The Real Reasons You Need A Pilates Reformer
Incorporating a Pilates reformer into your home gym is a great choice for anyone who struggles to stick with their workouts. Here’s why:
1. Reformers are fun
The element of fun is often overlooked when choosing a fitness modality. Exercise should be fun! It’s your break from the day. The reformer is not just a useful tool, it’s also really entertaining. It feels good to glide up and down the frame. It’s engaging to learn new ways to use the equipment. If your workout is your adult recess, the reformer is your adult jungle gym.
2. Resistance training is important for physical health
Resistance training builds muscle that is important for improving joint stability and reducing risk of injury. Mat Pilates uses body weight for resistance training, but reformer Pilates uses body weight and spring resistance. The Reformer allows you target almost any muscle group doing movements that can be difficult to replicate off of the equipment.
3. Versatility for All Fitness Levels
Whether you’re beginner or advanced, Pilates equipment increases your modification options. Some exercises, like lunges for example, are too difficult or too easy when just using body weight. A reformer can either support or increase the difficulty of a lunge depending on your needs.
4. Enhanced Flexibility and Mobility
Stretching on a reformer often incorporates eccentric stretching. Adding resistance during a stretch contracts the muscle before transitioning to a lengthened muscle (the stretch). This form of stretching can be more effective than a static stretch.
5. Low-Impact, Highly-Effective Workouts
For those concerned about joint health, Pilates reformers offer a low-impact workout option that is gentle yet effective. The resistance and support provided by reformers ensure you can train hard without putting undue stress on your joints.
6. Sticking with your workout
Exercise isn’t just a physical workout, it’s a mental one as well. Staying determined even when movements get tough takes a lot of mental strength. Adding an apparatus like a Pilates reformer to the mix is a great way to trick your brain into sticking with it. You’ll have to physically dismount a piece of equipment to give up, whereas you would otherwise just walk away. The reformer becomes its own space both physically and mentally.