effective once-a-week Pilates workout should be well-designed and focus on core strength, flexibility, balance, and muscle endurance.

Since you’re only doing it once a week, aim for a full-body session that challenges multiple muscle groups while maintaining proper form and controlled movements. 

Here’s a structured routine:

Warm-Up (5–10 minutes)

• Breathing exercises: Focus on deep, diaphragmatic breathing.
• Pelvic tilts: Engage your core and mobilize your lower back.
• Cat-Cow stretch: Improve spinal flexibility.

Core Strengthening (10 minutes)

• Hundred: A classic Pilates move to engage the core.
• Single-leg stretch: Works on stability and coordination.
• Roll-up: Strengthens the abdominals and improves spinal mobility.

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Lower Body Focus (10 minutes)

• Bridge lifts: Activates the glutes and hamstrings.
• Side-lying leg lifts: Strengthens the outer thighs and hips.
• Clamshells: Enhance hip stability.

Upper Body & Balance (10 minutes)

• Plank variations: Strengthens the core, shoulders, and arms.
• Swan dive prep: Works the back muscles.
• Arm circles with light weights: Improves shoulder stability.

Flexibility & Cool-Down (5–10 minutes)

• Seated spinal twist: Increases spinal mobility.
• Hamstring stretch: Prevents stiffness.
• Child’s pose: Encourages relaxation.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the 80/20 rule in Pilates?

The 80/20 rule in Pilates suggests that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. This ratio means focusing on precise, controlled movements and proper form rather than just doing more repetitions or longer workouts. 

Quality over quantity ensures maximum benefits in strength, flexibility, and posture.

• Is Pilates at home effective?

Yes, Pilates at home can be highly effective if done with proper form and consistency. 

With minimal equipment, you can build core strength, improve flexibility, and enhance posture. Following guided workouts or online classes can ensure correct technique and maximize results.

• Should I do Pilates or weightlifting?

It depends on your fitness goals. Pilates focuses on core strength, flexibility, and muscle endurance, making it an excellent way to improve posture and mobility. 

Weight lifting builds muscle mass, strength, and bone density. 

For a balanced routine, combining both can enhance overall fitness and prevent injuries.

• Why do I feel so tired after Pilates?

Feeling tired after Pilates is typical because it engages deep stabilizing muscles, improves posture, and requires controlled, precise movements. 

Your body works hard to maintain alignment and balance, which can lead to muscle fatigue. Proper hydration, nutrition, and rest can help with recovery.

The Bottom Line

The practice of Pilates has brought numerous rewards for its frequent practitioners.

Those who follow the key rules and adhere to a consistent routine can find themselves in a better place, physically and mentally. 

If you’ve finally decided to add weekly Pilates to your routine, you should start looking for effective poses, well-structured routines, and some tips to make Pilates more effective. 

Once you fit into the habit of doing them weekly, you can increase the frequency and intensity of your workouts. Don’t forget to check out the Pilates workouts at BetterMe.