Is Mat Pilates Effective?
Yes, it is; I just had to get that out right away. The mat work is some of the most challenging training you will do in Pilates.
The Pilates mat work is a series of exercises that go from beginner to intermediate to advanced level. Each movement in the mat can additionally be modified to have beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. Modifications can be made for issues with range of motion or injuries.
Pilates mat can be designed towards a specific goal like Pilates mat for back pain, Pilates mat for weight loss, Pilates mat for arm and abdominal strength, Pilates for flexibility, Pilates mat for Golf, Pilates mat for surfing. No matter how you gear the mat, it will continually improve your performance, relieve your pain, strengthen you, stretch and tone your entire body. I always say the Pilates mat work makes you a little bit good at anything you try. If you are already good at the thing, you will be better. The mat work is super versatile and adaptable to your needs or goals.
Once you learn the basics of body placement, breathing, and Pilates concepts, you can do the mat on your own every day. You don't need to go to a studio, but of course, the studio is super fun too. You can adapt the mat for the day you will have—for instance, a pre-running mat work or a pre or post-golf game mat work. You can use it for recovery or warm-up, or it can stand on its own as a strength and toning workout. The mat is not meant to replace anything by design. It's a beautiful addition to any existing workout program, and it's fun. If you need to change up your routine, learning Pilates mat work will certainly do that for you.
Pilates mat is a course of study, it does take time to learn, and there is a learning curve. You can't rush any of the advanced exercises, and you can't blow through the easy ones either. Simpler exercises are to prep you for the harder ones. So it's important not to place too early of a judgment on exercises you might think are a waste of your time or too easy. The work needs to be respected as a course of study in that way. For example, if I wanted to golf, I wouldn't just buy the stuff and show up on the golf course. There's a great deal of information to learn before I go out and start whacking a club around. Pilates mat is the same way. You have to learn the fundamentals before you can progress.
Once you have the fundamentals down and perform the exercises in their recommended repetitions, the results are fast. In my 40 years of teaching, I have seen total body transformations just from Pilates mat alone. I have seen people heal from injuries chronic and acute. I have seen people fix their back and neck problems, knee problems, get in shape after a baby, or preparing to get pregnant. I have seen people lose weight, improve their golf and tennis games. It just goes on and on.
No training is more challenging than exercising using your own body weight. Training this way makes the body shift very quickly and is very effective. It's difficult, but when you see the results, the excitement far outweighs the challenges. Typically you can expect to see results going 2x a week in about 3-6 weeks. If you practice a few exercises every day, maybe even sooner.