outed for its many weight loss and fitness benefits, Pilates has become a top choice for consumers and pro-athletes alike. Similar to Yoga, Pilates is often done on a mat and is open to beginners at all fitness levels. Unlike Yoga, Pilates also uses various pieces of equipment to challenge muscles you probably didn’t know you had.

	The Reformer teaches you how to use your body with the major principles of Pilates.

Pilates Reformer 101

Of the various apparatus Pilates uses, the most popular and versatile is the Reformer, or the Cadillac. Made mainly from wood and springs, the Reformer has quickly become one of the most recognized pieces of machinery in the health industry. “The Reformer teaches you how to use your body with the major principles of Pilates,” says Alycea Ungaro, certified Pilates instructor and founder of Real Pilates NYC. “Control is number one. Because the springs work with elastic recoil you are forced to control each and every movement.”

Sitting on a wooden base, a padded seat (called a carriage) slides back and forth depending on your movement. Attached to the wooden base are bars and handles, which are then attached to springs. Adjusting the number of springs changes the level of resistance on your body. Surprisingly, using less springs is often more difficult. “By forcing the body to work with no resistance, we reduce the stability and challenge the body in a whole new way,” says Ungaro. There is also a stable foot bar at one end and padded shoulder rests attached to the sliding carriage.

Benefits of the Pilates Reformer

All these elements add up to one intense workout that looks misleadingly simple. The Reformer “is a very versatile apparatus that helps correct imbalances and weaknesses of the practitioner in a safe and systematic way,” says Kevin Steinmuller, a New York-based certified Pilates teacher and personal trainer. “There is nothing passive going on in the body when doing Pilates and truthfully, it is this integrative work that makes the movements difficult, for without presence of mind and body, the work is lost.”

Exercises on the Reformer are often performed three ways: by pulling on the straps, pushing on the foot bar, or a combination of the two, for a full body workout that can exhaust even Olympic athletes. Regardless of the exercise, your entire body is working to keep you balanced and engaged—there is nothing passive about Pilates! Studies have shown practicing Pilates, especially on the Reformer, may enhance bone density, but don’t let it replace hitting the weights. “Our bodies respond completely differently from the stress of weight training than they do from Pilates Reformer work,” says Steinmuller. “We all need the balance Pilates can bring, but ultimately we all need to be stronger so you need to lift weights.”

While the Reformer is one of the most popular Pilates devices, there are many other ways within Pilates to experience this fantastic full-body workout. “The Reformer alone is great, but certainly not greater than the sum of the parts,” says Steinmuller. “My suggestion would be to go to a studio, learn the basics of mat work and get introduced to the other apparatus. The combination of all the apparatus and mat work is brilliant in uniformly developing a healthy and lithe body.” Unlike the Reformer, which should only be used under the supervision of a trained professional, Pilates mat work , “can be done every single day,” says Ungaro. So don’t let your budget or schedule hold you back from giving Pilates a go.