What is Pilates?

Pilates is an exercise and movement system developed by Joseph H Pilates, originally from Germany. Mr. Pilates was described as a sickly child with asthma, rheumatic fever, and rickets. He was obsessed with being an athlete and over the years he started putting together his own exercise system originally called Contrology.

While working in England when WWI broke out, he ended up in a prison camp. He continued to refine his system in those years while being held captive. In 1918 when the Influenza plaque swept through the prison camp, his camp survived… Yes, every person in his tent, guard, and prisoner was told to have survived the pandemic when every other tent had mass casualties.

Why? Because they were doing Contrology exercises led by Joseph in his tent. The story goes that the English let Mr. Pilates out of his prison camp in exchange for him teaching his methods to all of their soldiers. He agreed but left for America as soon as he could, ending up in New York City and opening his studio around 1925.

Pilates is an exercise modality that encourages the mind to control the body. Through repetition and focused breathing, the mind-body connection improves.

Pilates is based on the following principles:

What is a Pilates Reformer?

A pilates reformer is the classic exercise equipment you will find in most Pilates studios across the world. Joe Pilates submitted the reformer to the United States Patent Office in 1925, getting approval in 1926 and then a second patent in 1927.

The Pilates Reformer sits low to the ground and is typically made of a wood or steel frame. It has a movable carriage that attaches to one end of the frame with springs for resistance. The other side of the carriage has leather or rope straps attached to the opposite side of the frame as the springs.

Pilates reformer allows one to perform exercises laying on your back, side, or stomach, as well as sitting, kneeling, or standing due to its unique design. The entire body, including the mind, is worked out during a Pilates session on the Reformer.

Expect to feel some areas stretching and other areas to be working harder than they have ever worked. The joy and pain of Pilates in one moment.

Who can benefit the most from the Pilates Reformer?

The Pilates Reformer is one of the if not the most diverse pieces of exercise equipment available. Hundreds of exercises can be done on the Pilates Reformer by most people and up to 500 exercises for those capable of performing the super advanced repertoire.

The super-advanced exercises are saved for professional dancers and circus performers, not the average person looking to use the Pilates Reformer. With that said, I have had clients on the Pilates Reformer that are in a wheelchair and I have also had professional athletes and everything in between.

We have worked with physical therapy patients and fitness clients utilizing the Pilates Reformer with spinal pain, hip & knee pain, ankle injuries, shoulder problems, prehab, and postoperative. Our youngest client on the Pilates reformer has been 6 or 7 years old and our oldest is in their late 90s.

To answer the question, most people can benefit from using the Pilates Reformer with a Certified Pilates Instructor in a Personal Training or Physical Therapy session.

Should I start with Pilates Mat or Pilates Reformer?

In my opinion, the Pilates Mat work is harder than the Pilates Reformer, at least initially. With the Pilates Reformer, the machine with its springs for resistance and straps assist you with learning Pilates. It makes it easier to learn the initial concepts of Pilates.

Pilates Mat work is you and your body on an exercise mat working against gravity with no assistance at all. Pilates Mat is cheaper and more accessible at the local gyms and fitness centers. Many people start with Pilates Mat classes for these reasons but I highly recommend doing a few Private Pilates Reformer sessions first and then progressing to group Pilates Mat and Pilates Reformer classes.

In a private session, you will get all of the attention and be able to ask as many questions as you have. In a group class, you are one of many and individual attention is no longer the priority. Group classes are designed to give your body practice and precision over and over again once you have an understanding of the basics.

This is my opinion as a physical therapist who is also certified to teach Pilates and deals with injuries and pain, not the fitness client.

If you are not injured and are looking for a new fitness routine or to complement your current routine, then the Pilates Mat work is a great place to start. In this situation, I recommend trying both a few Pilates Mat and Pilates Reformer classes and letting your body decide which it gravitates towards.

Where can I do Pilates Reformer Classes in Austin | Westlake Hills?

All of our Physical Therapists at CORE Therapy & Pilates are Certified Pilates Instructors and use the Pilates Reformer with their physical therapy patients. All of our personal trainers are Certified Pilates Instructors and offer private Pilates Reformer sessions and group Pilates Reformer Classes.

Also, all of our sessions are 55 minutes and are offered at our beautiful studio at 3534 Bee Caves Rd, Ste 110 in Raintree Office Park.

Our group Pilates Reformer classes in Austin are very small with a maximum of 4 students. We don't believe in group classes with a dozen students on a reformer and a teacher not paying attention to any of them.

Our private Pilates sessions include the use of the Reformer, Trap Table (Cadillac), Pilates Chair, and Barrels as indicated by your goals.

Call 512-215-4227 to tell us your story.

Interested in purchasing some Pilates equipment for home use? 

Check out https://www.pilates.com/store to learn more about our favorite Pilates manufacturing brand. Learn more about Pilates Physical Therapy at CORE Therapy & Pilates.

Want to start Pilates Mat at home? Grab this mat from Amazon.

If you are ready to purchase a home reformer, this is the one that I suggest.

