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The benefits of reformer pilates

Reformer pilates is trending in the fitness space, and for a good reason. It may seem daunting walking into a studio and seeing row upon row of reformer machines, but from experience, classes are pleasantly paced, safe, and easy to understand. And the more classes you attend, the more you’ll notice an improvement in strength and posture.

Jane Gibson from Reform Fitness knows her way around reformer equipment and explains that the machines are run on different spring tensions. When spring tension is added or removed, various body movements like chest presses and lunges become harder. And as an individual’s strength increases, springs can be modified so that the body is continually challenged. The Reform Fitness philosophy is that you work to the point of fatigue (where you’d usually stop if exercising at home) and push slightly past that. This is where the body sees change – it’s basic science.

Jane Gibson

Although many types of fitness equipment help add resistance to and challenge movement, as Jane explains, reformer pilates is a high-intensity work out with low to no impact on the joints, due to smooth transitions between each movement. This means it’s kinder on our bodies.

We ask Jane if she prefers reformer over traditional pilates, and she favours a fancy piece of equipment under her instead of a mat on the floor. While conventional pilates has its place in the fitness world, with reformer pilates, you’re continually gaining strength and able to master more variations of moves. If you’re satisfied by achieving long-term goals, reformer pilates is for you.

Reform Fitness’ core clientele are females aged 30 – 50, but in the past five years, Jane has seen an increase in male participants and those younger and older. Reformer pilates is suitable for early teens to promote postural awareness, muscle development and core stabilisation before they lift weights in a gym setting. It’s also a perfect exercise for the over 65 age group. Although elderly people have different fitness goals to a 40-year old something, Jane explains that it helps their mobility and range of movement, as well as the social aspect of being in a class setting. She even says the group chat is the best from her over 65’s classes!

Reform Fitness Takapuna

After coming quite a way across the globe from its origins in the United States before heading to England, it’s clear that the reformer pilates trend isn’t going away anytime soon.

Reform Pilates opened ten years ago in Mount Maunganui, with further studios now open in Newmarket, Parnell, Takapuna and Christchurch. All Reform Pilates instructors are academy trained and deliver the same style across the studios, so you experience consistency in workouts.

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