What is Reformer Pilates? Everything You Need to Know

February 25, 2025

If you’re searching for a low-impact, high-density workout that will kick your fitness regime into high gear, look no further! Reformer Pilates might be the ultimate game-changer for you. It’ll not only increase your strength, flexibility, and posture but will also burn the extra calories that you want to get rid of.

Reformer Pilates has come a long way since its humble beginnings with Joseph Pilates, the creator of this exercise. It was his innovative idea to use bed springs to create a makeshift machine that provided resistance, keeping him strong and fit during his stay in England at the time.

With the help of several instructors, Reformer Pilates went through many changes and has now become a staple in gyms and studios across America, helping people build strength and flexibility. If you want to learn more exciting insights into this transformative power of Reformer Pilates, then let’s dive into this topic more!

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Is Reformer Pilates a Good Workout?

Due to the Reformer’s versatility, this type of Pilates can help you get a full-body workout, offering you several benefits. Let’s go through them one by one!

1. Weight Loss

You might be wondering: Is reformer Pilates good for weight loss? The answer is yes! Include Reformer Pilates in your weight loss plans, as it engages more than one muscle group at once and helps you build lean muscle mass. It is good for boosting your metabolism because of the afterburn effect, which lasts for a long while after the workout.

If you are wondering how many calories Reformer Pilates burns, let’s break it down for you. If you weigh 120 pounds, you can lose around 180 calories of fat in an hour. If you are 150 pounds, you can lose up to 220 calories per hour.

2. Increases Strength and Flexibility

Reformer Pilates helps enhance joint mobility, helps you properly align your body, and improves your stability and posture with smooth, elongated, controlled, and fluid movements. Using the resistance mechanism of the Reformer, you can challenge your core muscles to improve your core strength.

3. Improved Muscle Strength

Are you thinking, does Reformer Pilates build muscle? Well, while doing Reformer Pilates, you’re not only lifting against resistance but also controlling your movement as you return to the initial position. This movement creates tiny tears in your muscles, which eventually heal and then grow stronger. It targets major muscle groups and muscle fibers in your body.

4. Mental Well-Being

Reformer Pilates is not just about aiming for physical fitness. You’ll also focus on regulating your breath, have body awareness, and establish a mind-body connection. This will promote your overall mental well-being, reduce your stress and anxiety, and help you rejuvenate and have a calm mind.

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How Often Should I Do Reformer Pilates?

To see some real change in your body, try to do Reformer Pilates at least 4 to 5 times a week. But don’t push yourself to the extreme when you’re a beginner! Only aim for 2-3 times a week at first and gradually increase the pace while giving your body some time to rest and recover.

You must be wondering, can I do Reformer Pilates every day? The answer is simple. If you want to do it, then, of course, go for it! But do not push yourself too much, and allow your muscles to recover.

Now, let us take a look at the time that you should spend in training. You can do a 30-60-minute workout per session. This pilates duration will also depend on the intensity of the workout. But don’t worry; even with a shorter workout duration, you’ll see good results.

Just be consistent with your routine. To stay motivated and maintain consistency, you can regularly go to a Pilates Studio, and take classes there!

Who Can Benefit From Reformer Pilates?

Thanks to its versatility, Reformer Pilates is suitable for people with different backgrounds and fitness levels! Let’s have a look at how this workout can help:

Can you do reformer Pilates while pregnant? Well, the answer is yes! Reformer Pilates can help build strength, flexibility, and proper health of the pelvic floor during pregnancy. Once you’ve given birth, this exercise will help you regain your core stability and overall fitness as well.
People Going Through Injury Recovery: If you’re on a journey of recovery after suffering injuries, you can use the controlled movements of Reformer Pilates to help you regain your strength in a safe and effective way.

Adjusting the springs of the machine as per your needs can help you keep track of your progress and gradually improve your body strength, flexibility, and movement. It will also be helpful for your back pain, ankle sprains, knee, shoulder, and hip injuries.

Athletes and Fitness Lovers: Due to the flexibility, fluid movements, and strength-building properties of Reformer Pilates, it is suitable for dancers and athletes. Also, fitness enthusiasts can focus on this low-impact and high-density workout to improve muscle strength and lose body weight.

Are you a beginner and want to start your fitness journey? You can take professional Pilates classes, and get started!

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Is Mat Pilates Better Than Reformer Pilates?

Well, the answer is both will offer unique benefits to you. If you’re a beginner, Mat Pilates is the way to go, as it’s simple and accessible to all! It’ll help you build your core strength, body awareness, and flexibility.

Reformer Pilates will offer additional resistance and will help you challenge yourself to increase your strength. Through this, you can target and build specific muscles and improve your body flexibility and posture. Even if you’re a beginner, you can still adjust the springs as needed and get the desirable benefits!

Want to dive deeper into the differences? Check out our guide: Pilates on the Mat or Reformer: What’s the Better Choice?

Are you wondering, can you do Pilates without a Reformer? Don’t worry; you can do Pilates without a Reformer machine and focus on mat-based workouts by using Pilates rings and resistance bands. But with a Reformer, you can control and adjust the resistance, which will help you do a range of exercises and manage the intensity levels, too.

This will add more versatility to your exercise and build your muscle strength effectively. To learn how to perform Pilates effectively, you can take Pilates classes and receive instruction from a certified Pilates trainer.

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Takeaway – Can You Do Pilates Without a Reformer?

By performing Reformer Pilates, you can improve your body posture and flexibility and build lean muscles. It will also promote your overall well-being. Also, it is versatile! It provides adjustable resistance, making it fit for people from different backgrounds and fitness levels.

Although you can do it at home without using a Reformer, to have the best and quickest results, you can contact a certified Pilates instructor. An instructor will train you in a studio to ensure you’re using the equipment safely and correctly.

Join Our Pilates Classes in Reno, NV, at Sports West Athletic Club To Enjoy Our Pilates Session!

With our certified Pilates trainers, take our Reformer Pilates session at Sports West Athletic Club. We have been providing luxury gyms to our customers since 1987. We are open 24/7 so that you can take our Pilates classes in Reno, NV, whenever you want.

Our club access starts at $68 per month, and we offer premier (starting at $120/month), premier plus (starting at $185/per month), and executive (starting at $88/month) membership plans as well! So, join our Pilates classes, to start your fitness journey!

We are beginner-friendly, and we will help you learn different types of Pilates, like Pilates Fit, Pilates Mix, and Pilates 1 and 2. So, what are you waiting for? If you want to learn Pilates in Reno, NV, reach out to us today at 775-348-6666 today!

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