Greetings Friends,
Chances are, if you have any experience whatsoever with Pilates, you have experience with mat Pilates. Mat Pilates takes place on the floor, on a yoga mat (hence the name "mat" Pilates).
Reformer Pilates is different in one obvious way. Instead of lying or kneeling on the floor on a yoga mat, participants spend the majority of their time on a piece of specialized equipment called the Reformer.
No, it's not a medieval torture device although considering the name and the appearance of the equipment, you would be forgiven for thinking so. Here is a picture of one of TerraLuna's Reformers:
As you can see from this photo, the Reformer consists of a set of pulleys (nearest the wall directly under the large silver ball) and a series of springs (nearest the aisle at the "foot" of the Reformer). The black rectangle in the middle is called the carriage and the padded bar at the foot of the Reformer is called the footbar.
Instead of getting up and down off a yoga mat on the floor, Guests at TerraLuna spend the majority of class lying on the carriage with their feet on the footbar, performing a series of activities designed to strengthen the body, improve posture, and increase flexibility.
The arrangement of the pulleys and the involvement of the springs makes Reformer Pilates unique in that it is accessible to folks who have difficulty with other forms of exercise. In essence, you do not need to already be fit to participate in Reformer Pilates!
The carriage, springs, and pulleys support the body as it strengthens. Reformer Pilates is no-impact and gentle on the joints, unlike mat Pilates. Activities can be modified and adapted any number of ways to make movement accessible to a wide range of body types and fitness levels.
Lastly, a major difference between mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates can be instructor training. There are many highly qualified and trained mat Pilates instructors out there and we are grateful that they teach this portable form of Pilates. There are also many highly qualified fitness instructors out there and we love them all! Where trouble can arise however, is the general fitness class that incorporates Pilates-inspired activities without the appropriate training or understanding of body mechanics.
At TerraLuna we are focused, at all times and with all Guests, on proper technique, correct body mechanics, and safety. All instructors are Certified with a minimum of 200 hours in Teacher Training. We ensure our Guests receive an enjoyable and challenging workout that matches their skill and comfort levels. We pride ourselves on providing high quality instruction in a non-judgmental and non-competitive environment and we look forward to seeing you soon.
I wish for you peace in each day and joy in your body.
Blessings,
Lynelle
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