I wanted to build core strength so tried a Pilates challenge - and it's totally changed the way I feel about exercise

If you'd told me a year ago I'd be trying a Pilates challenge by choice, I wouldn't have believed you. That said, I also couldn't have predicted that I'd be suffering from neck and back pain caused by a total lack of core strength - something which Pilates promises to boost. 

Let's rewind a bit, first - because while I've spent the last month completing this Pilates challenge, I've never tried the workout before. I didn't used to think Pilates was my "thing". To me, a Pilates workout seemed to be the exercise of choice for the women who had the time to match their gym wear (spoiler alert: I don't). Still, since then, I've had a total change of heart, and I've been recommending all my friends to give the workout a go, too.

Why am I a Pilates girly now? Well, there are a whole heap of benefits of Pilates including building longer, leaner muscles, improving flexibility, balance, and posture, not to mention doing wonders for your core, all of which I've noticed since starting my challenge. 

While I was sceptical to begin with - the whole world seems to be obsessed with the workout at present - I'll be honest, I now get the hype. I like that it's not a new, trending workout, either - Pilates has been around since the 1920s, first created by Joseph Pilates who invented 50 different Pilates exercises to tone, strengthen, and lengthen.

Naturally, I wanted in - which is why I said yes to this Pilates challenge that Health Editor Ally Head asked me to take on. Keen to see how I got on? Keep scrolling - and don't miss our guides to Pilates for beginners, Reformer Pilates, and 20 minute Pilates workouts, while you're here. 

I tried a 24-day Pilates challenge, and I can't believe how much it transformed my overall health

Which Pilates challenge did I go for?

While there are quite literally hundreds of Pilates challenges on the market - from the Pilates wall workout to bed Pilates (yes, really) - I opted for coach Lottie Murphy's 24 Days of Pilates challenge. 

A 24-day challenge with classes ranging from fifteen to 40 minutes taught by Murphy herself, the challenge encourages mindful movement, meeting your body where it's at, and moving in a way that works for you and your body. Most of the sessions are around 20 minutes long and encourage you to stop and return at any time if you're just not feeling it. Another perk: it's all online, meaning you can stream the workouts from the comfort of your living room. While some find working out in studio motivating, I'm a home workout kinda gal. It just makes life easier - you don't waste time getting to a studio, you can wear whatever you like, and you're in your own space, too.

Murphy's sessions work the entire body but are mainly focused on your core and making sure you're working out with the correct posture (that's engaged abs and a neutral pelvis, FYI).  This was another perk of taking on the challenge from home: when doing a class online, I had the time to pause it and ensure I was in the correct position or rewind and watch the instructor complete, if unsure, rather than rushing through it and injuring myself. 

What are the benefits of a Pilates challenge?

I'd heard of the benefits of Pilates, but I had no idea it would feel that good. "Pilates keeps your body strong, supple and mobile for life," says Murphy.

So, Pilates boosts your overall wellbeing, but it'll also improve your "core strength flexibility, posture, muscle tone, balance and coordination," adds Aimee Victoria Long, personal trainer and co-founder of OMNI-Wellness. After sitting at a desk most of the day, I was thrilled to hear that Pilates can improve posture. According to the PT, the workout encourages proper alignment and body awareness, in turn helping to correct postural imbalances and improve posture. Not just that, it's a great workout for injury prevention, rehabilitation, and relief, she goes on.

So, what about the benefits of practising Pilates every day? To state the obvious - faster progress. "Daily practice allows you to build strength, flexibility, and endurance more quickly," explains Long. It also helps you remain consistent as daily sessions help you to establish a routine. Of course, it's always important to listen to your body - you should never jump into six to seven workouts a week if you're new to exercise. Similarly, rest and recovery days are key. That said, as Pilates is a low impact form of exercise and Murphy's flows combine more intense, lengthy sessions with short, soothing slow flows, you should be good to do most days, if you so wish.

I took on a Pilates challenge - here's how I got on

Chatting to Murphy about her love of Pilates after my challenge, she said to me: "Pilates will help you counteract desk posture, help you feel confident but also give you a zest for life" - and she was totally, totally right.

First up, the neck and shoulder pain that I've struggled with has almost completely disappeared, but I also feel the most confident I have in a very long time and am generally in a much better mood (which is a win in itself for me at this time of year). 

Week one

I'm basically a total beginner, so I'm glad to find that the classes start out nice and slow. They're all under 30 minutes (bar day seven, which is forty minutes). By day four, a friend had told me that my skin was glowing, I was feeling more assertive in my own body, and I was actually excited to do my next Pilates session, too. Only four days into the challenge, during a session specifically designed to workout your body and improve your focus, too, did I realise that they were right - Pilates does make you feel incredible. I left the mat feeling invigorated and ready to take on my to-do list for the rest of the day. 

For the remainder of the week, I feel more connected with my body and mind when I go for a walk and I notice that my shoulder and neck pain has eased. Day five's session reminds me that this challenge is all about reconnecting with myself - exactly what I needed to hear after a busy working day. 

Come the end of week one, I was surprised at how different I felt. My body feels noticeably stronger and taller somehow (I really must've needed that lengthening of the spine reminder), and as a result, I'm more confident.

Week two

I'm now at the stage where I'm constantly talking about Pilates. Everything seems to come back to it - while my friends complain of a bad back or neck pain, instead of joining in, I now rave about Pilates and how it eased all of my aches and pains.

I'm often met with the same question I used to ask the Pilates girlies - how do you have the time? And honestly, as someone who never seems to have enough time to get through my to-do list, I've asked myself the same question. But the answer is, I feel so good, I make the time for the sessions, prioritising them and making sure I carve out the time to move my body. Plus, the workouts are short and sweet - throughout week two, the sessions stay under 30 minutes long, and I find myself waiting to hear Murphy's soothing voice (seriously, I don't know what it is, but she's the only Pilates teacher I've been able to listen to). 

I'm deep into the challenge now, but on the last working day of the week, feel exhausted. Knowing that Pilates can boost energy, I start a quick Pilates flow instead of heading for a nap. It turned out to be one of my better ideas - in under 15 minutes, I feel energised and ready to tackle my to-do's head-on. 

There are usually days I totally lack exercise motivation and don't want to workout, but that never seems to happen in this challenge.

My final verdict

Come the end of the challenge, I'm quite sad it's over. Why? Well, because it's helped me to fall in love with exercise in a way I never thought I would. Will I keep it up? Absolutely. I plan on going over the LMP 24-day challenge again and again as it's quickly become a part of my routine that I don't know what I would do without. I don't want to jinx it, but I'm also excited about feeling even more confident and energised as time passes (two of the biggest perks of the challenge that I've noticed so far). 

Is it worth it? Totally. It costs £19.99 a month to become an LMP member, which gives you access to the 24 days of Pilates challenge, plus the entire catalogue of previous classes, including how to nail the basic principles of Pilates.

When I'm told the benefits of a workout or exercise, I don't expect to feel them all - but this time, I did. I have core strength that I didn't even imagine impossible, which in turn has improved my general posture muscle, and I'm the most connected to my body I've ever been. It's got me feeling like that girl – which is precisely the energy I needed going into the new year. Murphy says you can go over the challenge as often as you want and do any days and routines that resonate with you or feel good. I plan to keep it up daily (I know, who is she), and I can't wait to see how I will feel in a month if I keep going. Will I feel even more connected to my body? If I can feel this transformed in two weeks, I can't wait to see the result in six months. 

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