To the untrained eye, the Pilates reformer can look like a very fancy piece of equipment! On top of all the moving parts, it comes with five different springs—typically at two different resistance levels—that can be attached in all sorts of combinations to make workouts easier or harder.
But there are some really specific ways you can use your Pilates springs to turn your reformer into your golden ticket to mobility and strength.
Spring tension for muscle strength
This is probably the easiest to understand because most people are familiar with it. If you want to build muscle strength, you need to add load. So choose heavier spring tensions to make moves harder.
Spring tension for “core” activation
Unless you have a degree in anatomy or physical education, this is where things start to get a little murky. Every joint in the body has a layer of deep muscles and a layer of superficial (close to the surface) muscles.
The deep muscles are all about control, whilst the superficial ones produce power. So while increasing spring tension may produce more strength in the superficial muscles, as a general rule going lighter will help target the deeper control muscles.
This means when trying to activate those deeper muscles—as we're often trying to do when working on our core!—a lighter spring can force us to control our movements and activate those deeper muscles.
Spring tension for support and learning new movements
Springs can make moves easier! This is one of the most overlooked benefits of the Pilates reformer; especially over mat Pilates (although we love the mat, too). Many classical Pilates moves, such as short spine and teaser, can initially feel foreign and challenging.
But when you use the support of the reformer (i.e. add enough spring tension to give you support and feedback), you can make these movements easier. A heavier spring in these moves can stop you needing to pull your entire bodyweight, which can often be a blocker for newbies trying to keep good form.
This allows you to learn the movement rather than battling through feeling like you never make any progress. Don’t be afraid to use your reformer in this way. It’s not cheating; it’s where the magic happens.
Should I vary my spring tensions across different workouts?
Absolutely. In the fitness and training world, we talk about progressive overload. To produce change, we must challenge our bodies more each session. Across any week, you will ideally use a combination of the above spring tensions to balance muscle strength with core control.
If you're repeating classes, I encourage you to challenge yourself to either progressively increase your springs to focus on muscle strength, or slowly decrease your springs to challenge your balance and control.
And remember, have fun and be willing to explore new ways of moving!
Still struggling to understand spring tensions? Our virtual studio, Freedom On Demand, comes with all the guidance and support you need to make real progress.
