Christmas with the Reformers

Christmas with the Reformers

My pilates instructor gave me two Christmas presents! Any guesses? Yup. Sore arms AND legs. Isn’t she kind? 

 

I participated in Dana’s Pilates Reformer groups once a week for the entire month of December. Hence the achy body. 

 

A Pilates reformer consists of a bench, called a carriage, which rolls back and forth on wheels within its frame. It is attached at one end to a set of springs that create varying levels of resistance and allow the carriage to glide at different speeds and intensity. The carriage has a headrest and shoulder blocks and can be moved in many ways, including the use of elastic straps connected to pulleys for your arms and legs. At the spring end of the reformer is an adjustable foot bar.  

 

Joseph Pilates, I learned, developed the reformer to help accelerate the process of stretching, strengthening, body alignment and increased core strength.  

 

I can now say from experience that it does all this and more. 

 

Our fit and fearless leader led us through unique workouts that positioned us on the reformer in such a way that it isolated a specific muscle group, be it quads, inner thighs, biceps, etc. We held our bodies in the plank position with our legs outstretched on the carriage and pulled and pushed the carriage in and out with resistance. Planks are already hard; someone felt the need to make them harder?! 

 

The reformer requires you to use your body in such a way that I had never experienced before. Much like a yoga practice, I can see how with the devotion of time, it could make me long and lean and incredibly strong. These sessions made me also realize just how much I need cardio in my life. For me, the reformer is a great complement to my fitness routine, but as a standalone workout, I need more. 

 

So, while I appreciate the gift of strength through my aching arms and legs, I am looking forward to more time at CHHRC to lengthen and strengthen with yoga and Pilates classes, and sweat a little, too. Not a member? Click here for a FREE pass and try it for yourself! You won’t regret it! See you in the club.