Pilates classes have the proven ability to transform the body, lean out one’s physique, and has a totally-devoted following of die-hard studio addicts.  It’s beloved the world over by fitness enthusiast, celebrities (Kate Hudson, Reese Witherspoon, Selena Gomez) and elite athletes (Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Beauden Barrett).  But why? Because it works!

Here are some of the specific benefits of doing Reformer Pilates versus doing at-home and general group fitness classes.

The Pilates Reformer is multiple gym machines in one.  You can work core, leg, booty, arm, and back muscles with this wondrous device, and your form is totally in check.  The Reformer provides the added benefit of lengthening and toning the muscles safely, while improving your flexibility and posture since your muscles work against the resistance of the springs — causing an eccentric muscle contraction — to lengthen as they contract.  You can’t cheat on the machines, if you aren’t engaged, you’ll know right away.  When you’re on the machine, if you’re not in the right position, you’re not going to be able to get into the move, so there’s less room for error when it comes to form — especially because of the more personalized attention in a smaller class (we’ll get to that next).  This means you’ll be keeping proper form consistently and preventing injury.

More personal instruction.  The benefit of Reformer Pilates classes is that there are a limited amount of machines in the room — meaning a limited amount of students and more personalised attention and instruction.  Having someone there who can watch you and hands-on correct your form is invaluable.  Some other types of group fitness pack people in so there is no way the instructor can get to everyone to correct form. This also means it’s not the class to come to and hide out in the back, and it can be tough to book if you’re not on top of your schedule.  But if you’re looking for something that feels like personal training without high fees, Pilates is for you.

Extra emphasis on core.  While Reformer classes provide a full-body workout, they’re especially focused on improving core strength.  Core strength ultimately helps you to be more balanced in other workouts and everyday life.  And core doesn’t just mean flat abs!  This helps strengthen your back, protecting your spine and posture.  There is a lot of balance and stability work that helps build core strength, which you can take with you into your body weight workouts to ensure proper form.

It’s low-impact and great for joints.  If you’re dealing with an injury, joint pain, or building strength during rehabilitation a Reformer class is a great place to start.  Using the Reformer is low-impact on the joints, it helps improve joint stability, making it a great addition to your workout regimen, especially if you’re a runner or often do intense cardio that may be hard on your joints.

Try the introductory offer and see how good your body is designed to feel.