Reformer Pilates is a spring-resistance practice built around one piece of equipment: the reformer. Knowing how the machine works explains the rest: why the resistance changes mid-movement, how the same exercise becomes harder or easier by adjusting a single spring, and what makes home practice possible without a studio behind you.
What is reformer Pilates?
Reformer Pilates is Pilates performed on a reformer: a machine with a sliding carriage on rails, adjustable spring resistance, a footbar, and ropes with handles and foot loops. You push the carriage with your feet, pull with your hands, or lie and sit on the moving platform as the springs resist or support each movement. The method and the machine began with Joseph Pilates; our history of Pilates covers how.
The Better Health Channel (Department of Health, Victoria) describes Pilates as a practice drawing on "calisthenics, yoga and ballet" that focuses on core strength, balance and posture. A reformer adds spring resistance to those principles. The exercises are Pilates; the machine changes the load and the range available.
How does a reformer work?
A reformer has five main parts. Each does a specific job in the session. For a deeper look at the springs and their mechanics, see our guide to reformer springs.
| Reformer part | What it does | What it changes in an exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Carriage | Slides along rails; provides support and challenges balance | The moving platform requires continuous muscular effort to control the slide |
| Springs | Provide variable resistance and continuous neuromuscular feedback; set by number and colour | Load increases as the carriage extends, so resistance rises through the range of motion rather than staying constant |
| Footbar | Fixed bar you press against to drive the carriage | Six height settings change the angle of push for leg and foot exercises |
| Ropes and handles | Connect to the carriage via pulleys; handles and foot loops let arms and legs work against the spring load | Allow different exercises to use the same resistance system from different body positions |
| Headrest | Adjustable neck support | Three positions keep the spine aligned through supine and seated exercises |
The springs on Milaron reformers are nickel-plated German Piano Wire, mounted in six positions. Spring load rises as the carriage extends: at a quarter of carriage travel, a yellow spring carries around 2.6 kg of load; at full extension, around 10.3 kg. The movement curve of most lower-body exercises follows the same arc, so the machine meets the natural strength curve rather than fighting it.
What are the benefits of reformer Pilates?
Research suggests Pilates may improve posture, flexibility, strength and balance, and the Better Health Channel also lists better breathing, body awareness and stress relief. These findings study Pilates in general, and no source reviewed separates the reformer from other forms.
The Better Health Channel (Department of Health, Victoria) lists the following benefits of Pilates: improved posture, flexibility, strength, balance and body awareness, better breathing and lung capacity, stress relief, and support for injury rehabilitation and prevention. The Channel covers both mat and equipment practice; no source reviewed here isolates these outcomes to reformer use alone.
A 2022 meta-analysis of 30 randomised controlled trials in older adults found that Pilates improved dynamic balance by an average of 0.60 seconds on the Timed Up-and-Go test (95% CI: 0.70 to 0.49 seconds faster). The same review found that 6-minute walk distance improved by an average of 38.29 metres (95% CI: 6.82 to 69.77 metres). Pooled results for handgrip strength and static balance did not reach statistical significance. Most participants in the included trials were women and many trials were short, so these figures apply with those limits in mind.
A June 2025 research summary from the Pilates Association Australia, an industry body that promotes Pilates, reports that a women's health umbrella review found small-to-moderate gains in pain, quality of life, flexibility, strength and psychological well-being from Pilates practice, with many of the included trials small or short in duration. A hypertension meta-analysis cited in the same summary reported reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, though with high variability between studies. These figures reflect the researchers' findings, not the association's own conclusions.
The Better Health Channel advises that you seek a "qualified and registered health, fitness or Pilates professional" for pre-screening before starting if you have had recent surgery, are pregnant, are a man over 45 or a woman over 55, have a pre-existing condition such as heart disease, or have a musculoskeletal injury.
For what the evidence says specifically about back pain, read our guide to reformer Pilates and back pain.
Check with your GP or physiotherapist before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have an injury or condition.
How is it different from mat Pilates?
Mat Pilates uses body weight; reformer Pilates uses springs. That distinction changes the load, the range of available exercises, and the ability to reduce resistance to support a movement rather than relying on gravity alone. For a full side-by-side comparison, read our reformer versus mat Pilates guide.
How often should you do reformer Pilates?
The Better Health Channel recommends Pilates "at least two or three times per week" and notes that postural improvements may appear "after 10 to 20 sessions" with consistent practice.
The Australian Government's 24-hour movement guidelines (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing; last updated 3 June 2026) recommend that adults aged 18 to 64 complete muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week and functional activities targeting mobility, balance and coordination on three or more days per week. Pilates sessions can contribute to both categories, depending on how you structure them.
For a deeper look at how reformer sessions measure against the national guidelines (what they cover and what you might add alongside them), read Is reformer Pilates enough on its own?.
Can you do reformer Pilates at home?
Yes. A home reformer is the same machine used in studios; springs, carriage and footbar do not change because the room does. The questions are space and which machine suits your practice.
Milaron reformers are built to be used daily for a decade. Each machine carries a five-year warranty on the frame and ships free to your door; in-stock machines arrive within seven days. The upholstery is Premium Microfibre Leather and the springs are nickel-plated German Piano Wire. The Pearl Studio, the Maple Studio and the Pearl Foldable are the three Milaron reformers; the Foldable folds upright when not in use, which suits rooms that serve more than one purpose.
For space requirements before you commit to a room, read how much space you need for a reformer. For a session-by-session guide to starting on a home reformer, read reformer Pilates for beginners. For how to choose between models, see best pilates reformers in Australia. Browse the full range at all reformers, or start with the Pearl Studio.
FAQ
What is a Pilates reformer? A Pilates reformer is a machine with a sliding carriage on rails, adjustable spring resistance, a footbar, and ropes with handles and foot loops. You press against the footbar or pull the ropes to move the carriage as the springs resist or support the movement.
Can beginners do reformer Pilates? Yes. The springs can support your movement as well as resist it, so beginners can reduce the load until they build control. A qualified Pilates instructor can guide spring selection and technique for your first sessions.
How long before you see results from reformer Pilates? The Better Health Channel notes that postural improvements may appear after 10 to 20 sessions with consistent practice of at least two to three sessions per week. The timeline varies by starting point, training frequency and what you measure.
Is reformer Pilates harder than mat Pilates? Not inherently. Spring resistance can support a movement (reducing the effective load) or resist it (adding load). The difficulty depends on spring configuration, not on the machine being inherently more demanding than a mat.
Sources
- Better Health Channel (Victorian Government): Pilates, health benefits
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: physical activity and exercise guidelines for adults, 18 to 64 years
- Pereira et al. (2022): meta-analysis of Pilates in older adults, European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education
- Pilates Association Australia: research corner, June 2025