NbyNW
03-05-2010, 08:34 AM
If you do Pilates, do you also have equipment at home? Any of the larger pieces, like a reformer, chair or spine corrector? Any favorite toys?
I've been thinking about getting a reformer or a chair for work at home. I previously took classes twice a week for about 5 years at an excellent classical Pilates studio in Seattle, where they really encouraged us to be able to work independently through a routine. We were responsible for knowing the sequence of the exercises, and if I needed to do a modification for my injury or fitness level or body type, I was responsible for knowing how to do it, once an instructor had showed it to me. Instructors would be available to spot us or mix things up to keep it interesting in challenging.
Now I'm living in Edmonton and there are only a few classical Pilates instructors here. I've found a few people that I like working with, but it has been a challenge to schedule time in the studio. I feel like I'm not getting enough workouts in, and tired of only having matwork available to me at home (right now all I have is a Magic Circle and some small dumbells). I've only been able to get into five studio sessions since the beginning of the new year -- that's how few openings there are.
So I've been thinking about getting a reformer or chair to do work at home, so I can at least work out with some consistency, be able to do a greater variety of exercises on my own, and be able to bring more feedback into the few sessions that I've been able to schedule.
The studio I used to go to in Seattle had Gratz equipment, and in Edmonton I've been able to try Balanced Body and Peak. I would probably prefer Gratz and then Peak. They're all excellent but the expense is non-trivial. I've also seen a company called Stamina that seems to make a more affordable model but I'm not sure about the quality of the machine.
Do you have a reformer (or any of the larger equipment) at home? Which company made it? How do you feel about the quality of the machine vs. what you paid for it?
I've been thinking about getting a reformer or a chair for work at home. I previously took classes twice a week for about 5 years at an excellent classical Pilates studio in Seattle, where they really encouraged us to be able to work independently through a routine. We were responsible for knowing the sequence of the exercises, and if I needed to do a modification for my injury or fitness level or body type, I was responsible for knowing how to do it, once an instructor had showed it to me. Instructors would be available to spot us or mix things up to keep it interesting in challenging.
Now I'm living in Edmonton and there are only a few classical Pilates instructors here. I've found a few people that I like working with, but it has been a challenge to schedule time in the studio. I feel like I'm not getting enough workouts in, and tired of only having matwork available to me at home (right now all I have is a Magic Circle and some small dumbells). I've only been able to get into five studio sessions since the beginning of the new year -- that's how few openings there are.
So I've been thinking about getting a reformer or chair to do work at home, so I can at least work out with some consistency, be able to do a greater variety of exercises on my own, and be able to bring more feedback into the few sessions that I've been able to schedule.
The studio I used to go to in Seattle had Gratz equipment, and in Edmonton I've been able to try Balanced Body and Peak. I would probably prefer Gratz and then Peak. They're all excellent but the expense is non-trivial. I've also seen a company called Stamina that seems to make a more affordable model but I'm not sure about the quality of the machine.
Do you have a reformer (or any of the larger equipment) at home? Which company made it? How do you feel about the quality of the machine vs. what you paid for it?