Exercises can be done on a reformer bed
Whether you’re recovering from injury, looking for a challenge, or simply seeking a more holistic workout, the reformer bed is a great tool to add to your fitness routine. Its movable springs and other mechanisms allow for a variety of exercises that can strengthen every muscle group in the body, build flexibility, and improve balance and stability.
Designed to sculpt and tone muscles, the reformer is often used by Pilates students to improve flexibility, strengthen core muscles, and enhance balance and posture. Its adjustable resistance enables you to customize the level of difficulty for each exercise. In addition, its padded platform allows you to exercise in a number of positions—reclining, sitting, or kneeling—to target different muscle groups at once.
Reformers can be found in studios and homes around the world, but they are often rented or purchased for use in a class. A qualified instructor will guide you through movements that work every muscle in the body, improving coordination, strength, and stability while enhancing flexibility.
The unique construction of the reformer bed includes a platform that’s attached to the end of the frame with movable springs. The front platform usually houses a series of adjustable springs and a bar, while the back platform features shorter straps with handles. The springs create the resistance for Pilates moves. The length of the straps is also adjusted to vary the tension. Springs are often color-coded to help you easily recognize which one is being used.
What exercises can be done on a reformer bed?
The short box series is a set of exercises on the reformer that include round, flat, side to side, and twist to build shoulder, chest, and back strength and improve posture. Rowing exercises on the reformer, including Swan Dive and Rocker with Elephant, focus on strengthening the back muscles while building balance and core engagement. Twisting exercises like Long Stretch, Up Stretch, and Corkscrew strengthen the deep core muscles that don’t get worked as much in standard core workouts.
This seated exercise, also called a Pike, is another classic reformer exercise that’s performed with the feet placed on the foot bar or box. It strengthens the shoulders and chest, opens the back, and improves posture. The movement is similar to a prone fly on a mat, but the feet are supported by the foot bar to engage more of the outer hips and add to the intensity of the exercise.
The tall box is another great short box variation that works the entire body, but especially the shoulders, upper back, and arms. Lie back on the reformer with the head resting between the shoulder blocks and the hands by your sides on the foot bar or box. Push up on the foot bar to start and then lift your legs in a straight line as high as possible while keeping the upper body lifted. Return to a squat and then continue to alternate between extending the legs and bending them until you’re back to the starting position. Then repeat to complete the set.