Reformer, Strength, Mat or Barre? How to Find the Workout That Fits You
Maybe you’ve been thinking about trying Pilates. But then you look at the schedule and suddenly you have questions.
Should you start with Reformer or Mat Pilates? Would you like Barre? Should you be strength training, too? And how are you supposed to know what you’ll enjoy when you haven’t tried any of them yet?
Here’s our answer:
You don’t have to know yet.
At Pilates Remedy, we don’t believe there’s one perfect workout for every person. Your body is different. Your goals are different. Your schedule is different.
And the movement you genuinely enjoy doing matters, too.
That’s why we created Find Your Fit, our new-client experience designed to help you explore four different ways to move before deciding what fits you best.
What Does It Mean to “Find Your Fit”?
Finding your fit isn’t about finding the hardest workout or whatever happens to be trending right now.
It’s about discovering movement that works for your body and your real life.
Maybe you love the focus and resistance of the Reformer. Maybe lifting weights makes you feel capable and strong. Maybe Mat Pilates gives you the focused challenge you’ve been looking for. Or maybe Barre is the class you didn't expect to love—but suddenly can't stop booking.
Your fit might even be a combination of all four.
The important part is finding a movement practice you can see yourself coming back to. Because the best routine isn't necessarily the most intense one. It's the one that fits.
Reformer Pilates: For Control, Resistance and Full-Body Movement
The Pilates Reformer may look a little intimidating if you've never used one before. There's a moving carriage, springs, straps and a footbar—and plenty of ways to use them. But that's also what makes Reformer Pilates so versatile.
The springs can create resistance or provide support depending on the movement, while the carriage gives you immediate feedback about how you're moving. You'll work on strength, stability, control, coordination and body awareness while learning to move with intention.
You may love Reformer if: you enjoy focused, full-body movement, like variety in your workouts, and want to build strength and control.
And if you've never stepped onto a Reformer before, don't worry—we've built that into Find Your Fit.
Your required Intro to Reformer is included when you purchase the offer, so you'll learn the basics before taking your Reformer class.
Strength: For Building Real-Life Strength
Pilates and strength training don't have to compete with each other. In fact, we think they make a pretty great team.
Our strength classes give you an opportunity to work with resistance and build strength that carries into the rest of your life. Think less about exercising just to exercise and more about becoming stronger for everything outside the studio: carrying groceries, picking something up from the floor, traveling, playing with your kids, enjoying your hobbies and staying active as you get older.
You may love Strength if: you want to lift, challenge yourself with progressive resistance and feel more capable in your everyday life.
Mat Pilates: Don't Let the Mat Fool You
No Reformer doesn't mean no challenge. Mat Pilates brings the foundational principles of Pilates to the floor, using your body—and sometimes props—to develop strength, control, stability and awareness. Without the Reformer providing feedback, you may notice your body in an entirely different way.
And yes, movements that look surprisingly simple can become surprisingly challenging.
You may love Mat if: you enjoy focused movement, want to deepen your Pilates fundamentals, or appreciate a workout that doesn't need a large piece of equipment to make your muscles work.
Barre: Small Movements, Plenty of Challenge
If you like energy, endurance and movements that create that unmistakable muscle burn, Barre may be your fit.
Barre combines controlled movements and repeated muscular work into a class that can challenge your strength and endurance in a different way from Reformer, Strength or Mat. And no, you don't need a dance background.
You may love Barre if: you enjoy energetic classes, muscular endurance work and the kind of small-but-mighty movements that make you wonder how something moving two inches can feel like so much.
So Which Class Is Best?
That's the wrong question. There isn't one class at Pilates Remedy that everyone needs to choose.
A better question is: Which combination helps you feel strong, capable and excited to come back?
One person's perfect week might be two Reformer classes. Someone else's might be Reformer plus Strength. Another client may discover that Mat and Barre are exactly what they've been looking for. And your fit can change as you do.
That's why we encourage you to experience the difference rather than trying to choose based on a class description alone.
Find Your Fit at Pilates Remedy
If you're new to Pilates Remedy, we've made exploring your options simple.
FIND YOUR FIT
Try all four for $69.
Reformer. Strength. Mat. Barre.
4 classes. 14 days. One chance to find what feels like you.
You'll experience one class in each of our four modalities so you can discover what you enjoy, what challenges you and what you want to keep doing.
And if you're new to Reformer? Your required Intro to Reformer is on us when you purchase Find Your Fit.
No guessing which class you should choose. No feeling like you have to know what you're doing before you walk through the door. No committing to a routine you haven't had the chance to experience.
Just four opportunities to move, explore and discover what feels like you.
What Happens After Your Four Classes?
Hopefully, you leave knowing more than which class made your muscles shake the most. You'll have a better sense of what you enjoy, what works with your schedule and what kind of movement you want more of.
And you don't have to figure out the next step alone. Our team can help you take what you learned during your Find Your Fit experience and choose a routine that makes sense for your goals and your life. Because we're not interested in helping you find a workout you'll do for two weeks.
We want to help you find movement you can make part of your real life.
Find your movement. Find your strength. Find your rhythm. Find your fit.
Ready to Find Your Fit?
Try Reformer, Strength, Mat and Barre for $69 at Pilates Remedy in Yuma, Arizona.
Four classes. Four different ways to move. One opportunity to discover what feels like you.