reformer
learn it with precision
from legacy to practice
Curious what a private Pilates class looks like? Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at a private class on the Reformer and partially on Spine Corrector, two of the most iconic pieces of Pilates equipment.
This is not a performance. It’s not about being flexible or strong before you start. It’s about showing up with your own body, just as it is; tight hips, stiff back, old injuries, fatigue from sitting all day. This is the starting point we welcome and work with.
what is the reformer?
The Reformer is the heart of the Pilates apparatus—a moving carriage, springs for resistance, and adjustable footbars and straps. It offers endless possibilities for movement: pushing, pulling, stabilizing, lengthening. Whether you're lying down, sitting, kneeling, or standing, the Reformer meets your body where it is and challenges it to move better. It’s not just a workout—it’s a tool to build control, balance, and deep strength with precision.
how do you know you practice reformer properly?
In our private Reformer teaching, you’ll find something group classes can’t offer: precision, personalisation, and real progress. Every session is tailored to your body: your posture, your strengths, your challenges. We don’t follow a routine; we teach you. With hands-on guidance and focused cueing, we ensure you’re not just copying movements but truly understanding and embodying them. You’ll learn the why behind each exercise, build the foundation properly, and avoid compensations or habits that often go unnoticed in a fast-paced group setting. This is Reformer work done right; intelligent, intentional, and built around you.
reformer footwork
Footwork on the Pilates Reformer is often the starting point of a session—not because it's easy, but because it's essential. Lying down on the carriage with your feet on the footbar, you begin a series of pressing and returning motions, coordinated with the breath. But this is much more than just leg work.
This series establishes your connection to the machine, teaches you how to organize your spine and pelvis in neutral or imprint, and initiates engagement through the feet, legs, hips, and core. With careful attention to alignment and cueing, we guide you to activate the right muscles, improve circulation, and strengthen joint support.
Paired with deep lateral breathing, footwork becomes a moment of full-body integration—awakening your proprioception, helping decompress the spine, and preparing you for the more complex repertoire ahead. It's intelligent movement that lays the groundwork for a strong, aligned body.
connecting with the inner thigh line in footwork
In our Reformer classes, we take footwork seriously, starting from the ground up. We assess and correct your foot alignment, helping you build strength and awareness through the arches, heels, and toes. Don’t be surprised if we introduce small props like a soft ball or a ring between your thighs. These help activate the inner thighs and pelvic floor, supporting deeper core engagement. With precise cueing and these tactile tools, footwork becomes a rich, whole-body experience, not just a warm-up, but a recalibration of your posture, alignment, and movement habits. There are countless classes and videos out there, but only an experienced teacher will teach you how footwork should truly feel.
mermaid — side bending made simple
In the Mermaid, we help you bend your spine sideways with control and ease. Using the Reformer for support, you’ll stretch your waist, open your ribs, and breathe deeper. It’s gentle, effective, and feels really good—perfect for anyone who sits a lot or feels stiff through the back and sides.
intoducing the spine corrector
The Spine Corrector is a powerful piece of equipment designed to open the chest, mobilize the spine, and awaken the core. It helps counteract the slouched posture we often fall into from daily life. From deep abdominal work to spinal articulation and shoulder opening, the Spine Corrector supports movement that feels both subtle and profound.
reverse table & supported hip extension — building strength with control
The Reverse Table on the Spine Corrector helps you open your chest and strengthen your shoulders while extending your hips. Supported Hip Extension focuses on activating your glutes and hamstrings with stability and ease. Both exercises improve posture, enhance core connection, and gently build strength; ideal for beginners learning to move with precision and support.
chest expansion on the reformer
Chest Expansion on the Reformer focuses on opening the front of your chest while strengthening your back and shoulders. This exercise improves posture, encourages deep breathing, and helps release tension from hours spent sitting. Perfect for beginners, it teaches control and coordination, leaving you feeling more open and energized.
rhomboid pulls on the reformer — strengthen your upper back
Rhomboid Pulls target the muscles between your shoulder blades to improve posture and reduce upper back tension. This exercise helps counteract the effects of slouching and desk work by activating key stabilizers in your back. With focused guidance, beginners learn to engage these muscles properly, promoting a balanced and supported upper body.
