By: @coreflexpilates, founder Chris Bardawil
Reformer pilates is everywhere, it's not just all over social media we are also seeing our favourite celebs doing it. The reality is reformer pilates has been a staple of many people’s exercise routines for over a decade now, and for good reason.
The reformer is a spring based resistance device which essentially has a moving carriage, straps and springs that allow you to do a variety of different exercises from focusing on upper body and core strength, to balance and stability for the lower body.
Builds strength and tones - Most reformer exercises move your body through a full range of motion while strengthening muscles. This is thanks to the machine's springs which work equally on the concentric and eccentric movements to create long, lean and toned muscles. It not only targets the larger muscles but works deep into the smaller stabilising muscles which is important for stability and injury prevention.
Full body workout - Reformer classes give a balanced full body workout. Normally starting with leg work to get the body warmed up, then using a mix of springs to work the core, upper body and a variety of stabilising muscles. Many of the exercises are also unilateral which helps correct any imbalances.
Low impact - This makes reformer pilates ideal for anyone recovering or dealing with injuries. Reformer pilates' low impact nature means the body can be strengthened without putting any real load or impact on the joints as it enables you to work on a horizontal plane.
Improves posture - Many of the exercises on a reformer target the core and peripheral postural muscles either directly or indirectly leading to improved posture and core strength. Leading to a reduction or even curing some people’s lower back pain.
Improved mental health - Due to how focused reformer pilates is it requires full concentration when done properly. It has also been shown to lower stress hormones like cortisol and increase endorphins. Just being off your phone for an hour and concentrating on your body moving can do wonders for your mental health.
References:
https://academic.oup.com/ptj/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.