The Pilates reformer is a spring-loaded resistance training machine, whose parts include a set of straps or cable, a gliding platform called a carriage, a foot bar, head rest and shoulder supports. Joseph Pilates invented the reformer in the middle of the 20th century, but the machine has evolved through the decades. While all the reformer's parts function in the same manner toward the same goal, slight feature variations have a subtle effect on the workout.
Frame Material
The frame, composed of either steel, wood, aluminum or a composite material, is the base that supports the reformer. The frame's material is a matter of personal preference. Wood gives a home gym or studio a classic, comfortable look, whereas steel and aluminum give a modern, clinical appearance. The frame's material, however, affects its portability. Home and group exercise reformers, which usually have steel or aluminum frames, are low to the ground and either fold or stack for storage. Both steel and aluminum framed home and studio reformers have wheels on the bottom, allowing easy maneuverability to different parts of the home or studio. Most wood framed reformers do not have wheels.
Frame Height
Frame height is an important and often overlooked feature. Group exercise and home reformers are close to the ground in order to facilitate quick and easy storage. Studio reformers are usually 9 inches high and reformers designed for rehabilitation are about 24 inches high. Your choice of frame height depends on whether you are purchasing the reformer for yourself, or you are planning to use it for professional teaching purposes. If it's the latter, seniors, people with blood pressure problems, pregnant women and those with injuries may find it difficult to get up and down from a low reformer.
Springs
The reformer's spring system controls the exercise resistance and connects the carriage to the frame. They are color-coded according to their resistance level, but there's a vast difference between manufacturers. Modern Pilates equipment manufacturers such as Stott Pilates and Balanced Body usually use a five or five and a half spring-loaded resistance system. Green is the lightest resistance, followed by blue, then yellow and red. The green spring counts as the half spring. Most reformers have two blue, two yellow and one red spring. The classic reformers such as those made by Gratz, only have four springs including two yellow, one blue and one red.
Reformer Add-Ons
Space and budget are primary concerns among those purchasing Pilates equipment for home or commercial use. Since the reformer is the most versatile machine, it's often the obvious choice. If you want to expand your equipment repertoire, some manufacturers offer tower or trapeze units that attach to the reformer's frame. Like the reformer, the tower and the trapeze, also called the Cadillac, are spring and pulley-based units, but they do not have a gliding carriage. The trapeze makes a horizontal cage above the reformer carriage, whereas the tower is a vertical unit that attaches behind the reformer.
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