hipwork on the reformer
Hip Work on the reformer focuses on strengthening the muscles around your hips and pelvis, improving stability and mobility. This controlled, low-impact exercise helps protect your lower back while improving and stimulating your overall alignment and movement efficiency. You’ll learn to activate the right muscles, adding confidence to your balance and supporting everyday activities with greater ease.
low abdominals strengthening
The Floating Spine Lift targets the deep, low abdominal muscles that support your spine and pelvis. Performed on the reformer, this controlled movement helps improve core stability, spinal articulation, and breath coordination. By lifting the spine off the carriage with precision, you build strength from within while protecting your back—key for posture, balance, and smooth movement in daily life. Once you are pain free to do this exercise, good chance you will stay like this if keep on practicing!
scooter on the reformer - don’t skip leg day!
The Scooter is a dynamic leg exercise on the reformer that challenges strength, balance, and control. By pushing the carriage back and forth with one leg while the other supports, you engage your glutes, hamstrings, and inner thighs. This movement also improves coordination and stability through the hips and pelvis. Perfect for sculpting and functional strength in your lower body. You see here the round back version, there are also many other versions!
psoas/hip flexor stretch on the reformer
The Psoas Stretch on the reformer targets one of the most important muscles for hip stability and posture. By gently elongating the psoas, this stretch helps release tension in the lower back and hips, areas often tight from sitting or stress. This movement promotes greater pelvic alignment and spinal decompression, leaving you feeling more open, relaxed, and supported through your core and lower back. A traditional recommendation by all fysios!
standing back extension with pole — ending strong!
At the end of class, we’ll actively extend your spine to counterbalance all the forward flexion of daily life. What feels fearful for many becomes a true pleasure for the Pilates practitioner. We guide you to hold your head and neck correctly so you find safe, active mid-back extension—without compressing your lower back or feeling unstable. It’s a must for a happy, healthy body.
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Not at all. The Reformer is actually one of the best ways to start Pilates. With springs for support and resistance, we guide you through a structured and personalized learning process. You'll feel safe, supported, and surprisingly strong — even if it’s your first time.
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We hear this a lot. In many group settings, the pace is fast, there’s minimal correction, and the machines often feel intimidating. In our studio, we slow things down, personalize your session, and teach you how the Reformer is meant to feel. You’ll receive expert cueing, hands-on support, and actual learning — not just following choreography.
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Yes! Even a few well-taught sessions can reset your posture, ease travel-related stiffness, and deepen your body awareness. We welcome travelers and offer flexible scheduling to fit your plans — you’ll leave lighter and more aligned than when you walked in.
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Absolutely. In fact, experienced movers often say their practice completely changes once they begin working privately. We go deeper — into technique, breath, precision, and activation — so even familiar exercises feel like new territory.
Even if you’ve done a lot of Pilates, there are still many uncovered gems in the classical repertoire. We continue to research and teach material passed on through the teachers most connected to Joseph Pilates himself — either directly or through their dedicated students. This rich, often hidden part of the method isn’t something you’ll find in most group classes or online platforms. It’s passed on in trusted teacher-to-student lineages, and we’re thrilled to keep it alive — and pass it on to you.
You’ll be amazed where the method can take you.
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When you learn the method properly, Pilates becomes more than a workout — it becomes a tool. A tool for healing, control, power, and transformation. That’s why we take time to teach. Whether you do it once a week or integrate it into your lifestyle, it’s about building lasting skills.
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Yes — and you’re very welcome here. We love working with visitors, and one well-guided private session can offer valuable insight, a physical reset, and inspiration that stays with you long after your trip.
Whether you’re a beginner, an experienced practitioner, or a teacher yourself, we’ll meet you exactly where you are. You’ll leave with personalised cues, new awareness, and likely a few “aha!” moments to take back into your home practice or regular classes.
Many of our traveling clients say they’ve never felt their body understood or supported so clearly — even after just one hour. So if you’re passing through, don’t hesitate: your visit may just be the turning point in your Pilates practice!