Why are reformer classes popular and why don’t all studios offer them?
The universal reformer is quite the machine.
If you have never used one before it is quite an interesting piece of equipment to look at.
It would be a fun experiment to place it in the middle of a big gym or better yet a mall, set up a camera and see what happens.
I bought one and had it sitting in my home studio for about a year before I began using it.
I knew all the benefits of pilates and was desperately trying to achieve them but the problem was, I didn’t know how to.
This is why not all studios have reformers.
Not everyone knows how to use or teach on them.
The world of pilates is hidden to many people. The studio reformer was not widely known a few years back and to find a studio who hosted pilates classes was quite the challenge.
In the past five to ten years this has all changed. Everyone is becoming a pilates instructor and if you don’t have reformer classes in your studio you may be missing out on a a lot of potential clients.
Mat classes can only get you so far unless you have great posture.
Through my experience, the mat exercises are a benchmark of what your body can and cannot do.
The reformer if used correctly will help you gain flexibility and strength to achieve the ability to do all the mat exercises.
So you have to ask yourself, what are your goals and what kind of reformer class would help you achieve those goals.
If you have great muscle balance and alignment, a fast pace class with maybe a HITT feel to it would probably be your thing. Don’t forget that you still need to learn the basics (or you could get hurt).
If you are stiff or maybe hyper mobile you may need to go slow and find a studio who can slowly build you up.
When I started pilates I was very injured and misaligned, so much so that I could not squat or bend over without some sort of pain. There was zero chance I could go back to the gym. I had a tough time standing up as well as walking. My body starting to waste away as the left side of my body atrophied.
I needed to move my legs and the reformer made the most sense.
It seemed that very few studios offered classes so I was looking at privates or semi private sessions.
I had tried to learn from teachers or coaches in different sports in my past but I rarely made progress with them. They were great with natural athletes but I was never one. I would always practice on my own until one day I looked very natural at anything I did. I decided it was better to invest in a reformer and teach myself.
My thought was this. Very few people are going to be as invested in my recovery as myself. I had a greater chance of walking into a studio who spoke the lingo but couldn’t deliver than I did at finding a hidden gem of an instructor that knew my body and could help me fix it. Years down the road this thought would be proven correct when I taught in a studio setting (eventually becoming the manager, head instructor and physio therapist assistant). My classes tended to fill up because I gained the necessary understanding of how to use the reformer. Not just the exercises on the reformer but how to get the most out of each one.
There are also other important aspects of teaching in a reformer class.
One is to be in the class before everyone else.
This is where you get to ask the most important question to your client (s).
“How are you feeling today?”
If the instructor shows up after the class is started they can’t ask this question nor can they find out what their client (s) need on this particular day. The more information you gather, the more you can design on the spot, what they need. Again the instructor will need to know how the reformer works, how the body works, which exercises does what, and what adjustments/modifications the client (s) will need.
A class also needs to be set up a certain way with clients in the right area of the room to create the most enjoyable class. If you have two people who ask many questions or chat a lot, they could easily change the direction of the class. These clients are great because they give the opportunity for every one to learn but only if they are far away from each other.
A client who has many injuries cannot be on the outside of the class they need to be in the middle. Easy to get to from any part of the room. They need careful attention and if you cannot get to them quick, they could get hurt if they don’t know the exercise or if they are pushing themselves when they need to be pulling back.
The best clients and the ones I love the most are the ones that need a ton of attention. Usually they are injured and have been to different studios where instructors think they are the problem. This is rarely the case. They ask many meaningful questions and if the instructor doesn’t have the answers they hide from them. These clients make the best advocates for you and speak highly when you give them what they need. A little extra care. I had one member who frustrated all the teachers and owners always asking where they got their certifications from and where did they do their course. The owners asked us not to sell her a membership because they couldn’t deal with her questions or emails. I begged the owners to let her purchase a membership and come to my class. They said no.
I had such a great time teaching her. I would come in early to class. Ensure that everyone was in the right spots and I would hover around her all class. Everyone who had more experience was grouped around each other while the newer clients would be close to her so that they could learn. She asked good questions (most of it on how to be safe or where her pelvis should be in space) and she always left with high praise saying, I know you got your certifications from so and so. Which to be honest I didn’t, I was still waiting for my comprehensive course to come back into town. What I did do was to read and study like crazy to know how the equipment worked and know how different types of bodies worked. I would even try to visualize what a person looked like before they walked through the door. This way I could test what I could see with the theory I was reading.
Sorry, I think we got way off track.
Reformer classes aren’t just fitness classes. Reformers aren’t just equipment. They have an amazing way of rebalancing the body if used correctly and taught by someone who cares.
In this day and age with old school teachers being frustrated with fancy studios with large classes who don’t teach the pilates principles, I would tell them, don’t worry about. It’s great to see many people learning about this amazing machine. Be prepared because the right client is out there looking for you. They may not even know it yet but one day they will get exactly what they came for when they find you. Just be prepared.
If you don’t know your goals or much about pilates, send an email with questions and ask away. If you would like to try a reformer class, book a complimentary 101. I would love to show you the possibilities of moving pain free and enhancing your body image (posture).
Joe