Add Katie’s On Demand Pilates Workouts To Your Schedule

When you’re wanting to complete a workout program from start to finish, feel yourself making progress, get into a consistent weekly training routine and smash some goals, Sweat programs are your best friend.

But what about those days when you’re low on time or want to try something different? That’s where the beauty of Sweat’s On Demand section comes in! You can explore individual workouts by trainer, targeted muscle groups, training style or Express options (who doesn’t love a quick workout?).

Last year, the Sweat Community completed almost 1.5 million On Demand workouts, and thanks to trainer Katie Martin, we have a good feeling that number will be even higher in 2023. Open the Sweat app and you’ll now find On Demand Pilates workouts from Katie in the Yoga, Pilates & Barre section, with even more dropping over the coming weeks - so keep your eyes peeled! 

If you’re new to Pilates, it’s a low-impact style of exercise that targets your muscles in a precise way, focusing on controlled movements, breathing, core engagement and posture while increasing your overall strength.

Katie’s new On Demand Pilates workouts range from 15 to 30 minutes, require no or minimal equipment, and most follow an interval format of 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of rest. 

Although that format might sound like an interval workout, Pilates isn’t about speed. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Pilates beginner or have been enjoying the practice for years, Katie’s advice for getting the most out of your workouts remains the same - it’s all about moving with control.

“Moving slowly and with control and taking the ‘easier’ option or the ‘regression’ when you need it is actually going to help you progress further and faster. Rushing through each exercise and compromising your technique is going to put you at a disadvantage. You’ll find that you won’t progress with your Pilates very much, nor will you reap the benefits.”

Why try Pilates?

Pilates has been a part of Katie’s own routine since her dancing days as a teenager, before she became a personal trainer. Because of the muscular strength, control and posture needed for dancing, Pilates provided a strong foundation for her overall training, but the benefits were so worthwhile that it has remained a key part of her routine ever since. 

Try one of her On Demand workouts and you’ll see exactly what she means - each session is designed to boost your muscular control, strength, balance and posture while building your mind-body connection. And before you go jumping to the conclusion that Pilates is for dancers, it’s for everyone.

“Pilates is an amazing training style because it’s suitable for anyone or can complement any type of training you’re already doing,” Katie says. 

Because Pilates can be done with any level of experience and it’s not overly taxing on the body like heavy lifting, high-impact or high-intensity training styles can be, it’s easy to weave Katie’s workouts into your existing routine (or you might even find you want to try a full Pilates program!). 

“Pilates allows you to get into the smaller stabilising muscles that are easily missed or overlooked when you do other types of training. It’s also great for pre and postpartum training, all age demographics, those that are coming back from injuries, or those who are looking to accelerate their training to another level,” explains Katie.

No matter what your training routine or preferences are, Katie sings the praises of Pilates and encourages everyone to give it a go. 

If you feel like you’re sitting at about 80% with your training but can’t quite bridge the gap to get to your peak level of performance or achieve your goals, Katie says Pilates can help you get there. 

“Whether your goals are running faster or longer distances or lifting heavier weights with your strength training, Pilates isn’t going to take away from your current training routine, it’s going to enhance it and make your body stronger and more capable.”

What does Katie’s routine look like?

Although her workout schedule is heavily focused on her strength and running goals, Pilates will always be an important part of Katie’s routine. 

“I find it’s actually a major player when it comes to running and weight training in terms of things like working the smaller muscles, making sure my knees are tracking over my toes the way they should be, or that my pelvis is in the right position. These might sound like tiny changes, but over time they really do change the way in which you perform.” 

Katie currently practices Pilates about twice a week, and these sessions vary from full-length workouts, to Pilates-focused warm-ups and cool-downs, or implementing Pilates throughout her strength training sessions to target each muscle group even more effectively. 

“It’s something I always come back to, especially if I start to feel any niggles or pain or find that I’m not really making much progress with my strength training or running. Honing back in on the foundations of my movements makes a big difference.”

Keen to join Katie for Pilates? Her On Demand workouts are available now on the Sweat app and more will be released over the coming weeks!