*My honest review*
Reformer Pilates has captivated culture and has everyone, everywhere suddenly investing in grippy socks and talking about spring settings.
What was once a niche, underrated movement system has won hearts and minds, and classes are being booked faster than you can say ‘Feet in Straps’. (IYKYK).
As a Pilates purist, I’ve been doing traditional mat and equipment Pilates for years and have been watching the meteoric rise of Reformer with excitement (and mild trepidation) as the discipline morphs and flexes into something different every day.
Available at select clubs, Reformer Pilates focuses on building lower, upper and core strength, as well as improved posture, breathing and alignment. So, I booked Virgin Active’s brand-new Reformer Athletic class on the app to see how it stacks up to the more classical Pilates I know and love.
Set to a banging playlist, Reformer Athletic incorporates HIIT for a high-intensity, full-body blast that’ll get you sweating in places you never knew you had.
We’re about honest wellness over here at Virgin Active. So lemme level with you for a sec. As a Pilates purist, I’m all about that slow, focused burn that fosters true mind-body connection.
Call me a killjoy and a bore, but Reformer Athletic was a little too fun, too vibey and too dynamic for this old-school Pilates girlie. But that’s the beauty of Reformer Pilates. From slow and mindful to sweaty and fun, it can deliver an incredible spectrum of movement experiences with one glorious machine.
If you wanna get off your head on endorphins, feel your body ache to amazing music with a room full of ‘bestie energy’, you will absolutely adore Reformer Athletic.
There’s a spicy battle going on in the Pilates world on what ‘real’ Pilates is. Ignore the noise and find the Reformer class that lights you up, and no one else.
At the end of the day, ‘real’ is whatever feels real good to you.