Try These 3 Pilates Exercises Inspired by the Reformer
From the outside, Pilates might seem intimidating at first — what’s with that big machine? Known as the Reformer, it offers a great low-impact exercise option for those recovering from an injury or who want one machine that can target several different parts of the body. The machine itself is a frame with a flat, bed-like platform called a carriage that rolls on wheels up and down the frame, pushed by your own body weight and strength. On one end there are springs, which can be adjusted to provide resistance, and on the opposite end are shoulder pads to prevent the user from sliding off. The benefits? A workout that not only promotes coordination, balance, and strength but also elongates the spine, joints, and muscles, making you more flexible too! A Reformer isn’t a prerequisite for practicing Pilates, though. Many Pilates exercises can be practiced on a mat and offer similar benefits.
Don't have access to a Pilates Reformer or Pilates Reformer workouts? Try these 3 mat exercises inspired by the classic Pilates apparatus.
1. The Hundred
Lie on your back, curl your head up, and press your legs out to 45°. With your core engaged, pulse your arms up and down. Inhale for 5 pulses, exhale for 5 pulses. Repeat 10 times.
2. The Jack Knife
Lie on your back. Press your hands into the mat and lift your legs overhead, holding them in a shallow pike. Now straighten your legs as high as they can go. Fold at the hips and roll down, stopping your legs at 90°. Repeat.
3. The Teaser
Lie down on your back and hug your knees into your chest. Extend your legs out to 45°. Reach your arms up and back to rest on the mat. Inhale deeply, and exhale to rise up, keeping your heels together and toes apart. Lift your chest up and reach your fingertips toward your toes. Stay here, then slowly roll your upper body all the way back down to the mat, keeping your legs up.
Looking for more ways to practice Pilates without a Reformer? Our Pilates Fit series with Victoria Batha offers an intense, mat-based practice with seven classes that target and tone your core while lengthening your body. Try it for free on Alo Moves.