Reformer or studio class: which one to pick?

We run two kinds of classes: on the reformer machine, and in the studio room on the mat. Many people arrive thinking they have to choose, when the real question is usually which one to start with.

The reformer class

The reformer is a machine with spring resistance: a moving carriage on which you work lying, sitting or standing, while the springs either help or add load. That is what keeps the movement controlled.

For a beginner this is the machine’s great advantage: you can safely complete exercises you could not hold on your own. It is kind to the joints and precise about finding the deep muscles. A class has at most five people, so the instructor sees and adjusts everyone.

If the machine is completely new, the beginner reformer class is the entry point, and the functional reformer class is the step after it.

The studio class

Studio classes use no machine: we work on the mat, with small equipment and your own body weight. This is where barre Pilates, barre flow, sculpt, mat Pilates, core training, booty & core, spine training and yoga live.

The emphasis is different: more repetitions, more dynamics, and holding your own body is the task. If you already move regularly, these classes complement what you build on the machine.

Which one to start with

If you want a safe, well guided entry with someone watching you throughout, start with the reformer. If you like livelier classes with music and enjoy working with your own body weight, you can start from the studio side.

The most common combination here is both: the machine for control and deep muscles, the mat for stamina and variety. That is why there is a combined pass.

What they share

Both classes are fifty five minutes, with a warm up and a wind down. Both need a booking in advance, both are led by a qualified instructor, and neither needs previous experience. You can see them all on the classes page.