We could all use some more Pilates in our lives—but do we have the time? Most of us think we don’t. The result? A lot of aspiring Pilates students never make it to the mat. If you want to set a sustainable Pilates goal for yourself, you might be wondering… Is 20 minutes of Pilates a day enough to get results? The short answer is… absolutely! Keep reading to learn how to incorporate 20-minute Pilates challenges into your routine for a consistent and beneficial Pilates practice.
Is 20 Minutes of Pilates a Day Enough?
Typically, experts recommend Pilates students practice three to four times a week for a full 45 minutes. This is because Pilates isn’t just a physical exercise, but also a workout for your mind. Practicing for longer makes it easier to fully connect to your breath and reap the major benefits of the Pilates mind to body connection. Delving into those deeper workouts also makes it easier to build up your endurance and achieve fluidity in your movements.
That being said, a longer class isn’t the only way to gain the benefits of Pilates. The reality is that most of us don’t have the time for full workouts. When you add up the time it takes to get ready, commute to a studio, and shower afterward, the whole ordeal usually takes around 2 hours. That’s 2 hours too many!
One way to combat this time-suck is to set up your own home Pilates studio. It’s surprisingly easy to do—all you technically need is a Pilates mat and a good virtual Pilates program. The switch from in-studio to at-home Pilates means you can work out whenever and for however long you want, making Pilates much easier to integrate into your life and routine.
But we’re getting side-tracked. Is 20 minutes of Pilates a day enough? If you’re following the right workouts, absolutely! 20-minutes a day is plenty to get you in Pilates shape. And if the alternative is not doing Pilates at all, then it’s even better (you gotta work with what you’ve got).
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The key to Pilates is consistency, so if you’re able to develop a fruitful Pilates routine around quick 20-minute workouts, you’ll be on your way to your dream Pilates bod in no time. Commit to a 20-minute Pilates practice regularly, and you’ll see improvements in your overall fitness and focus. And yes, Pilates, unlike weight lifting or some other exercises, is safe to do every day!
How To Maximize Your 20-Minute Pilates Workouts
You asked, and we answered. Yes, 20 minutes of Pilates a day is enough to get Pilates fit. But before you google any old Pilates workout and roll out your mat, you need to make sure you build your 20-minute Pilates routine around high-quality at-home videos! Especially because you’re shortening the traditional Pilates class length, it will be key to find at-home videos that are balanced. We don’t want you to accidentally only focus on one or two areas of the body, that would be very un-Pilates of you!
A great place to start is with Pilates Master John Garey, who has put together a full library of 20-minute Pilates workout videos. John Garey TV instructors are fun, precise, and know what they’re doing! John Garey offers it all, from Pilates mat workouts to Pilates reformer challenges. Take your pick from the options below to get started on your 20-minute daily Pilates routine. If you’re feeling a little lost, learn the benefits of Pilates and Pilates reformer workouts.
4-WEEK 20-MINUTE FITNESS CHALLENGE
To get started, check out John Garey’s 4-week 20-minute fitness challenge. This is a great option to get you started on your Pilates journey. Following John Garey TV videos means you don’t have to jump and skip between unsequenced Youtube videos that don’t target all your muscles equally to give you that full workout.
Week one will take you through workouts for the upper body, glutes, core, full-body strength, and of course, some cardio. In week two, you’ll take it up a notch with some high-intensity strength and medicine ball strength. Week three and four? You’ll have to check it out to find out! Oh, and if you get really into it, there are some bonus workouts available for you to try. And don’t forget that if you’re feeling like you need more, feel free to do 2 or 3 workouts in one day. Pilates is fun, so don’t get bogged down in the “rules”!
PILATES MAT 20-MINUTE WORKOUTS
These 20-minute Pilates mat workouts are great for all levels and only require one piece of equipment: a Pilates mat! Psst, it doesn’t even really need to be a “Pilates” mat. If you practice yoga or have a mat for other kinds of fitness, that’ll do! Just plop open the computer, sign in to your John Garey TV account, roll out your mat, and 20 minutes later, you’re done!
Need a mat? Try our favorite XL fitness Pilates mat. It’s amazingly large.
PILATES REFORMER 20-MINUTE WORKOUTS
If you’ve got a Pilates Reformer at home as part of your at-home Pilates studio, choose from these 20-minute Pilates Reformer workouts for a quick daily Pilates boost. Pick from your level of difficulty to get the right workout—but if you ever find yourself in a “too challenging” virtual class, just modify and do your best.
As a quick reminder, Pilates reformer classes, like Pilates matt classes, are all about resistance. The main difference is that Pilates reformer classes employ strings for resistance instead of body weight. But you can still control the resistance level by attaching different amounts of strings and using different sized strings.
Interested in getting your own Pilates Reformer? Check out our favorite Pilates Reformers (we use these ones in our classes!).
PILATES CHAIR 20-MINUTE WORKOUTS
A Pilates Chair is another great tool to boost your Pilates workouts. Like the Pilates Reformer, Pilates Chairs add difficulty to your Pilates workouts. Based on how difficult you want it to be, you can adjust the chair’s strings and pedals. Some muscle groups are easier to access on the chair than on the mat, so if you’re invested in getting those hard-to-target muscles, and quick, you’ll love these 20-minute Pilates chair workouts.
We have a favorite Pilates Chair too! Check out the EXO® Chair from Balanced Body®.
CADILLAC 20-MINUTE WORKOUTS
Even the benefits of Cadillac workouts can be felt after just 20 minutes! What’s a Cadillac? It’s what you get when you add a Pilates Tower to a Pilates Reformer! This contraption allows you to hang upside down, lift yourself up, and perform any and all Pilates poses. Ready to workout? Try a Cadillac 20-Minute Workout.
Intrigued by the Cadillac? Learn more about all the Pilates equipment you need for a full at-home studio.
Come On… You Have 20-Minutes
One of the biggest benefits of a 20-Minute workout is you have no excuse! Most of us can squeeze in a 20-minute workout. But just because it’s quick, doesn’t mean it’s not hard! When you try these exercises, make sure you remember to concentrate and be mentally present throughout the poses. Focus on controlling every body movement, so you’re not just flopping from pose to pose. That’s a sure way to get injured, and to not get the Pilates benefits! Focus on centering your body during the exercises, so you’re not lopsided. And think, precision and fluidity!
Looking for More? John Garey Has All the Workouts
Some of us just can’t get enough Pilates—or at least, that’s how Pilates Master John Garey feels. If you’ve gotten through all of John Garey’s 20-minute workouts (wow!) or are just looking for your next Pilates challenge, there are more workouts to discover at John Garey TV. Get every kind of Pilates workout you’ll ever need with John Garey TV, all from the comfort of your home. But don’t confuse comfort with laziness—these classes will push you to your physical limit! If you’re not sure where to start, take our Pilates quiz to find the best Pilates challenge to fit your lifestyle.
