Pilates effectiveness or in 10 sessions you will feel a difference
One of the most famous of Joseph Pilates' quotes is this: "In 10 sessions you'll feel the difference, in 20 sessions you'll see the difference, and in 30 sessions you'll have a whole new body".
Many pilates studios use this quote and for obvious reasons- if you're promised a whole new body in 30 sessions, why not? It sounds amazing. Sign me up!
But here's the catch- while it IS possible to have a whole new body in 30 sessions, that entirely depends on your level of commitment, both financially and mentally. People coming to pilates once or twice a week are probably not going to have a whole new body in 30 sessions.
When people were coming to see Joseph Pilates they weren't coming in once a week- they were coming in 3 to 4 times a week. And they were studying with the master who demanded their focus and their strict adherence to his ideals. There were no group classes, no variations on the original exercises- there was only him, and he also expected that they would continue their practice at home, on their own time.
(Moreover, this amazing results can truly happen under 2 circumstances:
- You are working with certified, experienced and constantly developing teacher
- You are ready to commit and follow the instruction without doubting concepts about the body mechanics you don’t understand yet. But! Trust to professional – and check the Certificate before you commit)
I have never used this quote myself because I have felt that it creates unrealistic expectations for most people, both due to time or financial limitations.
Yes, I have a client with amazing changes, but – she is coming 3 times a week and truly working hard focusing and trusting the Method, implementing my recommendations in a daily life too.
Another one of my private clients whose transformation has been just as wonderful also worked with me 3 times a week privately until we determined that she understood the exercises well enough to transition to groups twice a week, and she continues to see me privately once a week.
Just yesterday we were working on a new exercise that was challenging for her- and when we finished he said "I'll get it next time!". And I love that attitude- she doesn't get discouraged, and she is committed to improving her practice. And she has reaped the benefits- when he first came to me she had recently been hospitalized for back pain, and although she wasn't overweight by any means in the time that she's been at the studio she's lost 15 pounds and looks amazing- but best of all, no back pain. She had worried that she would be saddled with this pain forever- and she was skeptical about pilates when she first came to me. But she stuck with it, and in 30 sessions she truly had a whole new body.
So I do believe in Joseph Pilates quote, because I have seen it manifested. And yet, we are all individuals with different bodies, different needs, different schedules, and different financial means. Not all of us need a new body, and not all of us have the same standards for what a "whole new body" should be. Is it a pain-free body? Is it a body with a 6 pack? Is it a body that is more flexible, with a calmer mind? Because some of these things can absolutely be achieved in 30 sessions whether they are done once a week or 4 times a week- but some of them may require more time, energy and commitment, both inside the studio and out.
The beautiful thing is that no matter how you use pilates- whether as your sole exercise method, or as an adjunct to your other activities- you will see, feel and experience the difference, whether you come to group classes once a week, or take privates 3 times a week. Because pilates doesn't stay in the studio- you take it with you when you leave, in your posture, in your breathing, in your awareness of your body. My point is, don't get hung up on the whole new body in 30 sessions. If that's what you desire and what you need and you have the means to achieve it, then by all means- go for it! But what I have found in my studio is that no matter how often you do pilates, as long as you do it regularly, you will see the benefits- from your very first session to your umpteenth group class.