{"id":697371,"date":"2026-06-11T08:33:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T08:33:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/697371\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T08:33:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T08:33:20","slug":"how-to-do-a-reformer-pilates-workout-on-the-mat-from-an-instructor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/697371\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Do A Reformer Pilates Workout On The Mat, From An Instructor"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated5 min read<\/p>\n

The year is 1995, and I\u2019m popping one of my mom\u2019s Jane Fonda<\/a> step aerobics tapes into the VCR, ready to sweat along with a cast of perky hard bodies. This is me, at 13 years old, discovering how truly fantastic it feels to move my body the way I choose. Until recently, I had missed that upbeat girl and her endorphin-forward attitude. Then I reconnected with her on the Pilates reformer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Over the past two decades, I\u2019d replaced workouts that brought me joy with a \u201cno pain, no gain\u201d approach. Running became one of my go-tos\u2014not because I liked it, but because I told myself I had to do it to stay fit. But by my mid-30s I was feeling tired (sore knees\u2026tight back). There has to be a better way, I thought.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when I slipped off my sneakers in favor of low-impact, barefoot bliss. I\u2019m far from the only one obsessed with Pilates\u2014loyal WH readers have likely noticed that so many of the celebs we interview have sung the praises of the modality. But it\u2019s not some inaccessible celeb trend, say pros. \u201cFitness fads come and go, but Pilates has stood the test of time,\u201d says Carrie Campbell, who owns and teaches at Positively Pilates LLC in Hoboken, New Jersey. While some people use Pilates as their one-and-only way to work out, others use it as cross training with other fitness.<\/p>\n

After five years of practice now (and a certification!), my body feels better. My back stiffness has largely disappeared\u2014a development supported by research. The method has been shown to reduce chronic low back pain, according to a recent review in Postgraduate Medical Journal. The upsides don\u2019t stop there: The brain gets in on the feel-good action, too, with Pilates reducing depression and anxiety symptoms, per a meta-analysis in Complementary Therapies in Medicine.<\/p>\n

Meet the experts: Carrie Campbell is a Pilates instructor who owns and teaches at Positively Pilates LLC in Hoboken, New Jersey. Blossom Leilani Crawford is the owner and director of Bridge Pilates in Brooklyn, New York.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not here to tell you to quit your fave HIIT class<\/a> or to stop frequenting the track if you love it. But Pilates can be a nice counterbalance to all that pushing, pulling, and pounding. One study even found that Pilates done in a clinical setting improved functional movement in recreational runners, which could lead to fewer injuries, per the International Journal of Sports Medicine.<\/p>\n

So\u2026are you ready to hit the mat (or reformer) for your first teaser? Whether you opt for an in-home sweat sesh or an in-studio hour, we\u2019ve got your guide to getting into the Pilates groove.<\/p>\n

Editor-Loved Pilates Gear\"The<\/a>Stakt The MatCredit: Courtesy\"Happy<\/a>Pointe Studio Happy Cloud Crew Grip SockCredit: Courtesy\"Allegro<\/a>Balanced Body Allegro 2 Pilates ReformerCredit: Courtesy\"On\"Reformer<\/a>\"Pilates<\/a>Bala Pilates BallCredit: Courtesy\"Flex<\/a>Balanced Body Flex Ring TonerCredit: CourtesyReformer On The Mat Workout<\/p>\n

Undo the work crunchies (stiff shoulders, tight hips) with an extension-based flow by pro Blossom Leilani Crawford.<\/p>\n

Foot Work\"pilates,<\/p>\n

Lee Morgan<\/p>\n

How to:<\/p>\n

Lie faceup with head gently pressing into floor, arms by sides, legs up and bent into a diamond shape with feet flexed, heels together, toes apart (A).Extend legs out at an angle that challenges the core but not the back. Point toes (B).Slightly flex toes (pretend you\u2019re grabbing a pencil) as you frog your legs in (C). That\u2019s 1 rep; do 10.Prone Hundred\"pilates,<\/p>\n

