Body & Mind

Why Pilates at home is just as good (and completely free)

Are you joining the 25-day mat Pilates challenge?

By
jadeanna_sports_pilates

While everyone these days is hanging upside down on a reformer torture bench, I was apparently the only one just sitting and watching. Through Instagram, just enjoying the view. With a bag of candy on the side, that at least. My daughter Moya came up with the idea to do Pilates at home, mat Pilates that is. Because we were almost the only ones who weren't doing it yet. But well, for a class you easily pay 25 to 40 euros. Joe Joe. Quite an investment if you want to go three times a week. Don't get me wrong: I really understand that hype, but what a money. Now I have started a 25-day Pilates Challenge at home with Moya. Mega effective. Just at home, on a mat for YouTube.

I am really sold. I also find it fun.

Previously, I thought Pilates was mostly just a bit of stretching left and right, but now I know better. It doesn't look complicated at all, Pilates on a mat. Well, just try it. I seriously have muscle pain in places I didn't even know I had muscles. And the best part? I don't have to leave my house for it anymore.

Our Pilates addiction is Pilates by Izzy on YouTube. A super fun and attractive young woman who takes you through all the exercises. Her free 25-day Pilates Challenge has already been viewed more than 9 million times in just over a year. And after a few workouts, you understand exactly why.

Why mat Pilates at home is so effective

Pilates at home is therefore mega popular. And I get it. It doesn't require a completely new lifestyle. No gym bag, no travel time, and thus no ridiculously expensive subscription. Just a good yoga mat, dumbbells, a yoga ball, and resistance bands, and thirty minutes of your day. We bought all these things at Decathlon.

The nice thing about Pilates is that you work on strength, balance, mobility, and your posture at the same time. Moreover, you train many muscle groups simultaneously. Precisely because you perform the movements slowly and controlled, you often feel the exercises for hours afterward.

Doing thirty minutes of Pilates at home three or four times a week often yields more than one intensive workout per week that you then can't maintain. Consistency always wins over perfection in the end.

Is Pilates at home just as effective as reformer Pilates?

Okay, this might be the most frequently asked question of the moment. Because don't we all have the idea these days that we need to lie on a reformer bed to really see results?

No, not really per se.

Reformer Pilates is really fantastic, but mat Pilates still forms the basis of almost all Pilates exercises. You use your own body weight to strengthen and build muscles. And believe me, that's really more than enough.

In fact, many exercises you do on a reformer are based on movements you can also perform at home.

The big difference? A reformer class will quickly cost you dozens of euros per session. Pilates at home costs you exactly nothing.

Pilates by Izzy: the free Pilates workout of the moment

Okay, do you want this too? Izzy is really fantastic. Type ‘Pilates by Izzy” on YouTube and you'll see all kinds of workouts. From beginner classes of twenty minutes to complete Pilates challenges of a month.

What I find perhaps even nicer is that you can now find an incredible amount of free Pilates workouts for home on YouTube. Whether you have twenty minutes or want to follow a complete Pilates challenge, there is really something for everyone.

Izzy is an Australian Pilates instructor and has more than 2.3 million subscribers and over 70 million views on her channel. That's really not just by chance. Her videos combine mat Pilates with strength training and are suitable for beginners and athletes with some experience.

The workouts usually last about 25 to 30 minutes, but I also see them lasting an hour. We are not there yet.

By the way, there are many more mat Pilates workouts to be found on YouTube. It's really not just Izzy.

The 25-day Pilates Challenge is addictive

If you could use a bit of motivation, you can also check out Izzy's 25-day Pilates Challenge. Every workout is different, and that keeps me motivated at least.

What I perhaps find the best? You don't have to think about anything. You just press play and simply follow the program. No complicated workout schedules and no hours in the gym, just nice at home by yourself (or like me with my daughter). No other types around you. .

Thirty minutes later, you feel exactly which muscles you have used. And believe me, you sometimes still feel them the next morning.

What you need for Pilates at home

Nothing more. You can even buy it all at Action. For even less. Except for the mat: that really needs to be of good and nice quality.

How often should you do Pilates at home for results?

Do you really want to see results? Then consistency is more important than intensity. Doing a heavy workout twice a month will yield you less than moving for twenty to thirty minutes three or four times a week.

Many people notice a difference in their posture, flexibility, and muscle strength after a few weeks. Additionally, Pilates gives many women the feeling of becoming stronger and more energetic, without every workout feeling like they have run a marathon.

Can you lose weight at home with Pilates?

Pilates is not a miracle cure that helps you lose five kilos in two weeks. However, it helps you build muscle mass, become stronger, and move more. In combination with healthy eating and sufficient movement, Pilates at home can certainly contribute to weight loss.

Pilates at home might just be the best-kept sports secret

Of course, a reformer class remains hotter than hot. But maybe that's why everyone has somewhat forgotten how effective mat Pilates actually is.

Pilates at home is cheap, mega accessible, and super intensive. It doesn't cost you a subscription of hundreds of euros per year, and you can literally start today.

I would definitely recommend it to you.

Image: Jadeanna instagram