What is a Pilates Reformer?
A Pilates Reformer is a versatile exercise apparatus used to both support and challenge the body through movement. The Reformer utilizes a system of tension loaded springs, pulley ropes, straps, a rolling carriage bed and a footbar. The Pilates Reformer repertoire is low-impact and consists of a series of pushing, pulling, stabilizing and balance exercises in all different positions of the body to create a well-rounded, full body, functional workout.
The carriage, straps and footbar are adjustable in order to accommodate all body types and bodies at all different levels of fitness and mobility. This allows each exercise on the Reformer to be adaptable and modifiable to the body that is using it. The springs can be arranged in different combinations for more or less resistance or support depending upon the exercise you are executing and the function intended. There is so much room for creativity on this amazing apparatus, so your workouts will never feel boring or too repetitive!
The Reformer is also used as a tactile tool, intending to help the practitioner feel what is going on inside their body when it moves in space. With the extra assistance and sensory input the Reformer provides, the client is able to hone their focus and feel into movement more deeply. This “tuning in” helps the practitioner and the instructor to work together in discovering possible misalignments, imbalances, weaknesses or compensations that may be occurring in the body as it moves.
A Pilates Reformer practice is one of concentration, with informed and intentional movement. It is a balance between flow and focus, with a great emphasis on breathing and coordination. The goal is to have more awareness and control over exactly what our body is doing when it moves. The support of the Reformer also allows the body to move in ways that are likely unattainable in regular life. Through this practice, we are able to help to retrain the body away from patterns of movement that are painful, unsafe or likely to cause injury (or those that have already caused injury!) and replace them with healthier/more balanced and constructive movement. Ideally, a Reformer is a space to play and discover movement that feels good. It is my intention, always, that a client leaves their sessions feeling better than they did when they walked in!
To answer the question, "Who is the Reformer for?" It is for EVERY body! Anyone who is looking to enjoy movement a little bit more than they do currently should try a Reformer session and see if it is what they have been looking for! The Reformer is a particularly loved apparatus for athletes and movers of all kinds. It is commonly used for cross-training dancers, football players, runners, tennis players, aerialists, skaters and golfers. It is also especially useful for those with Scoliosis, Osteoporosis/Osteopenia, Neurological conditions, Prenatal/Postnatal clients, and those recovering from an injury or surgery. Reformers are often used by Physical Therapists in both rehab and prehab capacities and Reformer sessions are a great “bridge” from Physical Therapy back into whatever movement you love to do!
Hope to see you for a Reformer session soon!