09/17/2026
What am I actually thinking about when I’m teaching you on the Reformer?
It’s not just, “Did we get a good workout?”
I’m thinking about the quality and variety of movement we’re giving your body.
Did we move the spine in all directions?
Flexion, extension, rotation, lateral flexion and yes, more extension too.
So much Reformer work can become focused on flexion and “core,” but I want your spine to actually move, not just stabilize.
I’m also thinking about the method.
Did we actually do Pilates?
That doesn’t mean every class needs to look like a historical recreation of a Joseph Pilates session. But I do believe the classical repertoire deserves a place in our practice.
The Hundred. Roll Up. Long Stretch. Elephant. Short Box. Swan.
There’s a reason these exercises have lasted. The repertoire gives us a framework for how the body can move, connect, and progress.
And then there’s the question I’m always asking:
Am I making this exercise harder… or better?
More springs, more reps, more choreography, more shaking…none of these automatically mean better Pilates.
Sometimes progression looks like better alignment, more control, more range, better articulation, or simply understanding the movement more deeply.
Because a good Reformer session isn’t just a collection of exercises.
I’m thinking about what your body needs today, what movements we’ve given you, what we might have missed, where we can challenge you, where we can create more space, and how each exercise connects to the next.
The Reformer is the equipment. The method is how we use it.
