If you are curious to know what the difference is between reformer and mat Pilates, and if one is better, here are my thoughts (and you can click on the attached video link to see a short youtube video where I introduce and demonstrate some of the exercises on the reformer too).
It is not a matter of one being better than the other – both provide benefits in terms of greater flexibility, enhanced core strength and improved body awareness. Both methods train you to initiate the movement from your centre (powerhouse/core) and will thus quickly translate into benefits across your day-to-day activities.
The fundamental Pilates workout can be carried out entirely on a mat, at all levels, either just using the body’s own weight, or with small accessories such as Magic Circles, therabands, overballs to provide extra resistance. Also, the mat is beautifully simple, and great if you want to continue your practice at home, or while travelling as it requires only space for a mat and your own body!
Whereas the matwork uses primarily the body’s own weight, the Reformer adds resistance via the use of springs that form part of the apparatus, and can be adapted to your specific needs, isolating certain muscle groups and working just a specific area of the body if necessary.
If you are coming to Pilates following injury that has limited your movement, or have otherwise limited mobility, the Reformer is excellent and frequently used for rehab purposes. It allows you to exercise in a horizontal plane of motion, fully supported by the Reformer. For example, if you have a knee injury, you can strengthen the muscles of the leg through a larger range of motion than if you were vertically positioned, using an appropriate amount of resistance to speed up recovery through controlled movement.
Whether working on mat or reformer, I can guarantee that both class types will be challenging and the variety of exercises available is seemingly endless, keeping the sessions varied and fun whether you are on the mat or reformer. And of course, just as with everything in life, you need to put the effort in to get results out, so both methods require consistency and regular practice; if you can do that, this is when you will you really start to feel and see results in your body in just a few weeks. And if you still can’t decide, and if time and budget allow, a popular choice is to do one reformer class and one mat class per week to get the both out of both worlds…what are you waiting for?! I look forward to seeing you on the Reformer or the mat very soon at Studio Mel 🙂
