If you’ve been here for a while, you know that in the fall of 2022, I started pilates reformer and my life has changed for the better. I feel like I’m constantly singing the praises of this workout even to the point where I convinced both my pilates instructor and some of my friends earlier this year to do a special intro class. What can I say, I’m committed. I wanted to share with my online community the benefits I’ve been experiencing from pilates reformer. If you have the opportunity to take a class, do it because it might change your life like it has mine.
WHAT IS PILATES REFORMER?
You’re probably wondering what’s the difference between this and regular Pilates. The main difference is where you’re practicing. Pilates is typically done on a mat while you’re using a machine aka a reformer for pilates reformer. The reformer moves with you as you do leg, arm, and core work. I can’t speak to the difficulty of Pilates without a reformer but let me tell you, Pilates reformer has humbled me about how weak my core actually was.
Photo by freya yanggg yang on Unsplash
4 REASONS WHY I ALWAYS RAVE ABOUT PILATES REFORMER
IT’S ONE OF THE MOST INTENSE WORKOUTS I’VE DONE
The focus of Pilates reformer is a full body with the incorporation deep core with each movement. I can contribute to being able to see my 6 pack again because of these classes. After practicing for almost 2 years, I have never had the same class twice. You’re working your core in each movement even if the focus is on your legs or arms. Because of this variety, and the focus on different parts of your body, it makes each class just as intense as the other.
IT GETS HARDER THE MORE I PRACTICE?
Yes, it does get more difficult, likely because I keep moving to more advanced classes and instructors but my body is better for it. One thing that I have noticed is how my endurance in class has increased since I started. In the beginning, it would be difficult for me to finish an entire class without taking a lot of breaks with each movement. Now, movements that I had to take breaks in before, I can hold for longer. While I still feel a burn after each class, I feel stronger and excited to see how far I’ve come.
THE LOW IMPACT IS PERFECT FOR MY KNEE
After getting into that accident last year, I learned that I have arthritis in my left knee – my old gymnastics injury. This revelation explained why as I’ve gotten old, my knee aches more than it did before. Because of these knee aches, doing exercises that I used to is no longer practical – goodbye running. Pilates reformer has been the workout that does not strain my knee or have me in pain once I leave class. It has done wonders for me and even helps with my weight training because the pain has improved.
MY FLEXIBILITY HAS IMPROVED
I started noticing things improving in the flexibility department before I was consistent with my stretching app. For one, my achilles were so tight at the beginning of 2023. So much so, that when I would get out of bed in the morning, it hurt to walk to the bathroom. By the summer of 2023, the tension in my achilles was gone. There are other anecdotes I could share about my flexibility improvements – my hips, my back, my shoulders – but just know that Pilates has been good to me. When I’ve been consistent with my evening stretches, it has helped speed up the flexibility in my body. The fact that I’m close to getting my splits back is insane.
I know that Pilates is expensive and that means it’s not an activity that everyone can participate in. However, there are lots of instructors on YouTube – Move with Nicole, Isa Welly, and Trifecta Pilates – that allow you to dip your toe into the pilates pool without spending any money.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER TAKING PILATES REFORMER?
