Reformer Pilates: The Ultimate Full-Body Workout for All Levels
Updated 09/09/2024
Pilates is a popular, often introductory exercise focusing on core strength and body conditioning. Through a series of structured exercises, Pilates becomes progressively more challenging, making it an excellent option for beginners and intermediates. Reformer Pilates, however, expands on the common pilates exercises by introducing a specialised machine to provide more amplified benefits.
Let's analyse what Reformer Pilates is and how classes can benefit you.
What is Reformer Pilates?
Reformer Pilates is a dynamic evolution of traditional Pilates that incorporates a specialised machine called the Reformer. It allows users to intensify their workouts and precisely target and sculpt specific muscles.
Traditional Pilates relies on body weight for resistance. Depending on your strength level and experience, relying solely on your body weight for a challenging workout can be difficult. Reformer Pilates overcomes this through the reformer machine, equipped with springs, a sliding carriage, and ropes to provide adjustable resistance.
Performing Pilates on the Reformer enables you to incorporate a broader range of exercises and greater intensity.
Reformer exercises are designed to improve your alignment, flexibility, and core strength. The resistance created by the springs places a stronger demand on your core, which can lead to better posture and muscle tone. Great emphasis is placed on a consistent engagement requirement from your core muscles, and exercises effectively tone and shape your body.
Key Differences Between Traditional and Reformer Pilates
While traditional mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates share the same core principles, equipment and exercise intensity differ significantly. You perform traditional Pilates on a mat using your own body weight for resistance. Movements here are primarily focused on controlling movements to strengthen your core. Reformer Pilates, on the other hand, utilises the Reformer machine, which allows for adjustable resistance via springs and pulleys. The adjustable nature of the Reformer allows for a wider variety of exercises at different intensity levels depending on the resistance.
Reformer Pilates usually offers greater support and flexibility for beginners. The Machine allows you to ease into the exercises without relying on the immediate core strength to hold your entire body off the ground. The machine’s versatility enables exercises that engage muscles through dynamic, full-body movements, providing a more comprehensive workout experience.
Additionally, our London Reformer Pilates experts can help guide beginners on movements and stability through various exercises easily through the use of the machine. Form and posture are apparent when using the machine, assisting instructors to make precise recommendations on form changes.
Benefits of Reformer Pilates
Reformer Pilates offers a comprehensive approach to physical fitness, focusing on flexibility, core strength, and posture simultaneously. Unlike traditional workouts, the Reformer machine provides controlled resistance to promote fluid movement and aid in muscle strengthening and stretching. Consistent Reformer Pilates practice can lead to significant body enhancements.
Let’s dive into the benefits Reformer Pilates workouts can offer for all fitness levels.
Enhanced Flexibility
Reformer Pilates can improve overall flexibility through controlled stretching and lengthening of muscles. Reformers’ adjustable resistance allows users to safely push past their range of motion without overstretching or running the risk of injuring themselves, such as when dropping weights in traditional weight lifting. Similarly, this allows our London Reformer instructors to continuously push you to your limits safely during Reformer classes, allowing for a more collaborative approach to your improvement.
The controlled environment gradually lengthens tight muscles, particularly in the hips, legs, and back, working to improve flexibility over time. Enhanced flexibility can make everyday activities easier and reduce the likelihood of injury if you’re an active individual.
Improved Posture and Alignment
Through precise and intentional movements, you can train your muscles to support proper alignment. This can improve posture during exercises and extend those benefits to daily life. It can also help reduce back and neck strain often associated with bad posture.
The reformer’s adjustable carriage and resistance make it easy to target specific postural imbalances, encouraging correct muscle engagement for long-term posture improvements. These targeted exercises are also intentional, meaning you’re more cognisant of their impact and benefits during the workout, allowing you to focus on what “correct” posture looks and feels like.
Core strength and stability
Reformer Pilates is exceptional for core strengthening, which is vital for balance, stability, and overall physical performance. Reformer helps you build this core through precise, controlled movements that target the muscles of the abdomen, back, and pelvic floor.
The dynamic nature of Reformer also challenges the core in various planes of motion, helping you develop a greater sense of stability in your movements. Over time, this leads to enhanced balance, reduced lower back pain, and improved athletic performance.
Mind-to-muscle connection is also a benefit often overlooked, yet our Kensington members are always quick to reassure us. Reformer pilates requires more concentration and focus on the body’s muscles, potentially enabling you to connect more mentally with the activated muscle to feel that stretch.
Overall Quality of Life
While Reformer Pilates offers diverse benefits, the most often overlooked is the improvement to your quality of life, yet for most, it’s the most significant. As flexibility, posture, and core strength improve, many daily tasks become more accessible and less physically demanding.
This is most notable during activities that require lifting, bending and walking.
These become more comfortable, with reduced strain on joints and muscles. Reformer Pilates, and by extension, our London Reformer classes, definitely focus on building core strength and balance. Yet, they, too, are about empowering you to tackle your daily challenges and activities with confidence.
With physical limitations easing up over time alongside improved mobility, you can gain a bold confidence boost and comfort throughout your typical day. Tasks that were challenging before suddenly become more accessible, or you may find simple things, such as taking your pet for a walk, to be a breeze.
Reformer Pilates for Different Fitness Levels
Reformer Pilates offers tailored exercises for every fitness level, with some exercises varying depending on your abilities. Similarly, a Reformer Specialist manages our Reformer Pilates classes, and they’ll customise your specific session to your ability level.
For beginners, focusing on proper form and foundational movements will be critical. This foundation can help you build core strength and knowledge of how to perform each movement correctly and safely, from which you can progress. Complex sequences can provide more of a challenge and are the go-to for more intermediate/advanced users. These sequences focus on challenging your strength, flexibility and endurance. Through dynamic movements, you can maximise the benefits of Reformer Pilates, including your strength, fitness, and tone.
Those recovering from injury will find Reformer Pilates instrumental in building back that lost strength. Focusing on strengthening weakened areas and improving mobility can aid in a smoother and quicker recovery process. This is especially true when paired with our recovery therapies.
Finally, those of older age can also benefit. Reformer Pilates’ improved balance, stability, and functional movement can greatly benefit daily life and tasks. More importantly, it allows you to complete regular tasks safely and easily, reducing the risk of falls or injury.
Getting Started with Reformer Pilates
Starting with Reformer Pilates is all about understanding the machine. If you jump in and begin an exercise without first understanding the motions, you may find it ineffective or injure yourself.
During beginner Reformer sessions at The Body Lab, our specialist will introduce you to the machine, ensuring you understand how it functions, where the resistance comes from, and how to position yourself correctly for the best effect.
Before engaging in the core workout, you’ll start with a warm-up and a series of movements to target different muscle groups. This will prepare your body and allow you to get comfortable using the Reformer.
Like any new fitness routine, consistent sessions will help you become more comfortable with the machine and the exercises.
Start your reformer pilates journey
Reformer Pilates is an excellent addition to any fitness regime. It allows you to place greater emphasis on functional movements, core strength, and posture improvements. Through consistent sessions and use, Reformer provides a significant challenge while improving your daily quality of life.
Starting the Reformer doesn’t seem to be daunting, either. With our one-on-one private sessions, you can expect a personalised and focused experience. Each session lasts one hour and is conducted by a trained specialist in the Reformer. Held in a private, distraction-free room, our specialist will tailor the exercises and experience according to your experience level.
If you want to try Reformer Pilates, there’s no better time to do so. Get in touch with our team to book your session, or book online through our Reformer page.
