Worse still, reports of serious injuries related to the machines have led experts to describe pilates classes as the ‘wild west’, with unqualified instructors causing ‘traumatic injuries’.<\/p>\n
Here, experts reveal whether it\u2019s worth investing in, and highlight the potentially disabling risks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/110710457-16060521-image-a-1_1787072764087.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The number of pilates studios popping up in the UK has risen ten-fold since 2024<\/p>\n
What is reformer pilates?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Reformer pilates is a low-impact, full-body workout performed on a bed using a sliding carriage, springs, straps and a foot bar to provide controlled resistance.<\/p>\n
Fans say it strengthens and targets muscles in ways that mat pilates cannot, as it involves pushing and pulling a heavier weight than simply your own body.<\/p>\n
Rhian Cowburn, pilates instructor and co-owner of London studio Strong and Bendy, says the appeal lies in the versatility of the machine.<\/p>\n
‘A beneficial class – mat or otherwise – will challenge all the major muscle groups.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘But by adding in extra resistance with the reformer you can create pulling movements that you don’t get with mat pilates.<\/p>\n
‘It broadens the range of exercises you can do, recruiting a wider selection of muscle groups.’<\/p>\n
She adds that pushing movements strengthen the shoulders and chest, while pulling activates the major back muscles responsible for posture and upper\u2011body strength that many people struggle to build.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘For instance, pulling the straps on a reformer will strengthen the muscles required to do a pull up, which is an exercise most people can’t do. Regular mat pilates might get you there, but it would take far longer.’<\/p>\n
Will a reformer make me more toned than a mat class?<\/p>\n
The biggest difference between mat and reformer pilates is the external resistance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The springs on the machine, which are attached to the straps and pulleys, increase the load on the core and glute muscles and ensure they are consistently engaged during a particular exercise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This is far harder to achieve on the floor, where participants have to consciously squeeze parts of their body to ensure muscle gains.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cowburn says this is why many feel they progress more quickly on a reformer, finding they need fewer sessions to see\u00a0changes in strength and control.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"In](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/110724045-16060521-image-a-3_1787130571217.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
In 2019 Maya Meron successfully sued a London studio after a reformer collapsed on her<\/p>\n
The springs also allow movements to be performed through a greater range of motion, which can improve flexibility and joint stability, while still providing support.<\/p>\n
While reformer pilates won’t completely transform your physique – Cowburn says genetics is the main driver of a person’s body shape – it can visibly tone muscle in multiple areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘It’s far easier to achieve this with added resistance,’ Cowburn explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another benefit that’s often overlooked is the reformer’s use for overcoming injuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘The springs reduce pressure on the joints, so you can build strength without aggravating pain,’ she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The controlled resistance can also make movements like squats or lunges more accessible for those with arthritis or mobility issues, while still challenging the muscles that support the joints.<\/p>\n
Cowburn adds that reformer allows for standing exercises, which can be useful for older adults who struggle to get on and off the floor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘Most of the people who come to my classes are aged between 25 and 45, but the benefits extend far beyond the 50s,’ she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But beware of the potentially lethal risks…\u00a0<\/p>\n
Experts have recently warned of the risks of the ‘potentially dangerous’ exercise, following a spate of serious injuries related to the classes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Managing Director of training body Health and Fitness Education referred to the reformer as a ‘human catapult’, adding that many instructors have ‘no supervised training’.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There have been several victims.\u00a0In 2019, Maya Meron, an acclaimed violinist, sued a London pilates studio after she broke her left elbow and injured her abdomen when a reformer machine collapsed on her.<\/p>\n
And last year, Kirsty Morgan, a 30-year-old pilates teacher from Essex required four layers of stitches and a tetanus shot after a metal frame came apart from a reformer and fell on her head.<\/p>\n
Morgan narrowly escaped a far worse fate; she was told that if the 20kg structure had fallen on her temple she could have died.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However Cowburn says reputable studios, which ask instructors to hold\u00a0recognised certification, such as a Level three pilates qualification, are low risk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The most common mistakes are those made by pilates-goers who adjust their own\u00a0springs.<\/p>\n
‘In classes that involve lifting weights, the heavier the weight the harder the exercise becomes – but this isn’t necessarily true of reformer,’ says Cowburn.<\/p>\n
‘So there’s danger when people change springs with the hope of “increasing” their challenge, without understanding what they\u2019re actually doing.’\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pregnancy also requires caution, as some movements are harder to modify on a reformer than on a mat. Still, Cowburn stresses that serious injuries are rare.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘The risk of being injured is really low if you\u2019re listening to what the teacher is telling you.’\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pilates is no longer a simple mat-based exercise class. Now, the popular activity involves a wooden contraption that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":598295,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[539,499,103,61,60,99],"class_list":["post-598294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-dailymail","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-london"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=598294"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598294\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/598295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=598294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=598294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=598294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}