Lee Morgan<\/p>\n

How to:<\/p>\n

Lie facedown with hands under forehead, legs straight (A).Lift upper and lower body into a hover with equal weight between ribs and pelvis (B).Breathe in on 5 counts and out on 5 counts, clapping feet on each count (C). That\u2019s 1 rep. Do 10 to reach your \u201chundred.\u201dPulling Straps\"pilates,<\/p>\n

Lee Morgan<\/p>\n

How to:<\/p>\n

Lie facedown with arms framing face (A).Lift upper body up (keeping rib cage down) and sweep arms out and down until palms reach hips (B).Circle arms back up, lengthening through the neck as you lower body to floor. That\u2019s 1 rep. Do 3 to 8.Rowing\"pilates,<\/p>\n

Lee Morgan<\/p>\n

How to:<\/p>\n

Sit with legs long and arms reaching forward.Pull fists into chest while rounding back, keeping abs engaged.Maintain position and open arms to side, then bend arms back in. Do 3 to 8 reps.Corkscrew\"pilates,<\/p>\n

Lee Morgan<\/p>\n

How to:<\/p>\n

Lie faceup with arms by sides and legs together at a 12 o\u2019clock position.Circle legs around an imaginary clockface and return to 12.On next rep, circle in opposite direction. That\u2019s one set. Do three sets.Lunge Stretch\"pilates,<\/p>\n

Lee Morgan<\/p>\n

How to:<\/p>\n

Start with right foot forward, knee bent, and left leg back, heel lifted.Bend and straighten right leg a few times to stretch left hip and quad. Switch sides.Balance\"pilates,<\/p>\n

Lee Morgan<\/p>\n

How to:<\/p>\n

Stand tall with heels together, toes apart; hands behind head.Rise onto toes, drawing thighs toward each other, then lower heels. That\u2019s 1 rep. Do 8 to 10.What is a Pilates reformer, exactly?<\/p>\n

Perhaps you\u2019ve glimpsed that apparatus with all the springs and pulleys looming in a studio. Or you\u2019ve gawked as an impossibly graceful TikToker practically catapults off the thing. Either way, the reformer can be intimidating.<\/p>\n

Joseph Pilates himself invented this machine. A German gymnast, boxer, and sometime circus performer (seriously!), Pilates was interned in England during World War I, where he began training fellow internees in the system he was perfecting (at the time called \u201cContrology\u201d). With many pupils injured or even bed-bound, Pilates got creative and rigged springs to bed frames, allowing for accessible resistance training and, in the process, paving the way for the reformer.<\/p>\n

Today, the apparatus is composed of a moving bed (a.k.a. carriage) that works with and against spring tension. There are a ton of pros to taking your Pilates work to a reformer. For one, it was designed with proper alignment in mind. \u201cThere are blocks to keep your shoulders from shrugging up to your ears. When your feet are on the foot bar, it sets your pelvis into neutral,\u201d Campbell says. For another, the spring system creates concentric and eccentric work (which you don\u2019t always get from simple weights).<\/p>\n

At this point you\u2019re probably wondering: Is the reformer harder than the mat? The answer is yes\u2026and no. While the springs generate greater tension for you to work against, they also support your body against the pull of gravity.<\/p>\n

Feeling ready for your first class? Great! Be sure to wear form-fitting clothes so your instructor can see your alignment (and so you don\u2019t get your favorite baggy concert tee stuck in a spring). Last but not least? Don\u2019t take yourself too seriously\u2026and have fun.<\/p>\n

Keep Leveling Up With WH+<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Amy Wilkinson is a contributing entertainment editor at Women’s Health, where she edits the magazine’s celebrity cover stories and writes health features. She has previously held editor titles at Entertainment Weekly and MTV News. In 2021, Amy completed her 600-hour teacher-training at Core Pilates NYC to become a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"5 min read The year is 1995, and I\u2019m popping one of my mom\u2019s Jane Fonda step aerobics…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":697372,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[262936,337,97],"class_list":["post-697371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-core2","tag-fitness","tag-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=697371"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697371\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/697372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=697371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=697371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=697371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}