How To Maintain Your Pilates Motivation

Sarah was suffering from constant back pain that was making life extremely challenging . A thoughtful work colleague, who had been a client of mine for more than 10 years, advised Sarah to start Pilates with me.  As a school teacher,  Sarah was extremely motivated to overcome her pain as keeping up with the demands of her high energy job were becoming almost impossible.  In addition to her weekly virtual session with me, Sarah practiced Pilates daily using my on-demand video library.  Not surprisingly, 6 weeks later she was pain-free and elated!  She kept up her daily practice for another 3 weeks until the school holidays began.  Sarah attended a wedding interstate which she combined with a much needed 2 week holiday.  She had intended to keep up her Pilates practice at least twice per week, but what do you think happened?  She was out of her routine, wasn’t in pain and soaking up the Queensland sun at the beach was just too tempting and she didn't do any Pilates.  While hoilidays are a neccessity to relax and recharge, it was upon her return, when she needed it most, that Sarah really struggled to regain her previous PIlates routine. She resumed her weekly virtual session with me but she just couldn't get motivated to do anything else. This was causing her stress and frustration and she feared her back pain would return.  We all experience ups and downs in our Pilates practice which is completely normal, so let's look at some practical ways to help keep your motivation going once you are pain free.

Focus On Your Goals

During a Pilates Initial Assessment I always ask my client what their goals are for Pilates. This helps me to ensure I can assist my client to work towards what they set out to do but also to help them really clarify what they want to achieve.  If you can focus on "the big picture" it can give you the motivation you need to keep going.  If your first goal was to become pain free and you've achieved it, that's cause for enormous celebration!  Then it's time to bring your focus to your next goal.  Some examples of these goals are:  to maintain your independence as you age, to be able to enjoy long challenging walks or to prepare for a new sport or activity.  It has to be meaningful to you so that it keeps you motivated.  So be very clear on what you want and keep imagining how great it will be when you achieve that goal.  Then it's time to choose another goal that will motivate you to keep moving.  In Sarah's case, it turns out she was planning to go skiiing in Canada at the end of the year which was at least 7 months away.  She had been skiing from a young age but not since she had back pain. When we discussed this it motivated her to be as strong and pain-free as possible for skiing so she could really enjoy the experience and she was able to get back into her Pilates routine with ease.  A strong goal is highly motivating!

Start Small

A small amount Pilates in your day is far better than none at all.  If you are struggling to make Pilates a priority in your life again, choose 1 video from my on-demand video library that is 10 mins in length that appeals to you.  Aim to do just that video. Then, at then end, if you have the time and you feel like doing more keep going with another video.  If you don't, then stop right there. You have completed 10 mins of Pilates! Celebrate that you did it!  When you are restablishing your routine again, just start by fitting in videos of 10 mins or less when you can.  If you do this 3 times per week you will have done 30 minutes which is substantial.  This is much better than no PIlates and a great way to kickstand your motivation without overwhelming yourself. 

Choose Your Favourite Exercises 

While I always say it's important to practice your least favourite Pilates exercises as these are the one you really need to do, sometimes there is an exception to this rule.  When you are lacking motivation, this is the ideal time to choose your favourite exercise that you absolutley love doing and use these to regain your confiedence and momentum.  Enjoy moving through your favoutite sequences and remind yourself just how therapeutic and enjoyable Pilates can be, both for your body and mind. Then after a while you can gradually re-introduce some of your least favourite exercises that you know you need to practice.  Before you know, you will be back on track!

Keep A Pilates Practice Diary

Keep a diary of your daily PIlates practice so you can tally up at the end of each week just how much Pilates you have actually completed.  This is a great confidence booster and it provides you with concrete evidence that you are working towards your goal. You can also reward yourself and celebrate just how far you have come as it is so easy to forget.  I often remind my clients about the incredible progress they have made with Pilates and they have transformed their lives.  It's human nature but most have completely forgotten that they really have come so far especially when they have been practising Pilates for several years or more.  Acknowledge your progress and celebrate it!

Participate in a Pilates Intensive

I offer regular 10-day Pilates Intensives online throughout the year with specific themes which are ideal to encourage you to establish a daily PIlates practice. Intensives are highly effective for helping you to reach your full Pilates potential and then keep that momentum going long after the Intensive has finished.  Participants join a private Facebook group and I go live in the group with a series of classes that you can also catch on replay.  it's a great way to come together in a community and get some accountability. The next one will be in early 2024 and it's free, so sign up for my newsletter here if you want to receive updates. You will also receive a free copy of my guide "Could Pilates Change Your Life?"

If you need assisstance getting started with Pilates and want some help with staying motivated, my online Pilates studio is for you and you can email me at [email protected] .  Alternatively, you can book an Initial Assessment with me here or  take the free 10 day trial of JS Mind Body Pilates, my online studio and start straight away.  It would be my pleasure to assist you on your Pilates journey to pain-free living and beyond!