One of the best things about Pilates is that you can do it with or without equipment. When you do mat Pilates, you use your own body weight to create resistance and tone your muscles. In contrast, reformer Pilates involves the use of equipment to create more resistance. While both types of Pilates are great options, we will highlight the reasons you’ll love reformer Pilates.
What Is a Pilates Reformer?
Joseph Pilates designed his first Pilates equipment to help immobilized people heal in a World War I internment camp. He did this by attaching springs to the internees’ beds. This equipment’s design is different from the modern-day Pilates reformer, which consists of a sliding carriage, pulleys, and springs.
- The Reformer Supports Your Body. The name “reformer” is a suitable description of what the equipment does for you. It shapes your body into what it should be. It helps you get into the proper form by supporting your back, aligning your spine, and improving your posture.
- Extra Resistance Makes You Stronger. One reason reformer Pilates is appealing is because the resistance presents a challenge, and that makes you stronger. The reformer engages and strengthens your core. Reformer Pilates is also more effective than mat Pilates for losing weight if that is one of your fitness goals.
- Reformer Pilates Provides Variety. The reformer machine can be adapted to suit anyone. You can add or reduce resistance by adding or removing springs. There is also a wide variety of exercises that you can do on a reformer that you can’t do with mat Pilates.
You can find reformer Pilates equipment at our Greensboro, North Carolina facility. We have skilled instructors who can teach you to use the equipment. To learn more about reformer Pilates, contact us at Fitness By Design today!