Variety is the spice of life, and the same is true for Pilates. While there are many variations of this low-impact exercise method, such as mat pilates and tower Pilates, one of the most popular types is the Pilates Reformer set of exercises, which broadly focuses on shaping muscles while improving athletic performance and injury recovery.
What is a Pilates Reformer Class?
Pilates Reformer exercises are performed on a piece of equipment resembling a bed with a sliding carriage, several springs, pulleys, ropes, and many parts. The exercise routine was first introduced in the early 1900s by Joseph Pilates.
A Pilates Reformer exercise session uses a reformer machine as the primary equipment. You can use the reformer for many exercises, but in a Pilates Reformer class, you will mainly work on building your abdominal strength through various exercises.
You can also use the reformer for stretching, strengthening, and balance. Some people find Pilates Reformer less intense than mat or tower pilates and easier to adapt to when recovering from injuries.
Benefits of a Pilates Reformer Class
There are several benefits of joining a Pilates Reformer class; some of them are as under:
Build Strength and Flexibility
Pilates is a great way to build strength, flexibility, and balance while reducing the risk of injuries. When using an exercise reformer, your body is in a fixed position, allowing greater focus on each muscle. It increases blood flow to all body parts and helps flush out lactic acid build-up in your muscles after working out. The result is enhanced strength plus flexibility.
Pilates also positively affects mental health and helps balance moods, relaxing anxiety and depression and enhancing self-esteem.
Toned Abs and Arms
Pilates targets the muscles in your core, chest, arms, and legs. It is often used to slim and tone these areas because it is a low-impact workout. The reformer has springs and a platform adjustable for different heights, making it the perfect piece of equipment to target the specific muscle groups in the arms and abdomen.
Smoother, more Flexible Legs
One of the most noticeable benefits of the Pilates Reformer is that it helps you improve the flexibility of your legs. However, it will show results in a few weeks because it targets smaller, deeper muscles than most exercises, which means those muscles are strengthened, lengthened, and stretched.
Improved leg strength from Pilates will make day-to-day activities easier, i.e., you will be able to stand for a long time and have better posture while sitting.
Improved Balance
Pilates also helps improve balance and stability by targeting the muscles in your lower back, which helps reduce lower back pain and limit the aging process by keeping your spine flexible.
Target Core Muscles
The reformer allows you to perform many exercises that target your core, including leg raises, sit-ups, and crunches. This makes it an excellent tool for sculpting and toning abs along with hips and glutes. Overall, the Pilates reformer is a fantastic piece of equipment for achieving a solid core.
Who Should Join?
Pilates is a low-impact workout that focuses on strengthening and lengthening the muscles. The Reformer is designed to offer an authentic Pilates experience, making it one of the most valuable pieces of equipment for this type of workout.
Pilates Reformer tones muscles in a more challenging way than other traditional fitness machines like treadmills or ellipticals would. Pilates exercises are designed to improve your posture, coordination, and balance while increasing flexibility in your spine and core.
When you use the reformer for exercises, you also benefit from improved proprioception, which refers to your sense of where your body is in space. Proprioception improves as you become more aware of how certain muscle groups are contracting during specific movements.
Injury Risks At A Pilates Reformer Class?
One of the first potential risks with the reformer class is an injury for those not in good shape. It is not to say that if you are in good shape, you will never have an injury, but it does mean that you are better prepared to handle the demands of this type of workout.
Injuries at a Pilates Reformer class can occur because the exercises rely on using your body weight as resistance and require a lot of control and concentration. If you are an inexperienced exerciser or out of shape, these factors may lead to injuries when performing some of the more challenging exercises:
- – Slipping off the equipment during a move.
- – Landing on the back from a jump.
- – Falling off the mat when pivoting.
- – Losing balance and overextending yourself during standing exercises.
Pilates Reformer Classes in UAE
Pilates Reformer is very popular in UAE among those who want to tone their muscle and maintain their bodies without putting on muscle mass. That’s why you can easily find a Pilates reformer class in your neighborhood in Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or any other place in the UAE.
Nevertheless, it is recommended to join the class of a highly experienced and certified trainer as performing Pilates without supervision can lead to muscle and joint injuries.
