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“I never work out for longer than 30 minutes”—this is the exact weekly routine a Pilates instructor follows to improve her strength and bone health
Welcome to Workout Diaries, a new series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week in exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.
Finding the time to work out while leading a full life can be a struggle.
As a Pilates instructor, app-founder and busy mom, Rebecca Daodun knows all about this—but she still finds a way to make time for her movement goals.
“I’ve got three kids and I’m running my home studio and my app,” she tells Fit&Well. “I am the busy woman that I’ve made my app for.”
The instructor’s app, Pilates Prescription, is designed for people who are trying to fit low-impact movement in their day-to-day lives.
“The problem for me is that working out is part of my job, and so I don’t want to over exercise,” she explains.
With this in mind, Daodun tries to prioritize short but effective workouts, alongside rest and recovery. Here’s what her usual week looks like.
Rebecca Daodun’s weekly workout routine
Monday 8am
15-minute mat Pilates class
Focus: Lower body
Tuesday 9am
15-minute mat Pilates class
Focus: Upper body
Tuesday 5pm
30-minute reformer Pilates session
Focus: Full body
Wednesday 12pm
30-minute Pilates tower session
Focus: Full body
Thursday 8pm
30-minute mat Pilates class
Focus: Full body
Friday 12pm
One hour yoga session
Focus: Mobility and recovery activity
Saturday
Rest day
Sunday 8.45am
30-minute mat Pilates class with dumbbells
Focus: Full body
Rebecca Daodun Q&A
(Image credit: Rebecca Daodun)
What type of workouts do you do?
“I prioritize keeping up with my own Pilates practice. I also prioritize strength training, either with weights or the reformer or the tower [Pilates machines].
“I also prioritize rest—like yoga and mobility—because that’s equally as important.”
Most of her Daodun’s sessions focus on full-body strength, although there’s often a secondary goal involved.
“Through any Pilates class, I make sure that there’s mobility and strength and an element of mindfulness, because breathing is really important to all the classes,” she says.
Daodun also walks daily, often while wearing a weighted vest.
“I like to think about my bone density and loading up my body, but in a way that’s really manageable,” she says. “I walk the dog every single day, so I just thought, why not combine a little bit of resistance with a dog walk?”
How often do you aim to work out each week?
As a busy mom and business-owner, Daodun explains that she doesn’t want her workout routine to be another stress in her life, so she doesn’t set herself specific workout goals.
“I just try and do what I can depending on what the day throws at me,” she says.
“With my clients, I tell them to microdose movement, and I do this myself, too. If I’ve had a back-to-back day with clients where I’m working, and then I’ve got the school run, and then dinner, and it’s all chaos and after-school clubs, I may still roll my mat out at night and just do 15 minutes.”
How long are your workouts?
Daodun largely works out at home, with the addition of an in-person yoga class most weeks, which is an hour long.
Other than that, her workouts are fairly short.
“If I’m working out from home, I never work out for longer than 30 minutes,” she says, explaining that she focuses on effective workouts with minimum breaks.
How do you find workout motivation?
Daodun says it’s important not to put too much pressure on yourself to exercise for long periods of time.
“Even if you get on the mat for 15 minutes and you just lie down, and that’s what your body needs, just to reconnect and breathe, then so be it,” she says.
What’s your number one tip for someone looking to develop an effective exercise routine?
“Start small and stay consistent,” Daodun advises.
“Don’t think that you have to do long classes. Focus on your form and focus on your breath work.”
