I think we could all agree that not all workouts are for EVERY body. For example….running is not the best choice for EVERY body. If you are overweight or have knee or hip issues…running is not going to feel good on your body and its not necessarily good for it as it may exacerbate pre-existing conditions.
Another example…if you have low back problems, jumping into a fitness program that does a lot of burpees and planks may actually make your back pain worse if you are not using good form. Yet if you are an elite athlete, or fairly healthy with no pre-existing conditions this might be the perfect type of workout for you. I truly believe there is not one exercise program that is the perfect fit for EVERY body…although I do think there might just be a piece of equipment that effectively trains EVERY body- the Pilates Reformer.
The Universal Reformer, as inventor Joseph Pilates called it was truly designed to be adaptable to train EVERY body.
Here’s some examples:
For the overweight person who is just starting to exercise, the Reformer provides a supportive place to strengthen the entire body without strain.
- Many exercises are done lying down on a moving carriage hence giving the body a way to strengthen the muscles without the weight bearing in knees and hip joints that can cause pain and discomfort.
- The adjustable spring tension allows clients to be really supported in their movements (no straining!) and slowly progress as they strengthen.
- The design of the reformer allows practitioners to strengthen their core muscles in non traditional ways( ie no sit ups!!).
For the healthy, fit person the Reformer works with the individual to challenge their strength, flexibility and balance in a very safe progressive manner giving them what I like to call the most bang for their buck. You know… a super effective all over body workout that doesn’t take 4 hours..
- The Reformer is designed to “work with the body” giving it feedback on how balanced it is and how it could work most efficiently. This feedback from the spring based Reformer system allows practitioners to make adjustments in their alignment and muscles engagement quicker. This constant feedback system is kind of like having a great coach giving you constant positive feedback as you workout about how you can get more out of your workouts. The results are increased strength, balance and flexibility quicker than traditional strength training or flexibility workouts.
- The Reformer exercise sequences are designed to challenge the body and your brain. For most this means that this highly effective workout has the side effect of reducing stress and leaving you feeling energized after spending your workout coordinating your movements with your purposeful breath.
For the elite athlete looking to improve their performance:
- The feedback from the Reformer allows athlete to quickly identify patterns and movement habits in their body that are affecting their specific sport movements.
- Many sport specific movements can be imitated on the reformer….giving the athlete’s body a chance to strengthen and balance their body specifically for their sport.
- There are a variety of advanced exercises in the Reformer series that I’m pretty sure Joseph Pilates designed with an elite athlete in mind. To get to these exercises you really have to develop the entire body uniformly and have a uniform combination of strength, flexibility and balance. The challenge of these exercises allows athletes to truly take their bodies to the “next level” of competition.
- The Reformer Sequence is designed to challenge the mind and the body equally and everyone knows that the mind is just as important as the body when it comes to being able to excel at any sport at a high level. The Reformer could be considered mind training for athletes!!
If you’d like to try the Pilates reformer, call (516) 318-7467 and we’ll set up a time for you to feel the magic of the Pilates reformer.
