This summer, I was looking for a new fitness routine. I wanted something I could do from home, something that wouldn’t make me sweat like crazy in the heat, and something that I could keep up with during a travel-heavy couple of months. Plenty of things came to mind: running was free and easy to do on vacation, but the heat was just too much. Walking was a solid alternative, but I wanted something that would build more strength. Weight training seemed like a potential fit, but since most of my workouts took place in the morning, I often didn’t have enough energy to lift as heavy as I would’ve liked.
With these factors in mind, I turned to Pilates and found that it was a near-perfect fit for my workout needs. Although everyone is different and no two people’s experiences will be exactly the same, here’s what happened to me after doing Pilates for a full month. Read on to get all the details on the fitness routine I followed, plus specific results – from physical strength to mental health.
Experts Featured in This Article:
Grace Taylor, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist specializing in general orthopedics, pre- and post-operative care, and sports-related injuries.
Ashlea McKee is a certified classical Pilates instructor and former professional dancer.
There’s a reason why Pilates has proven to be a hit among celebrities and fitness enthusiasts alike: it builds strength, isn’t too sweaty, and can be done using just your body and a mat. On days when I felt like moving off my mat, I decided to pair Pilates with walking. After all, if it’s good enough for Miley Cyrus, it’s good enough for me.
“Walking is a great tool for active recovery, meaning it aids in the repair process that follows muscle strengthening,” says Grace Taylor, PT, DPT. Pilates and walking also complement each other when it comes to building a well-rounded fitness routine, says certified Pilates instructor Ashlea McKee. Pilates offers strength, and walking is a simple and accessible form of cardiovascular exercise. Essentially, these two exercises are a match made in heaven.
My Pilates Routine
I generally practiced Pilates in the morning before work, then walked when I got home, although sometimes I switched it up depending on my schedule (or the weather). While I wasn’t perfect, I was pretty consistent overall; if I couldn’t squeeze both exercises into my day, I almost always made time for one. To keep my walks interesting, I challenged myself to try new paths in my neighborhood. As for Pilates, I used a subscription service – Pilates With Ashlea ($26 per month or $245 per year) – which was super accessible and inexpensive, but still gave me great results.
As a Pilates novice, the app workouts had lots of helpful visual and audio cues to help me learn the proper form, and the mat workouts were plenty challenging despite not having a Pilates reformer. I also liked being able to choose different areas of focus and workout lengths, depending on how sore I was, or how much time I had that day. To me, this was better than committing to a set studio workout for an hour every time (although that may be my next fitness venture!). Trying something new in the privacy of my living room was also much more comfortable than stepping into a studio and hopping straight onto an intimidating machine.
My Pilates Equipment
In terms of workout equipment and fitness gear, I added ankle weights, resistance bands, and the occasional heavier weight to make my workouts more intense. I firmly believe in the importance of investing in yourself when you start a new fitness routine, so I treated myself to new gear from Bala and Vuori. I swear my gorgeous Bala ankle weights ($55) and resistance bands ($35) made me even more excited to hit the mat every day – and don’t get me started on Vuori’s luxe activewear. When it came time for my daily walks, my trusty Hoka Bondi 8 sneakers ($165) made every mile a breeze. As mentioned before, I didn’t have a Pilates reformer at home, so I did my workouts using only a mat.
My Results
When I first started Pilates, I didn’t realize how much it would do for me. After a full month, it strengthened my core, increased my mental awareness, and improved my overall knowledge of Pilates. It also helped me slow down and enjoy the “soft exercise” life – and I have to say, I loved it. Here are a few more of the most notable results:
- Increased Mindfulness: Practicing Pilates made me so much more mindful of my body, which in turn made me more mindful of the world around me. Pilates encourages you to slow down and feel every inch of the movement, which I certainly did. I paid more attention to when I was holding my breath, or sucking in rather than holding my abs tight. Moving slowly and mindfully helped me get better at feeling my muscles engage, and properly activating them when I needed to. The more mindfulness I gained on the mat, the more I gained off the mat, too. In fact, I decided to forgo headphones for most of my walks in an effort to be more present with my thoughts. Just as I noticed my lower abs activating for certain Pilates exercises, I also started to notice certain thoughts rattling around in my brain.
- A Stronger Core: One of the most sought-after benefits of Pilates is a stronger core, and I certainly experienced this perk firsthand in my month-long experiment. Not only did my abs feel stronger, but I also learned how to engage my core in everyday life – even if I was just unloading groceries from my car. Interestingly enough, I noticed the biggest change in my lower abs, which can be hard to engage in other workouts. My new-and-improved core was noticeable in other ways, too. For example, when I rolled down the mat into a final resting pose, I was finally able to articulate the vertebrae in my lower back one by one, the way yoga instructors have been asking me to for years. Instead of having my lower back hit the mat in one movement, I could feel my lower abs pulling in tighter, helping me to lower slowly down. The first time it happened was a proud moment for me, because I could feel how well Pilates was working.
- A More Consistent Routine: I loved this workout routine because I could do it anywhere. A travel-heavy summer didn’t stop me from working toward my fitness goals. I did Pilates on my parents’ carpet, in hotels, and on the beach; just about everywhere I went, Pilates followed. Of course, the same goes for walking, which was a great way to explore the new places I was visiting. I also loved how adaptable both workouts were. I could add weights and resistance bands or skip them, depending on how I was feeling.
My Take Aways
As travel slows and routines settle back into place, I’m not sure what my updated fitness regimen will look like just yet, but I do know I’ll carry my Pilates lessons with me. I’m now much more aware of my core and how to activate it – whether I’m doing planks or deadlifts. That said, I do think Pilates and walking is something I’ll return to again and again – when my body needs a break from high-intensity workouts, when I feel my lower core in need of training, or when it’s just too damn hot out. This was a routine that I loved, and I certainly plan to keep Pilates on rotation in the future.
– Additional reporting by Chandler Plante
Kaley Rohlinger is a freelance writer for PS who focuses on health, fitness, food, and lifestyle content. She has a background in the marketing and communications industry and has written for PS for over four years.
Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group.
