What Is a Pilates Machine?

There are various types of Pilates machines on the market. They are typically found in Pilates studios as they tend to be large and expensive. They are designed to take the typical Pilates mat exercises to the next level by adding resistance to the movement. They can also be useful for those dealing with injuries who find exercising on the floor difficult.

  1. History

    • The Pilates method was developed by a man named Joseph Pilates during the World War I. As a child, Joseph Pilates was very frail. He participated in sports and dedicated his life to becoming more physically fit. During the war he developed the Pilates method to help rehabilitate inmates. He began by developing a series of mat exercises he called "Controlology." This term came from his belief that the mind could control the muscles and that this controlled and mindful way of moving was needed to obtain good physical health and strength. As he continued his work with patients at veterans hospitals, he began to design "machines" by using springs from the beds and rigging them in various ways to help provide resistance to the movement. Even today, Pilates machines are designed so that the client uses springs attached to straps for the hands and feet.

    Considerations

    • Pilates is all about moving with mindfulness, precision and control. The movements are very specific and encourage the student to fully engage his body and mind. The exercises are geared to the individual student so as to address each person's unique needs and challenges. The goal of Pilates is to help the student develop flexibility and strength. The movements can be performed on the floor on a mat or they can be done on specialized Pilates machines.

    Benefits

    • Under the guidance of a well trained instructor anyone at any level can participate in Pilates. It has become more widely practiced and encouraged by chiropractors, physical therapists and other health care providers. With regular practice you can learn to rehabilitate and prevent injury, improve your posture and alignment, improve muscle tone, and increase your strength and flexibility. The heart of Pilates is its focus on strengthening the core muscles of the body, which includes the abdominals, obliques and lower back muscles. When your center is strong you have better ability to move more freely and maintain better posture and alignment.

    Types

    • Many types of Pilates machines exist, and the following are the most common.
      The Reformer: This is a versatile machine that can adjust to perform an almost endless amount of exercises and can adjust to allow for varying body types. Exercises can be done from a standing, sitting, kneeling or lying down position. Resistance is created by pulling on straps that are attached to springs.
      The Cadillac: This is a large bench with bars and springs at each end. The picture at the top of this page is a Cadillac. This machine can also do a multitude of exercises for all major muscle groups. The Cadillac can be helpful in breaking down larger movements into smaller ones to really focus on correcting alignment.
      The Wunda Chair: This is a smaller piece of equipment, but it can still provide a full body workout. There is a seat which you can sit, kneel, lie or stand on. There is also a pedal attached to springs to add resistance, and handles or bars to hold on to.

    Warning

    • The Pilates Method is only as effective as the training of the instructor you are taking classes from. Since there is no licensing or minimum training required, it is important to make sure your instructor has the proper credentials. With the growing interest in Pilates there has also been many training programs that certify instructors over the Internet and even over a weekend. A good Pilates instructor has had at least 200 hours of rigorous training under supervision. Training hours for full certification can go upwards of 1,000 hours. There are separate programs for teaching mat Pilates and Pilates on the machines. Ask your instructor where he did his training, how many hours he taught and studied under supervision, and lastly what experience he has in working with your particular situation and/or injury.