Fitness fanatics will see benefits, too. “Reformer Pilates can be particularly excellent for high performance athletes and for those who want to learn to sense and activate muscles more intentionally,” Ahern adds. “While Pilates is a form of strength training, its ability to shape the mind-body connection through controlled movement is really powerful.”
Tips for starting a reformer Pilates practice
Since maintaining proper form is a main principle, learning the moves with a set of professional eyes can help kick things off safely. “Unless you’re at an intermediate or advanced level, I wouldn’t recommend doing reformer Pilates at home, personally,” says Quinn, who thinks the first step to a reformer Pilates practice is finding a teacher or class setting that works for you.
Fuller agrees, emphasizing that precision is key, though she shares a few general tips:
Slow down
“Pilates isn’t about how fast you perform the repetitions,” says Fuller. “Instead, focus on controlling the movement to help isolate and strengthen the correct muscles.”
Coordination will catch up
“Everyone feels out of their element when they try Reformer Pilates for the first time, but don’t let that deter you—with every class you’ll gain confidence and feel the difference in your body as you develop strength and tone,” Fuller says. “There are a lot of different exercises that you’ll be learning so don’t worry if you don’t feel like you’ve mastered them in your first class!”
Focus on “the squeeze”
“All exercises have target muscles, so when performing the movements, be deliberate in squeezing the target muscle to actually move your body,” Fuller explains. “The more you focus on the squeeze, the more effective the exercise will be.”
Common reformer Pilates moves
Most reformer Pilates classes follow a sequence that flows between a wide range of exercises and body positions. You may, for example, begin class lying on your back for a series of leg pushes called “footwork”, place the straps in your hands for a series of roll-ups and crunches that work your core, move to a kneeling or sitting position for arm exercises like “serve the platter” and “hug a tree”, then finish with standing lunges, glute work, leg circles, and stretching. However, there is a near-endless variety of exercises that can be performed. A good instructor should guide you through each one using verbal cues and hands-on adjustments. Below, a few favorites:
The Horsekick
Fuller notes that for these exercises, both glutes are engaged with “one side to stabilize you, the other to kick the legs” and that one should aim to lift the leg to hip height—but only as high as you can without arching in the lower back. Start by “kneeling on all fours with the hands under the shoulders and the knees beneath the hips, neutral spine,” says Fuller. “Bring the supporting leg knee in slightly to be underneath the body, and lift the other knee off the floor. Exhale, extend the lifted leg out behind you. Inhale, bend the leg back in, underneath the hip.” Perform for 90 seconds and repeat.
The Reformer Bridge
This exercise is designed to “fire up” the glutes. “Lay on your back and plant your feet flat, hips weight distance apart,” says Quinn. “Start by slowly lifting your glutes into the air and gradually peel your spine off the mat until you’re in the bridge position, then, slowly reverse.” To make it a little more difficult, Quinn suggests trying it with one leg in the air and on alternate sides.
At-home reformer Pilates
While the reformer machine is unique, you can get similar benefits and results at home even if you don’t own a reformer. “You can’t replicate all its functions exactly, but by using a few props at home, you can improvise similar exercises,” Ahern says. He recommends using long resistance bands and a strong anchor point like a column. “Long resistance bands offer progressive resistance, just like springs, and can be used like the straps of the reformer for hands-in-straps exercises.”