Pilates has become one of my favorite workouts over the past few years, just like it has for a lot of 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. But this month, my schedule is even busier than usual, so I haven’t had much choice but to do Pilates at home for 10 minutes every day.
I write a lot about how much or how little exercise we need to do to see changes and improvements in our bodies. I had a feeling that just doing 10 minutes of Pilates a day would make a difference. After all, consistency is often more important than intensity.
The good things that come from doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day
1. Better core strength
Pilates is the only exercise that works my core in the same way. Since having three kids, my stomach muscles have never been the same, so my stomach is very important to me. I also have pain in my lower back, which is why I’m working to keep my core muscles strong as I get older. I don’t want this pain to get worse.
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. I really like the Hundred, the bird-dog exercise, the dead bug, the plank variations, and the teaser.
Georgia Weibel, a Pilates instructor and the founder of Sync With Georgia, says that one of the best things about doing just 10 minutes of Pilates is that it will make your core stronger, which will help you in everyday life, like “walking, lifting, shopping, or sitting at a desk.”
2. 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 of the benefits of a short Pilates workout is that “within a week or two, you’ll feel taller and less tense across your shoulders and neck.” When you focus on your core, your back and stomach muscles get stronger, which helps your posture and eases any pain you may be feeling.
Georgia also says that “on a deeper level, daily low-impact movement improves circulation and lymphatic flow, which can help with that heavy, sluggish feeling that many women get when they are stressed or sitting for a long time.”
3. Benefits for mental health
The more something makes you feel good, inside and out, the more you want to do it. This is what happened to me during this Pilates challenge. My husband said to me on the third day, “You look very happy lying there,” and he was right. I was glad. I was taking care of 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 love that Pilates makes me focus more on what I’m doing as I get stronger and better at it. The moves are more difficult now, which means my mind can’t think about the other things that stress me out. This is a great time to take a break from all the mental stress.
Georgia says, “The breathing patterns used in Pilates help wake up the nervous system, which is the body’s way of calming down.” It can help you get out of “fight or flight” mode, which is what a lot of us are in.
Emma Mahama, who owns the Everybody Reformer studios in London and teaches Pilates, says, “It also builds quiet confidence.” As you get stronger and more in touch with your body, you walk and move differently. This physical strength often leads to mental strength as well.
4. You won’t get bored.
I don’t get bored doing Pilates, but some days an hour-long class seems harder than others, and I definitely couldn’t do one every day. The best thing about doing Pilates for just 10 minutes is that you can change it up every day. You usually want more and never look at the time.
There were a few days when I was more tired, so I changed the moves to fit how my body felt. On days when I didn’t feel like working out, I’d do slower moves like glute bridges and clams. I used my weights to work on strength-based moves like squats on some days. Georgia says, “When women realize that their energy changes throughout the month, it becomes much easier and more sustainable to move.”
I also used the Peloton app to change things up even more. One of the best Pilates apps because it has a lot of 10-minute classes. There are other apps and YouTube channels that offer similar classes and a wider range of options.
| 10-minute Pilates workouts on apps | Details |
|---|---|
| Peloton | See at Peloton |
| YogaGo | Go to plan.yoga-go.io to see it. |
| Pilates All the Time | Check out pilatesanytime.com |
You might know Peloton for its cycling and running workouts, but the apps (which work on any device) have a lot more to offer. For example, you can do hundreds of Pilates workouts at home, with or without equipment. All of them are taught by the same expert teachers who teach on the bike.
This yoga and Pilates workout app has sessions that last anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour and include a wide range of Pilates styles, such as wall Pilates. You can also make your own workout that meets your needs.
You can do mat and Reformer Pilates sessions at home or in the studio with Pilates Anytime. You can do a class in 10 minutes or less because all the videos are short, clear, and good for all levels.
5. Better motivation
Adding movement to your daily routine, even for just 10 minutes, will boost your energy levels. This will then affect other areas of your life. After I work out or go for a walk, I always feel good about myself, and those endorphins make me feel good for the next few hours. This often makes me work harder, eat better, or just have a better day!
The changes I saw in my body from these workouts kept me going too.
Emma says, “Ten minutes lets you focus on the basics, like breathing, alignment, and using the right muscles, without feeling overwhelmed. Consistency is what really makes a difference.”
6. It’s still a hard workout.
I might have made it seem like doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day is an easy choice. It’s not a 50-minute Reformer burner or one of my nonstop mat classes, but I could feel every second of the 10 minutes on the mat.
I wanted to make the most of every minute, so on days when I had more energy, I used hand weights to make my squats and bird-dog exercises harder. I also used a set of resistance bands to help me with my leg and glute workouts.
Emma says that tools like this can help you get more out of your practice. “It adds variety and a gradual challenge while still letting you keep your movements controlled and exact. You don’t need a lot of equipment to see results, but a mat and a few small props can be a great, cheap way to improve your practice.
| Product | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ZENO | Set of dumbbells: 1 kg, 2 kg, and 3 kg | £27.95 on Amazon UK |
| Fokky | Five Resistance Bands | £6.35 on Amazon UK |
| Gaiam | High-Quality 6mm Yoga Mat | £40.38 on Amazon UK |
You don’t need to lift heavy weights to get a good Pilates workout, but you might want to have a range of dumbbells on hand to make some exercises harder. For instance, a lot of people say their legs are stronger than their arms.
A set of dumbbells and a resistance band wrapped around your legs just above your knees do the same thing. It makes the exercise harder by adding resistance.
You don’t need much to do Pilates at home, but a thicker yoga mat can help your lower back, hips, elbows, and other joints feel better when you work out on the floor.
What I learned from doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day
I loved doing Pilates for ten minutes every day. I never felt worse after a workout, just like you never regret one. I actually did more than 10 minutes a few times because I was in the zone and the time flew by. I would feel better, taller, and happier when I got back to my desk. My hips felt less tight, and my core felt stronger.
As I said before, having a lot of different things is important. Adding in equipment when I had more energy helped me stay motivated, but it’s not necessary. You only need a mat and ten minutes to move. If you’ve been doing Pilates for a long time, like I have, you probably don’t need a workout app to kill time. But these can be very helpful if you want to work on a specific body part or get some ideas from a pro.
Ten minutes a day is a great place to start if you’re new to Pilates.
Is 10 minutes of Pilates enough?
Yes, for sure. I saw changes after doing Pilates for 10 minutes every day. I started to feel better mentally and physically within days, and I think I’ll see even more improvements in a few weeks. The professionals all agree. Georgia says, “For a lot of women, especially those in their 30s and older, shorter daily movement can be better for them than longer, more stressful workouts.”
“It keeps cortisol levels more stable, helps the nervous system, and builds strength in a way that feels good instead of tiring.” “That consistency really adds up over time,” she says.
Emma says that it’s easy to change up your workouts if you’re only doing 10 minutes a day. She also suggests trying longer classes, either online or in person. “Ideally, I’d recommend 20 to 45 minutes when you can, so you can work through your whole body and challenge yourself in different ways,” she says.
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“Different teachers bring different energy, cues, and programming styles, which can completely change how an exercise feels. It keeps you learning, challenged and stops you slipping into autopilot. My advice is to stay curious with it, try new variations, add small props, adjust the tempo. The beauty of Pilates is that it can evolve with you.”
