Why You should add Pilates reformer to your workouts in 2021

Pilates has absolutely added a more diversity to my work outs, since started my reformer  routines, I haven’t stopped, and the benefits have been fantastic!. Feel more relaxed, flexible, agile and less stressed out. The only con, is the fact, that  I didnt started my reformer routine years ago. But like the old say goes: ‘it is never too late. After ripping the benefits, I started immediately introducing it to my clients, and now, I sure am a pilates reformer enthusiast. As a Brazilian jiujitsu practitioner for half a decade, I was looking for an alternative besides stretching, to help me, get  more limber, besides stretching, and, I found it. Hence,  here are 4 key reasons why you should add Pilates reformer to your workouts in 2021. But before proceeding with the 4 key reasons why you should add pilates to your workouts in 2021, lets get to know how it started, and  what it is.

What is pilates reformer?

The reformer was invented by German born Joseph Pilates, who was living in England and working as a circs performing, when he was placed in force internment in England at the outbreak of WWI. While at camp he began to develop the floor exercises, that evolved into what we know now as “pilates mat work”. As time went, Mr. Pilates began to work with rehabilitating detainees who were suffering from disease and injuries. It was invention born of necesity that inspire him to utilize, items that were available to him, like bed springs, and beer keg rings, to create resistance exercise equipment for his patients. Hence, the unlikely beginnings of the equipment we know today, like the reformer bed.

Improve core strength

Pilates will engage the muscles of the core such as:  the hips, glutes, rectus abdominis and transversus abdominus. This is very important since the muscles of the core are paramount, flat abs, strong abs, tonned buttocks, and firm thights, are all result of this emphasis, other equipment and pilates mat exercises do that too, but the reformer creates a unique and varied exercise environment.

Increase flexibility

The reformer is large enough to accomodate full range of motion, which is great to increase flexibility while building strenght, it seems to invite the length you want to create in the body, and it trains the body to sustain that lenght!. I myself, have seen lots of dynamic flexibility increased, whike doing other activities I enjoy, such as working on the TRX bands, my Brazilian jiujitsu tournaments and overall my day to day activities, the follow up benefits of the length on joints with pilates is real, and powerful. Hence, an other great reason, why you should add the reformer workouts to your routine in 2021.

Built a better body

All the pilates reformer instructors and dedicated students, are normally lean and agile. Thus, working consistently on the reformer yields improvements in your body composition, several studies conducted by the  Journal of Applied Exercise Physiology; had women who had prior experience on the reformer, perform 16 weeks of regular workouts on the reformer following a four week period of detraining during summer vacation. Following these 4 months of reformer work outs, the women lost fat from their triceps, waist and thighs, and gain lean mass instead. The women achieve these results after a one hour session conducted twice per week for 16 weeks. With such commitment, you too, will grow stronger and experience shifts in yout body composition.

Comprehensive reuslts

The multiple attachments on the pilates reformer mean you can dial your workouts back, if you find mat pilates moves to challenging, or go beyond what you can do on the mat, if you crave a greater push. This allow you to work to your level, and progress appropriately. While mat pilates includes some exercises that train your arms and legs,they are usually done with no-or very light resistance. The reformer works your arms and legs more thoroughly, providing a more comprehensive work out. The resistance of the reformer means you’ll get the results from your work outs faster. The tension of the springs on the moving carriage adjust to different levels of difficulty.  Therefore, as you become more proficient on the reformer you progress on the reclined exercise to ones that put less of your body’s surface on the carriage, meaning you need to use more of your own strenght and coordination, to execute the moves. And like I did you may even notice greater definition in your arms, legs and abs, after just a few weeks of consistent work on the reformer.

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