Make the Most of Pilates: Feel Taller, Pain-Free & Stronger for Longer

This Blog was inspired by a student who has recently joined my classes as a beginner. He felt the benefits of the class 24 hours after the session then reverted back to his usual joint and back stiffness. We all want these benefits - feeling taller, pain-free and more aligned to last for longer. A weekly class isn't always enough because the body loves regular reminders rather than one big reset.

Physiological Benefits of Frequent Pilates Exercise

A single weekly class is a brilliant anchor, but for lasting results your body needs little and often:

Muscle response

To understand the muscular system and how movement happens, please watch this short video. It really does bring anatomy live visually.

In a pilates class, we activate specific muscles like the core before any movement. It is a skill to isolate the core muscles while maintaining a steady breathing pattern and not brace your abdomen. I always say it takes six weeks to understand where your core is and six months to feel the benefits of core exercises. Every exercise relies on the core supporting the spine. Whether you are standing, lying on your side, front or back or kneeling your neutral pelvic alignment and core activation are central to the movement. Consequently it can take time to perfect, so the more you practise outside of class, the quicker you improve and the stronger your back will be.

Fascia release

Facia surrounds every part of your body. It provides shape and support. For example, fascia holds your muscles together, which lets them contract and stretch. Like your tendons and ligaments, fascia is made mostly of collagen.

Conditions affected by fascia include:

Plantar fasciitis: There is a thick section of fascia on the bottom of your foot called the plantar fascia. When it gets inflamed, it causes intense heel pain. You’re most likely to feel plantar fasciitis when you walk in the morning after a night of being off your feet or when you stand up after sitting for a long time.

Frozen shoulder: Frozen shoulder is a painful condition that makes it hard to move your shoulder. It happens when the fascia around your shoulder becomes thick, tight, and swollen. 

Dupuytren’s contracture: The fascia under the skin of your hands and fingers thickens and tightens up. Over time, it can cause your fingers to curl and bend toward your palm.

Hernia: If your fascia is too loose, a hernia can occur. A hernia is an organ or tissue that bulges through a weak spot in a muscle or fascia. The types of hernias related to fascia are: inguinal, femoral and umbilical.

The more flexible fascia is, the less likely it is to cause you pain. In my pilates classes we use a prickle ball to roll under our feet, release our glutes (buttock muscles), hamstrings, calves, thoracic spine and neck. Pilates movements create gentle tension in the body to help release fascia.

Posture and balance

They both improve through repetition.

This is why clients who add just one short top-up session a week say they feel the benefits for longer.

What the Evidence Tells Us

Pilates Frequency vs Clinical Benefit

Frequency	Population	Clinical Benefit
Once/week	Healthy sedentary adults	Moderate improvements in flexibility, core strength, balance, mood. Evidence: small studies show measurable gains. (Sciencedirect 2016)
Twice/week	Adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP)	Significant reductions in pain and disability, improved core strength and balance. (Foster et al. 2018)
Three times/week	Adults with chronic LBP / musculoskeletal pain	Marginal additional benefit over twice-weekly; improvements in muscle thickness, function, pain, sleep quality. (Lim et al. 2020)

How do I Get Pilates Benefits for Longer?

Make it a part of your every day life:

Walk with a tall posture

Sit at your desk with a your spine aligned well

Regular stretch breaks from sitting in a car or at your desk

Keep a prickle ball under your desk or by the kettle and roll over under your feet

Stretch your arms & chest every time you walk under a doorway by putting them high up or to the sides

Stand behind a chair for a calf stretch on a zoom call

Sit on the floor watching TV instead of on a sofa sometimes

Take 5mins after every meal to quietly tune in to your breath

Practise pilates two or three times a week

To Summarise

A weekly pilates class is beneficial for those who lead sedentary lives, or are physically active and pain-free. By doing two or three sessions a week the results will be longer-lasting and make a difference to those with chronic aches and pains. Try to create new habits in your day-to-day life to exercise little and often to improve your posture, balance, breathing and movement.

If you'd like to enjoy the benefits of pilates for longer, join my weekly Live Friday 9am Class via zoom for a 30min whole body workout. Or sign up to view my pre-recorded videos with short 10-40 minute classes, guided routines for bone health, hip, knee, shoulder and back rehab. In both options you'll receive clear cueing that matches how I teach in person and progressions that help your body make lasting changes.