[C] Hi, I'm Cheryl and today we're here with Andrea, our Pilates Instructor and GYROTONIC ® Instructor here at CORE Therapy & Pilates. Andrea tell us a little bit about your teaching and what all you teach here at CORE. 

[A] I’m Andrea. I teach GYROTONIC and Gyrokinesis. Also, I teach on the GYROTONIC Jump Stretch Board, Gyrotoner, and Leg Extension Unit. I teach Pilates, including the Reformer, Cadillac, and Pilates Chair. 

I've taught yoga and all types of movement, I love movement... 

[C] What brought you to Pilates? I know that's what you came to first.

[A] Great question, I was rehabbing a hip replacement with Pilates and I had done the PT (Physical Therapy) and started using the Pilates to find the strength, the length... 

[C] You’ve had one hip replacement? 

[A] I have had both of my hips replaced... 

[C] Both hips and one thing I want to point out here is that Andrea is 60 and super fit. I asked permission, she said I could. I want to put that out because of the testimony to the hard work you have put in. She's very active. You teach all day long. You have an active personal life and I think that's a testament to the work... 

[A] No question, I totally agree with you, yeah, absolutely the truth. 

[C] You love teaching, that's obvious. You can tell that when you work with Andrea, you can tell she loves it. Are there some stories that you have about teaching that are like, this is why I teach!

[A] That’s a great question. I look for small victories with my teaching. Everybody comes in and we all have stuff. The body absorbs the stuff and it shows in the body, whether you've been in an accident or not. You know, we all have compromises and trauma. So I work from where you are and I go for the small victories in terms of last week you couldn't hold the strap, this week you can. I like to build like that... 

[C] It’s very rewarding, to see that. There's a trust. A trust that comes with the authenticity of you... 

[A] Oh absolutely. I think it's CORE as well. I have a good teacher.

[C] Well, thank you… Tell me what have you learned about your own body through doing the work? I see her working out all the time, you know in a healthy manner. 

[A] You get a little in here and there. There's all the equipment here at the studio so we're here to move. With Gyrotonic and Pilates the way that your body starts to move just as you navigate space and how you move through your day. I feel like the work just helps to allow you to find a bigger expression or more safe movement.

[C] When somebody that’s never done Pilates asks you, What is Pilates? How do you answer?

[A] I say it's a movement modality that we use with a specialized machines that allows you to find more space in your body, that allows you to start to move in a way that you didn't know you could. However, the body is designed to move that way. Pilates counteracts the compression that we walk around with, that we all have. 

[C] Compression that we're getting from things that aren't going away like gravity, stress, and using phones in slouched posture. The modern lifestyle…

[A] It’s so true. All of that sort of stuff is not going away and so this work helps you counterbalance that.

[C] Okay, so another question? So you answered what Pilates is and I know that the answer you gave probably could fit for GYROTONIC  as well... 

[A] Absolutely… 

[C] Because we're working for that same thing, the space in the body that creates the stability and the suppleness but people often ask what's the difference between Pilates and GYROTONIC ? In your words?

[A] I think GYROTONIC allows you to move in more of a circular, organic fashion. Pilates has a lot of linear movement. GYROTONIC allows you to move in diagonal and circular motion, which is how we are supposed to move anyways. 

[C] Perfect, I think this is a great explanation about what you do here, what you teach, what you believe, and how you serve it up to people and really meet them where they're at. 

[A] It’s like I said, meet people where they're at and I think we're kind of a more low-key, without a lot of bells and whistles. We don't care about what you're wearing when you come to see us... 

[C] We’re not about crossfit Pilates... 

[A] No I mean we're about learning about your body…

[C] Awesome, well thank you for telling me your story today. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Thanks for watching.

Call 512-215-4227 to book your Intro to Pilates 3 Pack with Andrea! 

So Cheryl, tell us why you got into Pilates and how it's helped you through your, through the last 20 years of your life?

I got into Pilates because I naturally liked to exercise and move and at the time I got into it I was sitting at a desk most of the day for my job and then I was struggling to find a time in my day where I could fit movement in and I thought what a great opportunity to be able to make movement something I get paid to do. 

So that way I wasn't having to sit by the desk trying to squeeze in movement outside of this working all day long. I was able to actually start moving for a living and then I realized how great I felt and that continued to keep me doing it and it continued to spark the joy that I find when I get to share this with other people and give them the opportunity to feel as good as I do.

And you hit on something as far as feeling good but let me ask you one more question as far as your pain, I know you've had a lot of pain, back pain, some issues as a cheerleader and a gymnast as a child.

Tell me a little bit of how pilates has helped with your pain and how it could help someone else suffering from pain?

Well, I wouldn't say that you know, I live this completely pain-free life. Occasionally my back will bother me again and you know usually it's when I'm not staying active and not doing my regular stuff but if I stay, continue with my practice and I stay doing it regularly, I find that I can live at a capacity of doing anything I want to do. I mean I still run. I can jump into somebody else's class here and there and not worried about getting hurt and I'm as active as I was in my 20s.

Awesome. Thanks!

Call 512-215-4227 to start your Pilates Journey with us…

Question I Always Get...

How Do You Work With Your Spouse?

Hahaha... Look at her Smile!