No piece of Pilates equipment is more famous than the Pilates reformer—for good reason. The reformer makes a dramatic impression when you first see one, and an even more dramatic change in your body when you use it.
You will see Pilates reformers lining Pilates studios for classes. Portable reformers are also popular as home exercise equipment. Let's explore the benefits of the Pilates reformer.
What Is a Pilates Reformer?
The Pilates reformer was invented by founder Joseph Pilates. It has a bed-like frame with a flat platform called the carriage which rolls back and forth on wheels within the frame. The carriage is attached to one end of the reformer by a set of springs.
Springs provide choices of differing levels of resistance as the carriage is pushed or pulled along the frame.
The carriage has shoulder blocks that keep practitioners from sliding off the end of the Pilates reformer as they push or pull the carriage.
At the spring end of the reformer, there is an adjustable bar called a footbar which can be used by the feet or hands as a practitioner moves the carriage. The reformer also has long straps with handles on them that are attached to the top end of the frame.
The straps can be pulled with your legs or arms to move the carriage. Body weight and the springs' resistance make the carriage more or less difficult to move. Pilates reformer parts are adjustable for differing body sizes and different levels of skill.
How a Pilates Reformer Is Used
A variety of exercises are done on the Pilates reformer to promote length, strength, flexibility, and balance. Most exercises involve pushing or pulling the carriage or holding it steady as it is pulled on by the springs.
One of the best things about the reformer is its versatility. Exercises can be done lying down, sitting, standing, pulling the straps, pushing the footbar, perched on the footbar, perched on the shoulder blocks, with additional equipment, upside down, sideways, and many variations.
The reformer can train many parts and dynamics of the body in many different ways with just one relatively sleek piece of equipment.
There are many Pilates reformer exercises, including those for beginners and those that challenge the most advanced practitioners. For example, there are beginner and intermediate Pilates reformer rowing exercise workouts.
Benefits of the Pilates Reformer
The reformer offers all the benefits of Pilates, including overall strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance. These things lead to daily life improvements like better posture, graceful and efficient movement, and for many, relief from pain associated with physical imbalances such as back pain.
Accesses a Variety of Muscles
The Pilates powerhouse muscles—the muscles of the core—are paramount for building strength. Strong abs, backs, buttocks, and thighs are the focus. Other equipment and Pilates mat exercises do that, too, but the reformer creates a unique and varied exercise environment.
Works on Flexibility and Strength
The reformer is large enough to accommodate full-range motion, which is wonderful for increasing flexibility while building strength. It seems to invite the length you want to create in the body, and it trains the body to sustain that length.
Offers Resistance and Variety
Pushing and pulling with legs or arms against the resistance of the springs, carriage, and body weight is generally strength-building. The exercises provide enough resistance and movement variety to help build strong bones. And there is a special feature—eccentric muscle contractions. This is when a muscle lengthens as it resists a force.
Challenges Balance and Stability
The instability of a rolling carriage with the springs set at different levels of resistance provides all kinds of stability challenges that develop core strength and promote better balance. For example, having less of the body on the carriage is one of the ways Pilates exercises become more challenging.
The Pilates reformer's setup for eccentric contraction is one of the keys to achieving the long, strong muscles without bulk for which Pilates is known.
It means more body weight has to be supported by the practitioner, and the body and machine have to be controlled even more from the core. Paradoxically, when the springs are in a lighter setting, some exercises performed on the Pilates reformer are more challenging for the core because it has to work harder to control and stabilize the movement. The stronger the core, the better the balance, posture, and overall well-being.
Exercising with the Pilates reformer is possible for anyone, at any fitness level. It's no wonder the full name of the reformer is the universal reformer.
Learning the Exercises
The best way to learn Pilates reformer is in a class or through private instruction. Once you learn exercises and begin to understand the foundations of Pilates, you may choose to buy a Pilates reformer for your home.
A Word from Verywell
A Pilates reformer can be an efficient workout tool to strengthen and lengthen muscles. Remember to increase difficulty slowly and under the guidance of a professional to prevent injury. Practice your routine safely while also maintaining proper form.