Dynamic Pilates Manly is one of the most commonly used pieces of Pilates equipment is a reformer. Are you a Pilates buff, and know and understand the benefits of a tight, toned body without having a near death experience on the spinning bike? Do you also know that one Pilates session a week won’t give it to you? Welcome to the 14-day challenge, an idea developed by my husband, Steve, who is a recent NY Pilates convert.
He devised a 14 day challenge for us one morning when in passing, I commented on how great his abs looked. “It’s Pilates,” he said surprised and proud. With only two sessions a week he had gotten noticeable results in a few weeks of consistent practice. “I wonder,” he said, “what change might occur if I go to a session every day for 14 days.” Yes, I thought looking at my own abs in the mirror, admiring my Buddha belly that has become less and less pronounced with my own two regular weekly sessions.
So, without much ado the 14 day challenge was born. We worked with the talented staff of Kinected NYC Pilates studio to devise a super well-rounded, kick-ass program that was designed to target every muscle on the body and then some.
Following are lessons learned from our 14-day challenge journey:
1) There are no excuses. Most of us are on-the-go New Yorkers managing a successful career, and living a busy social life, all while trying to get enough sleep with a moment left over to breathe. Despite all of the madness, it is totally possible to make daily Pilates sessions work without too much effort.
2) It’s all about priorities – if you truly believe in something and want to achieve a noticeable result, it’s all about making time for it – which connects to the 1st lesson learned).
3) Progress isn’t always measured by an ever-decreasing waistline but rather overall fitness. My cardiovascular endurance went to a new level; for example, a previous 40 minute interval training on the bike or treadmill was a serious challenge – until 3/4 of the way through the 14 day challenge when I noticed I wasn’t winded after an intense 30 mins of 60 sec intervals at a speed of 5.5 – 7.0 on the treadmill at a 10 degree incline. Who knew!
4) You are what you do – the old adage “you are what you eat” goes for taking care of your body. You get back what you put in. If you don’t try something new and constantly challenge yourself, you will always get the same result. Albert Einstein once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting something new! So, go ahead design your own Pilates lose weight 14 day challenge and get ready for some serious benefits. Go ahead, I dare you!