The Pilates reformer features a gliding platform, a foot bar and a spring and cable system that controls the resistance. Joseph Pilates developed the reformer throughout the decades, including adding a removable jump board, which provided plyometric, trampoline type training for dancers needing to improve their jumping technique. Stamina Pilates created the Aero Pilates Reformer for home use. It is marketed as aerobic Pilates. The jury is still out as to whether the Aero Pilates reformer promotes more efficient weight loss than the treadmill.
Upright vs. Supine
Body position plays a key role in the number of calories you expend during an aerobic workout. An upright standing position requires you to support your body weight. The standing position therefore engages more muscle groups than the supine position. The more muscles you use, the more calories you burn. You work out on a treadmill in an upright, standing position, while the Aero Pilates reformer uses a supine position for all of the aerobic exercises.
Research
Until the creation of the Aero Pilates reformer, supine aerobic workouts only existed in a rehabilitation setting. While peer-reviewed research studies do not compare supine vs. upright cardiovascular training systems, a study performed at the Center for Sport Science and Health in Dublin, Ireland, compared different types of aerobic equipment. Lead author Dr. Niall Moyna told the Post Sentinel that the treadmill burned more calories than any of the other aerobic machines.
Aero Pilates Research
Stamina Fitness products sponsored a study conducted by exercise physiologist Neil Wolkodoff. Wolkodoff's team recruited 13 sedentary participants, who underwent testing for aerobic endurance. Subjects completed three sessions of supervised training alternating five minutes of Aero Pilates and five minutes of Pilates muscle toning exercise intervals. Participants performed 40 to 46 jumps per minute during the Aero Pilates segments. Subjects showed significant aerobic improvement after eight weeks. While these results are interesting, equipment manufacturer-sponsored studies may be biased.
Considerations
Pilates exercise offers many important fitness benefits, such as strength, abdominal toning, postural alignment, balance and coordination. The rebounding exercises performed on the Aero Pilates reformer might add an aerobic element to the workout, especially for people who are out of shape or for those who might not be able to perform high-impact standing exercises. The increased lean muscle mass gained from Pilates exercise might also rev up your metabolic rate, causing you to burn more calories per hour even in a resting state. The treadmill, however, will burn significantly more calories. Cross-training with both machines alleviates the joint stress from the treadmill while adding an aerobic muscle toning element to your Pilates workout.
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