If you've never come across a Pilates reformer before, then open a window on your phone / tablet / computer and do a Google search. Chances are you'll come across an image like the one above.
(Unless you typed in 'reformer' without the Pilates bit, in which you may have come across something like this.)
But, back to the first image....
The funny thing about searching 'reformer classes' on the web is that, while some of those positions look unachievable for many of us, the majority of movements are possible for the majority of people, with perhaps a little modification thrown in here or there. In fact, not only are they possible; quite often, your body is crying out for them. That nagging and unwelcome soreness you get in your lower back? That little creak you get in your hip? That little stiffness you get in your foot? That not-so-little pain you get in your heel? These are all frequently symptoms of tight and / or underused muscles and joints that tell a story about the way we carry ourselves and the activities we carry out (or don't carry out) on a daily basis.
Enter the reformer. Designed by Joseph Pilates when he was interned on the Isle of Man as an 'enemy alien' during WW1, the very first reformer was born out of Pilates' belief in movement as medicine. During a brief spell as a nurse, Pilates experimented with attaching springs to beds so that patients could maintain functional muscle tone even when they were bed bound. And low and behold, the reformer machine was born!
The modern day reformer has been so cleverly designed that it is now sleek, incredibly versatile and brilliantly effective. It is the most popular of all the 'big' Pilates apparatus and is a common fixture in many rehabilitative settings.
Consisting of a moveable platform, a set of springs and a variety of straps, the reformer is not just used as a tool for fitness, but also to help restore functional alignment, muscle strength, muscle length and joint mobility that often get lost as we age. What's more, because you are working with or against spring tension, you can feel yourself working hard but in a supported and safe manner that can be tailored specifically to your needs.
Seems too good to be true? Well, there's only one way to find out. We've got three of these machines ready and waiting for people just like you to come and try out. Our classes are small and friendly and we challenge you not to leave feeling taller, more flexible and just a little bit stronger after each session. As the great man himself once said, 'in 10 sessions you'll feel the difference, in 20 sessions you'll see a difference, and in 30 sessions you'll have a whole new body.' What's not to love?
We look forward to welcoming you into our studio soon!
Take a look at our reformer video here