Mind Over Muscle: Why Autopilot Workouts Are Holding You Back
By Paula Lalanne
There’s something deeply comforting about the familiar. Like muscle memory guiding you through your hundredth set of leg lifts or the way your hands seem to know exactly where to place your mat — even when you haven’t had your coffee yet.
But here's the thing no one tells you: comfort might be the very thing sabotaging your results.
As a Pilates instructor, I’ve seen it all — the seasoned clients who can pulse through bridges without flinching, and the beginners who tremble through every movement because their brains are still trying to figure out how to fire the right muscles. And while the former looks impressive, guess which group is often burning more calories and seeing faster results? Yep, the shaky ones.
Why? Because the brain is fully engaged.
The Mind-Muscle Connection: A Science-Backed Secret Weapon
Focusing your mind on the muscle you’re working — what fitness pros call the “mind-muscle connection” — actually increases muscle activation. A 2016 study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that participants who intentionally focused on the targeted muscle during resistance training had significantly more muscle fiber engagement. Translation? Better results, better posture, and more efficient calorie burn — all from thinking about your glutes while you bridge.
In Pilates, this isn’t just a suggestion — it’s essential. Anyone who’s ever held a teaser while mentally reciting their grocery list knows that disconnect equals dysfunction. The more present you are in your movement, the more your body responds.
Brain Burn: What Chess and Cha-Cha Have in Common
If you’ve ever felt physically wiped after learning a new sequence, you’re not imagining it. Cognitive demand — aka, learning — burns energy.
In fact, professional chess players have been shown to burn up to 6,000 calories a day during tournaments, due to intense concentration, stress, and strategic thinking. So while you might not be playing Queen’s Gambit on your mat, introducing a new Pilates series, tempo, or variation taps into that same calorie-burning brainpower.
Every time you switch up your flow — whether it’s trying side-lying leg work in a new position or mentally tracking your pelvic alignment in tabletop — your brain joins the workout. This “dual-tasking” effect has been shown in neuroimaging studies to increase overall energy expenditure and improve neuroplasticity. It’s basically a workout for your nervous system.
My Wake-Up Call (aka: When I Realized I Was Phoning It In)
I’ll admit it — I once led an entire class on autopilot. My cues were crisp, my ponytail stayed perfect, and my clients followed along like choreography. But later, one of my newer students came up and said, “That was the first time I really felt my core. I had to concentrate so hard.”
It hit me: she wasn’t just doing Pilates — she was in it. Every fiber of her being was involved. Meanwhile, I’d been coasting through my own practice.
So I changed things. I started adding variations that made me think: reverse sequences, tempo shifts, new transitions. Suddenly, I was sweating harder — not because the moves were harder, but because I was paying attention. My own body woke up again.
Try This: How to Engage the Brain in Your Workout
If your workouts feel stale or your results have plateaued, it might be time to fire up your focus. Here’s how:
Change your tempo: Slow it down and feel every inch of the movement.
Cue yourself mentally: Silently say the muscle name as you engage it — “glutes” or “deep core” — like a mantra.
Close your eyes: Eliminate visual distraction and tune in to sensation.
Learn something new: Try a class with a new instructor or sequence.
Ditch the distractions: No texting between planks, please.
Final Thoughts: The Brain is the New Bikini Body
We love the buzzwords — sculpt, tone, lift, burn — but the most underrated part of your body might be what’s behind your forehead. When your mind is on the mat with you, your results shift. You burn more calories, stay present, and feel empowered instead of just exhausted.
This spring, I challenge you to stop going through the motions. Step out of autopilot. Turn on your awareness. Because your body will only go as far as your mind is willing to lead it.
