If you are considering how to spice up your exercise regimen or include more movement into your everyday life, a great place to start is by incorporating minor changes first. People tend to succeed when they do not overhaul their entire routine at once—instead, try to make just one choice differently in order to build momentum. For some people, adding a 10-minute workout seems like a great place to start. For others, trying Pilates for beginners, like an introductory Reformer Pilates class, could be an ideal target.
No matter which path you choose, getting more active is always a good thing. However, if you are deciding between adding 10-minute workouts or a Pilates class, understand that you’ll get more out of a full-length class than you will a 10-minute stint of exercise.
To understand why, we are taking a look at how the body works and why Pilates helps it to achieve better fitness.
Advantages of a 10-Minute Workout
A 10-minute workout can prove to be an advantage for busy folks who struggle to fit other types of exercise into their daily routine. Some of the main advantages of going this route include:
- Ability to fit it anywhere in the day
- Small enough to feel attainable
- Can encourage explosive activity (such as high-intensity interval training)
- Can increase blood flow and provide a boost in energy
These benefits are certainly worth considering, and for someone starting from nothing, they can lead to larger changes in lifestyle and energy levels.
However, by committing just a little more time, you can reap significantly more benefits—and avoid some of the pitfalls of the 10-minute strategy as well.
Why a Full-Length Pilates Class Does More
A full-length Pilates class usually takes around 50 minutes, so it requires a larger block of time. However, in exchange, Pilates can offer greater benefits than a 10-minute workout.
Some of the reasons that Pilates is superior to a short exercise regimen include:
Less risk of injury – When a person concentrates on fitting their entire daily workout needs into 10 minutes, they can become aggressive and intense in their movements. Especially if stretching is not a part of the 10-minute plan, these high-intensity exercises can lead to strains and injury. Conversely, Pilates spends more time doing fewer movements, instead focusing on the quality of a person’s form throughout the exercise. This protects them from injury and strengthens the joints and muscles.- Longer calorie burn – Pilates can help people lose weight by burning calories through effort. It takes time for the body to ramp into higher energy usage, and 10 minutes is rarely enough time to tax the muscles sufficiently. Short exercises in 10-minute bursts can create a temporary spike in heart rate and calorie burn, but the body also recovers back to its resting state quickly. In contrast, a Pilates class extends this effort over the entire session, keeping the muscles engaged throughout.
- A chance to decompress – Viewing exercise as a 10-minute obligation can have negative mental health effects, contributing to the “go-go-go” mentality. People need a chance to rest without feeling pressured by a rigorous schedule. Pilates focuses on mindfulness, allowing participants to turn inward and observe themselves rather than the time left on the clock. This produces numerous benefits, such as a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol.
- Lower impact – The exercises done during a Pilates class are low-impact, sparing the joints from the jarring forces of intense activity bursts. For those who face physical challenges, are recovering from injury, or are still working on building their baseline strength, this makes Pilates a more accessible form of exercise. Compare this to 10-minute workouts, which must increase the heart rate quickly in order to achieve anything—a strategy typically achieved through high-impact exercises such as jogging, burpees, or boxing.
Incorporating 10 minutes of intense movement into your day can be a great step to boost your heart health and keep you active, but it will not produce the long-term results that Pilates can. From increased stability and balance to muscle strength, a full-length Pilates class has plenty to offer.
Explore Reformer Pilates for Beginners with RTR Pilates
When thinking of new ways to keep yourself healthy, keep in mind that movement is one important element that your body craves.
A full-length Pilates for beginners class can keep you active and strengthen your body without encroaching too much into your daily schedule. As an added benefit, it offers an opportunity to decompress and detach from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
The instructors at RTR Pilates would be happy to guide you through a Pilates class and learn how to use a reformer, so don’t be intimidated if you’ve never tried one before! Contact RTR Pilates to explore our beginner classes.
