Pilates equipment explained

Reformer

The first piece of equipment Joe invented, the Reformer, features an elevated bed-like frame that houses a gliding, cushioned platform called a carriage; the carriage moves along rails by way of a pulley system. On one end, the carriage is attached to a set of springs that deliver resistance and can be customized to accommodate any fitness level.

Ladder Barrel

The Ladder Barrel, the largest of all the barrels that are connected to a ladder is designed to provide support for the spine against gravity. The Barrels are great tools for promoting breath capacity, flexibility and better posture.

Tower

The Tower, aka the Wall Unit, fuses elements from the Reformer, Cadillac and mat, to create a fun, versatile piece of equipment that has been rising in popularity for group classes.

Cadillac

Aptly named after the car company, the Pilates Cadillac is considered the ultimate apparatus. It looks like a canopy bed, with a four-post metal frame and a cushioned mat. At one end, there’s the push-through bar, which can be loaded with springs; arm and legs Springs, as well as a roll-down bar, can be hooked up to the opposite end. A slider bar at the top of the canopy houses the trapeze bar, which accommodates everything from those cool acrobatic movements for advanced students to supported stretching for more fragile clients.

Chair