Many people tend to think that Pilates is just a series of exercises you can do on the mat. It’s more than that.

The founder Joseph Pilates, ingenious for his time, invented a number of equipments to facilitate the exercise moves that he created. The reformer is one of his greatest inventions, and the most essential Pilates equipment that instructors nowadays run toward to for an effective toning and sculpting workout.

The reformer mainly works to strengthen the muscles and correct posture, but the benefits of Pilates reformer exercises are manifold.

Increases Core Strength Reformer exercises increase core strength. What does that mean? The core muscles are the muscles forming the center of the body, which includes the abdominal, the obliques (sides), mid and lower back. As you develop stronger core muscles, it becomes easier for you to carry out other functions that require movement, including sports.

Improves Posture Good posture not only allows the body to move and function properly, but also gives confidence. Workouts using Pilates Reformer machines take care of the spine well by improving its alignment. These exercises can help correct the posture of those who struggle with maintaining proper posture, and help improve the posture of those who need little correction. With a good posture, no doubt you will carry everyday movements with grace.

Gives Better Results Compared to the mat workouts, the pulley and the springs in the reformer gives more resistance, so the results are usually much better and faster.

In addition, this exercise machine is one of the most versatile machines available. Unlike most exercise machines that work on one or two muscle groups, the Pilates reformer can be used to work on all the muscles in the body effectively. There are in fact more than 200 exercises you can perform on this sleek machine!

Besides that, just like most strength training exercises, it will give you benefits such as increased flexibility and toned body, reduced stress and a more confident new you! To reap the best benefits of the reformer, one must know how to use it properly. Therefore, for newbies, it’s best to work with an instructor by enrolling in a class or through private trainers to understand the foundations and to learn the correct moves. Once you start to feel more confident with the pilates reformer workouts, you may want to get a portable reformer machine for home use.

Exercising with DVDs is the next best thing to having a physical instructor. Most reformers for home use usually come with instruction DVDs. With a growing demand for Pilates home equipments, manufacturers today are coming up with a variety of choices.