Over the last 20 years reformer Pilates has boomed in popularity—for very good reason. Whether you're looking for high-energy exercise to supplement your training or wanting to improve and maintain mobility as you age, Pilates offers something for everyone. And when taught well, it can offer life-changing benefits.
While many Pilates exercises can be performed on a mat, the use of the rather intimidating-looking “reformer” adds a wide range of exercises that can improve and enhance your workout. The reformer is also used extensively for physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
All Pilates reformers share a basic design, but there are a few important ways in which they differ. Since it's an expensive addition to your home, it’s important to identify your specific needs and know what to look for.
Consider your use and your budget
If you've come from doing Pilates at a studio, you're probably used to a studio reformer. Studio reformers are awesome, but the reality is that in a studio you may have up to 10 people each day using that reformer for an hour.
For this reason, studio reformers are designed for much higher usage and generally start around 50%+ higher in price than home-use reformers.
If you're looking for a reformer for yourself and your partner to use from home a few times per week, you may find that a home-use reformer is absolutely fine for you—and it may save you quite a few dollars. We'd suggest a price range for good quality home reformers is around $2,500-$4,000.
If you're looking at teaching others from your home studio, or even setting up a full Pilates studio, invest a little more to get the look and the functionality you may need. For studio-level reformers, we'd suggest a price range of around $4,000-$7,000.
Be willing to adapt
Further to point # 1: people like what they know and change can be difficult. If you've come from a studio and are now doing Pilates from home, it may take a little bit of getting used to your new reformer.
One of the true skills of Pilates is the adaptation of exercises to increase/decrease levels of difficulty. This is the same when you adapt from one style of reformer to another.
It's a bit like getting into a new car. The car seat will feel different initially, but after a couple of days it will be your new normal.
Springs
On most modern reformers, the springs can be adjusted to many different levels. Adjustable springs allow you to do each exercise with the appropriate resistance or support. Look for good-quality springs. Lower-end models might use bungee-type cords rather than springs, which may not stand up to wear and tear.
Our recommendations r.e. springs:
Ensure you ask for music wire extension springs, as these will maintain a consistent tension for a longer period of time.
The more springs the better! We recommend a five-spring system to allow for variability and less wear and tear. Two or more spring anchor points again adds to the variability.
Look for springs that can be changed easily if needed (you’ll appreciate this in a few years when a new set of springs is all you need to make your reformer feel like new again).
Heavy vs light resistance: depending on what you want to achieve with Pilates, you may be used to a heavy resistance, or you may use lighter resistance to increase difficulty. Talk to the supplier about this—usually, having the ability to change the spring set-up to suit your changing needs will be preferable.
And again, be willing to adapt. There is no right or wrong, but there are many ways to achieve good results.
Your space
You'll need to think about whether you have space for a Pilates reformer. Reformers are generally around 2400-2500mm long, and can weigh 75-90kg.
Will you need to move your reformer around? If so, ensure you look for one with wheels for manoeuvrability.
Do you want to stand it on its end for storage? Make sure your ceiling is high enough and you have some way to brace the reformer when it's standing up—you do not want it falling on someone!
If space is in short supply, would a foldable reformer suit? Foldable reformers have improved a lot in design over the last couple of years and are now an extremely viable option for home use.
Accessories
For most people, owning a reformer is the goal and will offer them all the versatility they need.
However, for real enthusiasts, some of the classic Pilates accessories (e.g. Long Box, Jumpboard, Platform Extender, Weighted Ring) or even a Pilates Tower and/or Trapeze to further develop their repertoire over time can be great add-ons.
Either way, check the accessories and add-ons your reformer comes with and consider what you may want/need now and in the future.
Warranty
You will want to check that your supplier stands behind their product. Make sure your investment is covered by a comprehensive warranty.
Tuition
It's sometimes said that having a reformer without good instruction is like having a Ferrari but no driver's licence.
If you're new to Pilates you may want to begin in a studio to get familiar with the reformer, or if you'd prefer to jump right in at home we have a complete virtual studio that offers a fundamental series and personalised onboarding to get you that driver's license.
From there, we recommend following an online programme that suits you; we have plenty!
Just doing exercise for the sake of exercise may suit some people, but is unlikely you'll see progress. Understanding the purpose behind your exercises through good tuition could be the difference between you maintaining your Pilates routine versus your reformer gathering dust in the garage.
At Freedom Wellness Co. we are dedicated to making Pilates accessible to all Kiwis through our two-pronged solution: high quality, cost-effective Pilates equipment combined with a complete home studio membership.
We are also dedicated to ensuring that you are only investing in solutions that will meet your specific needs. If you're interested in discussing how Pilates can help you achieve your exercise and mobility goals reach out to one of our experts—we're here to help!
