Do you ever walk out of a reformer Pilates class and think “that class was way too easy for me” or “I’m not sure if I was doing some of the movements correctly?”. Well I’ve got three tips to help you get the most out of every class! There should never be time where you think the class was ‘too easy’ as every exercise has its own brilliant way to benefit your body. You just need the tools and knowledge to make the most out of every movement to reap the benefits.
Slow down!
My first piece of advice to anyone wanting to gain more from any sort of workout is to slow down. Moving slower is significantly more challenging than just going through the motions in a rushed state.
One benefit to moving slowly is that you’re able to have a deeper mind-body connection. Being able to hone in on what muscle groups you’re trying to engage is such a big part of Pilates. Moving slowly allows your brain the focus on form and breath in the correct way.
Another benefit is that moving slower actually increases the spring tension – therefore making you work harder without increasing the springs! This is due to decreasing momentum which allows you to always have the same intensity of the spring tension throughout the full movement.
For example, you’re performing an exercise where you’re holding the straps with alight spring and wanting to perform a pulling motion. If you pull with too much force and too quickly, you’ll lose the spring tension completely. Whereas if you pull with more control and at a slower pace, the spring tension will remain the same throughout the movement.
The only exception to move with more dynamic and speed is if the instructor has specifically said they would like the exercise done with more of a vigorous pace. If they don’t specify the pace, assume that you need to be moving slowly. Moving at a slower, controlled pace will provide the most benefits for your body in reformer classes.
Focus on Breathing
A great way to help you determine your pace is how you breathe during the movement. In Pilates, you should be taking full inhales and full exhales with every part of the movement. Usually there are dedicated breaths for different aspects of the movements to help engage the core correctly, for example.
If you find your heart start to race out of the blue, feel dizzy or out of breath at any point during the class it probably means you’re breathing incorrectly and usually too fast. The instructor will inform you which parts of the movements you should be inhaling and exhaling. Try to pay particular attention to this aspect as it will help you breathe correctly but also help you keep a good pace of movement throughout the exercise.
Using your breath as a tool will also have some awesome benefits to your mind! The slower pace of breathing calms your nervous system and helps gets rid of stale air that can build up in the lungs – yep that’s actually a thing! This is why breathing correctly is so important in enhancing your reformer workout.
Spring options
Lastly, there are many different spring options given throughout a reformer class. At PPF we use phrases like ‘level 1’s’ or ‘level 2’s’ to determine what springs you should consider for each exercise. Some people believe that loading the springs up will make the exercise harder, which in some cases is true but it’s not the golden rule. In fact, loading the springs can have the opposite effect by switching off the deep core muscles and making the global muscles do all the work which is not what pilates is about!
There are two ways to tell if you’re using the correct springs during an exercise. One is that you should feel your deep core engaged throughout the entire class. Even if the exercise is for your arms or legs, your core should be able to engage and provide support for the rest of the body. If you can’t switch on your deep core, the spring tension maybe too heavy and you need to take some springs off. Be sure to let the instructor know or ask them for some tips before taking matters into your own hands!
The other tip is to recognise how quickly you’re fatiguing during the exercise. Most of the time, you should be able to complete 8-12 reps (depending on the movement) before feeling a little fatigued. If you’re only on rep 5 or 6 and you feel your muscles shaking or becoming fatigued, the springs are definitely not right for you. Again, make sure you ask the instructor for further guidance before adjusting your springs. Having the correct spring level can make a big difference in your reformer workouts.
If you consider the three tips given for your next reformer class, I guarantee that you’ll work in a more efficient and effective way! Remember that Pilates comes from a rehab background and core stability/control, whole body mobility and balance are the foundations of every exercise. If you are ever unsure if you’re performing the movement correctly, what the breath should be or how many springs you should be using, please ask the instructor. They are there to help you get the most out of every movement and love to help clients perform at their best!
Interested in learning more about the benefits of Pilates? Click here to read more.
Click here for our other tips and tricks to getting the most out of your Pilates workouts.
