In Singapore: Pilates Reformer Classes!
Pilates Reformer is one of the pieces of equipment that makes the Pilates method very unique. It is a piece of bed-like equipment that has a moving carriage with springs and straps attached to it. You can do hundreds of exercises on it to work your whole body. Very effective stretches to open up your hips, unique core exercises, upper and lower body strengthening exercises are amongst the routine that you can do on the Pilates Reformer.
PilatesPlus offers Pilates Reformer group classes at our CBD branch at International Plaza building located at 10 Anson Road, unit no. 13 on the 17th floor. It is directly above Tanjong Pagar MRT. We offer 4 different types of Reformer classes, Reformer Fundamentals, Allegro, Reformer Strength, and Pilates Equipment group class.
In a group class, everyone will be doing the same exercises together guided by an experienced Pilates teacher. The class is around 45 to 55 minutes long. You can read my post about the things you can do on the Pilates Reformer if you want to know more about it.
Reformer Fundamentals
Level: Beginner level and for advanced practitioners who want to revise the basics.
This class is highly recommended if it is your first time using the Pilates Reformer. You don’t need to attend the Pilates mat classes in order to participate in this class.
Class description
You will have a brief introduction to the Pilates Reformer to learn how to adjust the springs’ tension and the basic setup of the machine.
The class will start with a warm-up on the mat to work on important spine stretches, correcting alignment, and body awareness drills that will be relevant to the exercises you will be doing on the Reformer.
The routine for this class will work on your whole body which includes core exercises, upper body, and lower body strengthening movements, alignment drills, and lower body stretches.
Though it is designed for beginners, experienced Pilates practitioners can attend this class to review the basics every now and then. The pace of the class is slow which will enable you to focus on the details of the movement which can make it harder especially if you have already learned to engage the smaller muscles used in the exercise.
Pilates equipment used
- Pilates Mat
- Pilates Reformer
- Sitting Box
Reformer Allegro
Level: Multi-level class
You can attend this class even if it is your first time on the Pilates Reformer, but we would highly recommend attending the Fundamentals class first so you’ll have a better idea of how to use the Reformer machine and the common exercises done on it.
Class description
This class offers a high variety of Pilates exercise done on the Pilates Reformer. It is best suited for regular Pilates practitioners who want a faster-paced workout and want to explore more exercises on the machine.
The class will start with a short standing warm-up to correct the posture, do breathing exercises, and gentle spine stretches.
The Reformer exercises are a combination of classical and contemporary work and will vary from session to session and from different teachers. This will stimulate your body to engage different muscles in every exercise, giving you that sensation of inner strength without overly fatiguing yourself.
Pilates equipment used
- Pilates Mat
- Pilates Reformer
- Sitting Box
- Pilates ring
- Spine Corrector
Reformer Strength Series
Level: Multi-level class
Beginners and experienced practitioners are welcome in this class. You will be given a modified version of the exercise if you struggle with some of the movement. The pace of the class is not so fast, and the program structure will enable first-timers to catch up with the exercises at the middle part of the session.
Class description
This class is suitable if you are serious about getting strong with the Pilates exercises. The number of exercises is fewer compared to the Allegro class, but the repetitions are higher.
The class structure and schedule are the same as the Strength Pilates mat which is; the same type of exercises are done every session all throughout a six-week duration. The program will start either on the 1st day or the 16th day of the month, depending on the timing of the program cycle. A new set of exercises will be given in the next six weeks.
Since the movements are the same for a period of time, you will have enough time to get stronger with the specific exercises; you will learn it faster and deeper. You will generally struggle in the first week of the program, and you will get better after a few sessions.
Pilates equipment used
- Pilates Mat
- Pilates Reformer
- Sitting Box
- Pilates ring
- Spine Corrector
We have 3 Reformer sessions Introductory package so you can join any of our Pilates Reformer classes except the Pilates equipment group as you need to do one-to-one training first before joining the class.
Pilates Equipment group
Level: Multi-level class
This class is suitable for all levels as you will be doing your own customized program in the session.
Prerequisites
You need to do at least 3 introductory private sessions to enter this class. In these 3 one-to-one sessions, you will be assessed on your level and our Pilates teacher will develop an exercise program suitable for your goals.
Class description
This is one of the most unique classes in Pilates which is rarely offered in any Pilates studio nowadays. Since you have your own customized program in this class, you can do the exercises at your own pace and time. You will be using different Pilates equipment depending on your program.
An experienced teacher will be supervising the class, correcting individual students at different times. Everyone in this class will be doing different exercises at any given time.
Pilates equipment used – will depend on your customized program.
- Pilates Mat
- Pilates Reformer
- Sitting Box
- Pilates ring
- Spine Corrector
- Cadillac
- Ladder Barrel
- Pilates Chair
- Foam roller
Class size
Generally, the class size is 7 pax, but we have reduced it to 4 attendees per class with current pandemic restrictions.
Tips and Things you need to attend the class
- We generally provide the mat, but with the current Covid situation, we highly recommend bringing your own mat and towel for the class.
- Wear comfortable exercise attire, so you can move freely in stretching your hips and spine. You will need a pair of socks for the class. Regular socks are fine but non-slip socks will be better.
- We provide water, but you can bring your own bottle. One less paper cup wasted will be better to save our environment.
- Come into the class with a mindset of a student. Learn from our teacher, feel free to ask questions, bring home the exercise with you, and do it safely at home. Our aim is for you to be independent in taking care of yourself, to keep your body fit and strong.
- Focus on the details. Pilates exercise is not about the intensity at first but the quality of your movement. How intense the exercise depends on how deep you understand the movement. Take some time to learn the movements properly.
- It can be hard and confusing; stick with the routine, and you will see progress soon.
- Be consistent with your attendance. It is very tempting to attend a variety of classes in a week but our body can only take as much in order to learn the movements. You will be better off doing the same class for 3x a week rather than attending 3 different sessions in a week.
You can join any 3 of our Reformer classes with this Introductory package except the Pilates equipment group as you need to do one-to-one training first before joining the class.
If you are interested in doing Pilates mat classes, you can read what we offer in this article.
