Ever seen one of these before ? Or tried it out ? And no it’s not a medival torture machine.

I hear you saying ‘how can it be different to my normal Pilates mat class ?’

Well it’s very different, you can of course practice the classical exercises on reformer, but it offers you so much more like specific reformer exercises, that just don’t work the same, even if you try & replicate them (if you can) on the mat.

Plus the real magic is the added benefits of working out with springs, that you can adjust for resistance, pulleys & a jumpboard.

Here’s just a few of the benefits;

1.Full body workout

Using the reformer will give you a balanced, full body workout – the springs help to target not just the main large muscles, but activates the small stabilising ones as well. Most people have imbalances in their bodies & where there is a weakness, this can be focused on to correct the imbalances.

2. Tones muscles & improves strength

The reformer’s springs & levers create resistance, together with the dynamic exercises, resulting in long, lean, toned muscles.

3. Low impact (but intense)

Using the reformer is very beneficial when suffering ,& or recovering from an injury, illness, or specific condition or syndrome. Many of the exercises allow you to work lying on the carriage ( in the horizontal plane), rather than weight bearing, reducing the load on the body. This means that you can tone & strengthen the injured or weak areas as the repetitive movements are low impact.

4. Improves posture & core

Many of the exercises on the reformer target the core, which in turn strengthens & works the postural muscles as well, with the added benefit of being able to adjust the resistance. A stronger core=better posture.

5. Boosts your mental health

Reformer Pilates doesn’t just increase your muscle strength, muscle tone, posture & flexibility, emerging research shows that it has positive effects on mental health, improving breath, mindfulness, stress & relaxation management. You get a natural boost from the release of ‘feel good’ endorphins & reducing of stress hormones like cortisol.

Contact me if you fancy giving the reformer a ‘test drive’ & feel the benefits yourself !

Claire x