How Often Should You Do Pilates? A Practical Weekly Guide

By Katherine, Lead Instructor, Certified Pilates Instructor

Most adults do well with two to three Pilates sessions a week. In a review of Pilates and posture, the authors report 8 of 13 trials used 50 to 60 minute sessions twice weekly (Li et al., 2024), and one dosing trial in chronic low back pain found twice weekly beat once (Miyamoto et al., 2018). Pilates alone may not cover the aerobic part of Canada's activity guidelines.

Key takeaways

• Two to three sessions a week is a sensible range for most healthy adults, but we did not find research that settles one "correct" frequency, and one session a week still counts as progress.

• Canada's 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for adults call for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity and muscle strengthening at least twice a week (CSEP). Pilates can contribute mainly to the strengthening part, in our judgment, rather than the aerobic part.

• Beginners can build up gradually: one session a week at first, then two, then a third if it suits your schedule and recovery.

• Short daily sessions of around 20 minutes can help build a habit, but they are not a substitute for walking, cycling or swimming.

• Rest matters. Sleep, easier days and listening to your body are part of the program, not a break from it.

How many times a week should you do Pilates?

For most healthy adults, two to three sessions a week is a sensible target. If you are still getting oriented, our guide to what Pilates is and how it works explains the method itself. Twice a week is a common pattern in the research, though that is a description of how studies were designed, not proof it is the best dose. In a systematic review of Pilates and body posture, the authors report that 8 of 13 trials used 50 to 60 minute programs twice a week, and most reported improvements in specific postural measurements. Those trials were mostly small (most had fewer than 50 participants) and varied in quality, and the review does not show whether the changes last once training stops, so treat them as short-term, supervised change rather than a permanent fix (Li et al., 2024).

The most direct test of frequency we found is a Brazilian trial of 296 adults with chronic low back pain, in which twice weekly Pilates beat once weekly for pain and disability at six weeks, while three times a week did not clearly beat twice (Miyamoto et al., 2018).

One honest limit: that trial studied people with back pain over six weeks, so it does not tell us the ideal dose for everyone, and evidence for other goals is thinner. If your back is your main concern, our guide to Pilates for lower back pain covers what the research shows and how to start safely.

How does Pilates fit into Canada's 24-Hour Movement Guidelines?

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for adults aged 18 to 64, from the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), recommend at least 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity, muscle strengthening using the major muscle groups at least twice a week, several hours of light activity including standing, and 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Progressing toward any of these targets brings some health benefit (CSEP).

Here is how we would map Pilates onto that list. Two challenging sessions a week may count toward the muscle-strengthening target, particularly reformer classes, where springs add resistance. That is our judgment about how classes work, not a CSEP ruling on Pilates. The aerobic target is a different matter. A 2026 review pooling Pilates energy-cost studies found a typical session averaged about 3.7 METs (a measure of effort relative to resting), which the authors describe as light-to-moderate intensity. A more conservative estimate, excluding higher-risk studies, was 3.0 METs. The review included six studies and the authors rate the evidence very low to low certainty (Vitor et al., 2026). Some classes will raise your heart rate more than others, but that puts Pilates at best at the lower edge of moderate intensity, so we would not count on it alone to deliver 150 minutes of aerobic activity.

A practical week for many adults looks like this:

• Two Pilates sessions (strength, control, mobility)

• Brisk walking, cycling, swimming or another aerobic activity on most other days

• Some light movement through the day, such as standing and short walking breaks

How should beginners build up?

If you have a medical condition, an injury, or are pregnant or postpartum, check with your doctor or physiotherapist before choosing how often to train. If you are new, start lower than you think you need to. Our guide to Pilates for beginners covers what the first weeks feel like.

We did not find a trial that tested a specific build-up schedule, so treat the following as practical guidance rather than a proven protocol:

1. Weeks 1 to 2: one session a week, ideally with an instructor who can see how you move.

2. Weeks 3 to 6: add a second session if you recover well and still feel keen. Space sessions a day or two apart.

3. After about six weeks: consider a third session, or keep two and add walking or other aerobic activity. Both are good outcomes.

If you are wondering when changes become noticeable, we answer that in how long it takes to see results from Pilates.

How often should you do reformer Pilates?

