In Praise of Reformer Pilates

Have you heard of, or tried, Reformer Pilates?

The Pilates Reformer is the original, clever, wonderful, piece of kit designed by Joseph Pilates during World War 1. His background was gymnastics and professional boxing. He moved to England before the war and worked in boxing and self-defence instruction, as well as being a circus performer.

When the war broke out, Joseph was interned in England, alongside other Germans who lived there at the time, being considered “the enemy of the state”.

His time was spent in an internment camp on the Isle of Man. There, he developed and refined his exercise system by training fellow internees in physical fitness. He noted that bed-bound soldiers recovered faster when using springs for doing resistance exercixess that he attached to their bed posts. So he started experimenting with this approach to create resistance-based rehabilitation exercises.

This innovation resulted in design and creation of what we now know as Pilates equipment, such as the Reformer.

And it is now becoming better and wider known, which is fantastic to notice.

We can do all sorts of exercises on the Reformer - on the back, side lying, face down, kneeling, or standing… the variety is almost endless.

These machines have got fantastic benefits - here is just a small list:

1. They help improve STRENGTH and MUSCLE TONE - as springs create resistance, working the core, legs and buttocks, arms and shoulders. Most importantly, through applying Pilates principles such as centering, control, and precision of movement, we use small, local, stabilising muscles which are often overlooked in other movement classes. That's your core stability and optimal joint centration in action, folks!

2. Increased FLEXIBILITY and MOBILITY through lengthening and strengthening muscles whilst moving with control and flow.

   
   

3. Improve POSTURE and ALIGNMENT by strengthening deep core muscles supporting the spine. Again, core stability in action. It it is great for pelvic floors so amazing for womens' health especially postnatally and with the menopause when things needs a bit more attention.

   
   

4. Provide a LOW-IMPACT, JOINT-FRIENDLY exercise as it is gentle on joints whilst helping people find that - again - all-important joint centration - the ability to work from an optimal, most efficient, anatomically correct positioning. This is why it is so good for REHABILITATION after an injury or with chronic conditions.

   
   

5. Reformers offer highly CUSTOMISABLE exercises - we can turn it up or down depending on what is needed, whilst providing a full-body workout. It makes it more accessible and - dare I say it - much more engaging and fun!

   
   

6. An improved MIND-BODY connection - we move with greater awareness at slower speeds, reducing stress and tension, being mindful of breathing, coordination, and balance … whilst engaging the core at a really deep level, giving us an unparalleled whole-body exercise experience.

   
   

I will stop there - that’s quite a list, is it not?

I experienced the benefits of these machines first-hand whilst being poorly and feeling very, very broken and in pelvic pain for 2 years after the birth of my first child 13 years ago. I went through 7 physiotherapists who were scratching their heads, not really knowing how to help me fully. At that point, in desperation and with little confidence, I turned to Pilates reformer exercises which literally changed my life.

I never realised until then that I was weaker than I thought, and really misaligned! I was really shocked but relieved to finally know the reason for my pain.

Having worked hard to strengthened, I came out of pain and with a flash of inspiration realised that doing this work with other people, bringing them the knowledge and movement experience was something that I wanted to do with my own life.

So, I retrained in Pilates therapy - which included comprehensive grounding in Pilates equipment, including Pilates reformer work.

I am now thrilled to bits to bring you the opportunity to experience these machines in Corfe Mullen, Dorset.

I am truly biased and I hope you will be, too, by the end of reading this and I would love to invite you to take a trial session and talk about all things Reformer.

2-person group classes £22 PAYG, £20 block bookings (school term aligned)

£55 for a 1-1 session.

Contact me on kaye@move-beyond.co.uk or 07768 135481 to find out more and to have an initial chat.

To your health

Kaye

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