Over the past few years, Pilates has become one of my favourite workouts 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. This month has been even busier than usual for me so I’ve had to do Pilates at home for only 10 minutes every day.
I write a lot about how much or how little exercise we need to do to see changes in our bodies and I thought that doing Pilates for just 10 minutes a day would make a difference. After all consistency is often more important than intensity for results.
The advantages of doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day
Better core strength
I don’t get the same core workout from any other exercise as I do from Pilates. Since I had three kids my stomach muscles have never been the same so my stomach is a top priority now. I also have pain in my lower back which is why I’m working to keep my core muscles strong as I get older every year.
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. The Hundred the bird dog exercise the dead bug the plank variations and the teaser are some favourites.
According to Georgia Weibel a Pilates instructor and the founder of Sync With Georgia one of the best things about doing just 10 minutes of Pilates is that it will make your core stronger for daily life whether you’re walking lifting shopping or sitting at a desk working.
Better posture
A lot of us sit at desks for hours at a time hunched over and don’t move our bodies enough. Georgia says that one good thing about a short Pilates workout is that within a week or two you’ll feel taller and less tense in your shoulders and neck.
When you work on your core your back and abdominal muscles also get stronger which helps your posture and eases any aches and pains you may have.
Georgia also says that on a deeper level daily low impact movement improves circulation and lymphatic flow which can help women who feel heavy and sluggish when they are stressed or sitting for long periods of time.
Benefits for mental health
You want to do something more if it makes you feel better inside and out. This is what happened to me when I tried this Pilates challenge. I was taking time for 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 have always loved that Pilates makes me focus more on what I’m doing as I get stronger and better at the movements over time. The moves have gotten harder which means my brain can’t think about other stress in daily life.
Georgia says the breathing patterns used in Pilates help get the nervous system going which is how the body calms down and reduces stress.
It doesn’t get dull
I don’t get bored doing Pilates but some days an hour long class is harder than others and I definitely couldn’t do one every single day. When you only do Pilates for 10 minutes daily it is easy to change your routine every day.
There were a few days when I was more tired so I changed the moves to fit how my body felt. On slower days I did clams and glute bridges while other days I used weights for strength moves.
Georgia says when women realise their energy changes throughout the month it becomes much easier and more sustainable to keep moving and exercising regularly.
More motivation
Adding movement to your daily routine even for just 10 minutes will make you feel more energetic and motivated throughout the rest of your day. The endorphins give a positive boost for several hours after exercise.
I was also motivated to keep going because I could see changes in my body from working out regularly and consistently.
Emma says ten minutes lets you focus on the basics like breathing alignment and using the right muscles without feeling overwhelmed and consistency really makes the difference.
It’s still a tough workout
I might have made it sound like doing Pilates for ten minutes every day is easy but I could feel every second of the 10 minutes on the mat working my muscles.
On days when I had more energy I used hand weights to make my squats and bird dog exercises harder and also used resistance bands for leg and glute workouts.
Emma says using equipment like this can help you get more out of your practice by adding variety and gradual challenge while keeping movements controlled and accurate.
Apps for Pilates that have 10-minute workouts
| App | Description |
|---|---|
| Peloton | You might know Peloton for its cycling or running workouts but the apps have hundreds of Pilates workouts you can do at home with or without equipment taught by expert teachers. |
| YogaGo | This yoga and Pilates workout app has sessions that last anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour and cover a wide range of Pilates styles such as wall Pilates. |
| Pilates at Any Time | You can do mat and Reformer Pilates sessions at home or in the studio and all of the videos are short clear and good for all levels. |
What I learned from doing Pilates for ten minutes every day
To start I loved doing Pilates for 10 minutes every single day. I never felt worse after my time on the mat and sometimes I actually did more than 10 minutes because I was in the zone and the time flew by.
When I got back to my desk I felt better taller and happier. My hips weren’t as tight and my core felt stronger each day after practice.
As I said before variety is the key. Adding equipment when I felt more energised helped me stay motivated but it wasn’t always necessary. You only need a mat and 10 minutes to move your body.
Is 10 minutes of Pilates enough?
Yes I did see changes after doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day. I saw improvements in my posture and mental health within days and experts agree that shorter daily movement can be better for many women than longer stressful workouts sometimes.
Georgia says it keeps cortisol levels more stable helps the nervous system and builds strength in a way that feels good instead of draining energy from the body during workouts.
Emma says you can easily change up your workouts if you only do them for 10 minutes daily but she also recommends trying longer sessions when possible between 20 and 45 minutes to work the whole body effectively.