We did not find any research that sets a separate weekly frequency for reformer Pilates compared with mat, so the same two-to-three-sessions range is a reasonable starting point. In practice, the reformer's springs let you adjust the load more precisely than mat work. Starting with one or two sessions a week lets your body adapt, and you can add a third once recovery feels easy.

Our comparison of reformer vs mat Pilates explains how the two differ.

Is 20 minutes of Pilates a day enough?

It can be a very good habit, with caveats. Twenty minutes a day adds up to 140 minutes of movement a week, but the 150-minute guideline refers to moderate to vigorous aerobic activity, and the energy-cost evidence suggests Pilates sits at the light-to-moderate end of that range on average (Vitor et al., 2026). A short daily routine can still be valuable for mobility, posture awareness and keeping a routine going.

We are not aware of a trial that compares short daily sessions with longer, less frequent classes, so we cannot say one is better. A realistic compromise is one or two longer sessions for new learning and challenge, with short routines on other days if you enjoy them. If your goal is broader strength, a combination with other resistance work may suit you; see Pilates vs strength training for how they compare.

What about rest and recovery?

Recovery is part of any exercise plan, so it belongs in your week. CSEP recommends 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep on a regular basis (CSEP), and if your sleep has slipped, a gentler week is better than pushing through.

Some practical rules of thumb, which reflect common exercise practice rather than Pilates-specific research:

• Leave a day between challenging sessions, especially while you are new.

• Mild muscle fatigue the day after is common. Sharp, joint-related or radiating pain is not: stop that exercise and tell your instructor, and see your doctor or physiotherapist if it continues, or if you notice numbness, tingling or weakness. We explain the difference in why you may feel sore after Pilates.

• Rest days can still include walking, gentle stretching or easy movement.

Finding your weekly rhythm with us in Markham

If you are not sure where to begin, our Posture Assessment + 1:1 Pilates Intro is a good first step: it gives you a look at how you move and a private session to learn the fundamentals before you decide on a weekly rhythm. From there, you can move into our Small Group Pilates Class, a reformer class capped at three people, 55 minutes long, with drop-ins welcome. If you attend regularly, ask us about class packs on our pricing page, and you can book a class in Markham whenever you are ready. We adapt each session to you, and we work alongside your health care provider if you have a condition or injury.

Frequently asked questions

Can you do Pilates every day?

Light mat sessions on consecutive days are generally manageable for many healthy adults, but it depends on how challenging the sessions are and how you recover. If a class leaves you noticeably sore or tired, give yourself a day before the next demanding one. Daily practice is more realistic as short, gentler routines than as full reformer classes.

Is once a week enough?

Yes, it is a good start, and the CSEP guidelines say progressing toward their targets brings some benefit (CSEP). In the low back pain trial, once weekly beat advice alone, but twice weekly did better still (Miyamoto et al., 2018). If you can only manage one class, adding a short walk or home routine on other days helps.

Do you need to do Pilates for longer than 55 or 60 minutes?

Probably not. The authors of a review of Pilates and posture report that 8 of 13 trials used sessions of 50 to 60 minutes (Li et al., 2024), so a standard class is a typical length, though we did not find a study comparing longer sessions with shorter ones. A well-paced hour you can recover from beats an exhausting one.

Sources

1. Li, F., Omar Dev, R. D., Soh, K. G., Wang, C., & Yuan, Y. (2024). Effects of Pilates on Body Posture: A Systematic Review. Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation, 6(3), 100345. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39372244/

2. Miyamoto, G. C., Franco, K. F. M., van Dongen, J. M., Franco, Y. R. D. S., de Oliveira, N. T. B., Amaral, D. D. V., Branco, A. N. C., da Silva, M. L., van Tulder, M. W., & Cabral, C. M. N. (2018). Different doses of Pilates-based exercise therapy for chronic low back pain: a randomised controlled trial with economic evaluation. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(13), 859-868. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098825

3. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP). Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults 18-64 Years. https://csepguidelines.ca/adults-18-64/

4. Vitor, G. B. B., de Oliveira, L. C., Pessôa, R. A. G., Aguiar, A. F., & de Oliveira, R. G. (2026). Metabolic intensity and energy cost of Pilates exercises: an exploratory systematic review and meta-analysis of limited and heterogeneous evidence. Systematic Reviews, 15(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-025-03056-y