Posted By : Admin / On : October 11, 2023 / In : Uncategorized
It doesn’t matter if you’re a mat Pilates veteran, HIIT class enthusiast or blast out spin classes before breakfast everyday… or a total beginner, to exercise! Reformer Pilates is a great exercise option for absolutely everyone, either as your only exercise or to compliment an existing routine. The brilliance of Reformer Pilates is that it’s completely for anyone and everyone. It provides a full body workout that benefits beginners and elite athletes alike, improving strength, flexibility, muscle endurance and muscle tone to name a few of the benefits. It also strengthens your deeper abdominal muscles, helping create greater core strength and improved posture in a gentle and safe way.
The reason why we do not schedule specific Pilates Reformer beginner exercises is because there’s no need! The Reformer can look intimidating, but it really isn’t. Our sessions are always led by a certified and experienced Pilates instructor who will explain what you’re doing and how to do it, we are used to newbies so always feel welcome 🙂 Our Pilates studios classes are also small, which means your instructor will have the time to spend with you ensuring you’re doing the exercises with the correct technique. We don’t leave our members feeling excluded, such as what can happen in a large reformer class wondering if you’re doing it right and feeling unmotivated, in a Pilates Movement class it’s just like having your own Private Trainer to help you develop.
However, if you would like to begin with a slower Reformer class then look out for our Lengthen sessions. The Lengthen session is aimed at members recovering from injuries, people with mobility issues or for people who just want to take it easy. Alternatively, book a private session with one of our fantastic instructors for a ‘fast tracked’ experience on the Reformer, just contact the studio here
There are a HUGE amount of health benefits of Reformer Pilates due to the ease of use and spring system which provides you with a lot of support and guidance. There are also shoulder blocks which helps to prevent you from putting too much strain on individual muscles, also significantly reducing the risk of injury. The Reformer itself, is a bed-like frame with a flat platform, sliding carriage, adjustable bar, long straps and a combination of springs that provide various levels of resistance.
The bed looks far more complicated than it actually is, so if you are new make sure you turn up a few minutes earlier so we can show you the basics, it will all make perfect sense! After one or two lessons, you’ll be as familiar with how to adjust it as people who’ve been attending sessions for years 😉
Fun Fact; Pilates was originally invented by Joseph Pilates to help the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers during the war. The Reformer machine (so called the Reformer as it ‘Reforms’ the body) was initially created by using the bed springs and frames of the hospital beds.
If it’s your first session we will give you a quick lesson on how to use the bed and the exercise equipment before the session starts so please don’t be late. Also don’t forget you need grip socks for the session, which can be purchased at reception. We will also keep an eye on you to make sure you’re happy with the exercises, also positioning yourself correctly. We aim to teach you complete body awareness during the sessions, but it also takes time.
Before each set of dynamic stretching exercises, you’ll be told which combination of springs to use depending on how much resistance you would like, this allows us to make the movement harder or easier for you depending on your level.
Reformer Pilates classes are different than most other exercise classes, a lot of the class is verbally communicated by the instructor. Which we largely refer to as cueing. We always aim to provide different options so the session is engaging for all abilities, but we aim to ensure form is perfect before you move to a harder option. Never sacrifice good technique just to do the harder option, master the basics first 🙂
Exercises can last from 1-2 minutes flowing from one to the next in a smoothly choreographed manner. Halfway through you’ll be given the option of increasing the difficulty, remember it’s just an option so you don’t have to take it. The wonderful flexibility that the Reformer offers and spring tension options is the reason why people of all abilities and experience can exercise side by side, you aim to gain mastery of the Reformer by always being in absolute perfect control of the machine with each repetition being exactly the same as the first.
After a few sessions you will start to familiarise yourself with the sequences, you only adjust position 5-6 during a class but whilst in that position you will complete varying movements. This allows the class to flow smoothly and efficiently, also not complicating it. If you’re a complete beginner, we can guarantee your muscles will ache (in the best of ways!) the next day, and even if you think you hadn’t been exercising intensively. You will be very surprised at how effective Reformer Pilates can be, it’s ‘sneaky hard’ as you just don’t stop moving as the principles of ‘Time under tension” are applied to perfection.
We get that it might not be for you, so we do a fantastic intro offer of any 2 sessions for £30 that is fully flexible between our Guildford or Godalming studio. There are loads of classes and session times to choose from with flexibility in mind.
Just pop on your favourite active wear, try not to wear anything loose fitting though as it can catch on the machine. Keep your hair tied up if you have long hair, and avoid any jewellery that can also get caught on the machine. We also insist that grip socks are worn, this helps perform some exercises more safely, along with a better level of hygiene. These can be purchased cheap online, or in our studio reception.
Jeffrey Waters
Founder – The Pilates Movement
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