Pilates

Joseph Pilates spent a lot of time researching and thinking out machines with which his method could be much more efficient, adapting them accordingly to each exercise. This is a brief list of the most important and relevant machines where the Pilates method can be put to practice, offering you a short description what area of your body you will be working on more if you are interested in practicing Pilates.

• Reformer: it is a rectangular platform with a slider on rails, causing resistance to our movements thanks to a spring-loaded gear. It is made of foam material for the back, the head and the arms, and it has an iron bar to support the feet. It is the perfect machine for all those who are just beginning in Pilates. It works the abdominals, the arms, the waistline and the legs.

• Cadillac: very similar to the Reformer but with a steel structure which places above where all those who practice Pilates can “hook”, thanks to a system of pulleys and ropes. Thus, you can achieve the different positions that the exercise requires. This machine is a development on the Reformer and allows more complex exercises, working out all the muscles.

• Chair: it is a chair, but made up by two bars at each side that you grasp with your hands when doing the exercises. Additionally, there are spring-supported pedals, with which the resistance of the exercise can be increased or reduced. This machine works the legs and it is ideal for people with flat feet or suffering with problems in the Achilles’ tendon.

• Barrel: it is machine with half a cylinder shape that works the waistline particularly, as well as the lower part of the back and the spine as a whole. Perfect for those who are in still at a basic or intermediate level, although it must be carried out under the supervision of a teacher, since it can cause very bad injuries.