Joseph Pilates had a famous quote. It said “In 10 session you will FEEL the difference, in 20 you will SEE the difference and in 30 you will HAVE A WHOLE NEW BODY.”
But was he right?
Will you feel a difference in 1o classes? Will you see a difference in 20 classes?
Of course, there are many factors that influence the outcomes of a pilates practice. But, overall, the answer is YES!
Less Than 30 Classes Do Not Often Show Significant Changes Body Changes
Research seems to show that Pilates was right. Participants who didn’t practice 30 classes didn’t usually see significant body changes.
In 2006 Sekendiz et al found that participants who practiced three times a week, but only for 5 weeks, did not
show any changes in BMI (body mass index). Of course, these people only completed 15 classes.
Similarly, a study published in 2004 by Segal, Hein, and Basford studied 47 adult members of a community athletic club. They took a one hour pilates class once a week. They found that these members did not experience significant differences in weight at the end of their two month study. As a result, they concluded that practicing pilates once a week for an hour, was not enough to experience significant results.
Studies Show Positive Body Changes as Participants Approach 30 Classes
Other research shows that Joseph Pilates may have been right. If participants practice three times a week, they seem to experience results as they approach 30 classes.
In 2013, Kate Rogers and Ann Gibson published the results of their study that examined the effects of pilates in adult women who were new to pilates. They found that taking three classes a week resulted in a decrease in body fat. That is, after eight weeks of taking classes three times per week, or 24 classes total, participants in the study showed showed a decrease in body fat.
More studies seem to corroborate similar results. For instance, a 2013 study by Fourie et. al studied healthy and sedentary South African adult women over 60 years old. They found when they practiced pilates three times a week for eight weeks, the women demonstrated a significant decrease in body fat. As a result, they concluded that “an eight-week mat Pilates exercise programme may contradict or even reverse some of the most serious consequences of ageing associated with an increased fat mass and reduced lean body mass in elderly females.”
Likewise, Ali et al’s 2010 study of overweight student females who practiced Pilates three times per week for eight weeks found that the participants significantly decreased body fat and their waist size.
In summary, research shows that “it appears that over 900 minutes of total exposure and a frequency of at least 3x/week is needed to have an effect on body fat.”
Are There Exceptions to this Rule?
It seems that you MAY sometimes experience positive results even more quickly than eight weeks. In 2006, Jago et al’s study showed that more frequent Pilates produces faster results. When 11 year old girls practiced Pilates mat for 60 minutes, 5 times a week, they changed their body composition (lower BMI) in as little as 4 week.
Of course, more research would need to be conducted to determine if the girls age had anything to do with the results.
How Do I get Started?
If you are local to a studio like Auburn Yoga and Pilates Center, you can attend our beginner Pilates class. If you aren’t local, you can join my FREE 30 Day Pilates Challenge at doingpilatesathome.com. Or, you can buy (or rent) some of my Pilates videos at doingpilatesathome.com
Is there something that you have been wanting to do, but don't know where to start?
Subscribe to join the FREE 30 Day Goals Challenge with Jennifer.