Interactive equipment guide

Meet the Reformer

Before your first class, the machine can look like the most intimidating thing in the room. It is easier when you know the parts. Choose a label to see what it does and what you may be asked to do with it.

Blueprint drawing of a Pilates Universal Reformer
Pilates ExplainedUniversal Reformer

Selected part

Footbar

A stable bar used by the feet or hands to organize the first push, press, or support point.

What you may do

In a first class, you may press into it during footwork so the teacher can see how your legs, pelvis, and spine organize under spring resistance.

It looks mechanical, but the teacher sets the bar and springs before asking you to move.

Keep learning

Why the springs matter

The Reformer is not just a machine with moving parts. The spring system is what makes the method feel supported and challenging at the same time.