Mat Pilates
Mat work is the foundation of Joseph Pilates’ system. A mat class consists of a series of exercises done on a padded mat on the floor, using bodyweight and sometimes a few small props such as a Magic Circle, light hand weights, or a bar. The original mat sequence is set down in Joseph Pilates’ 1945 book Return to Life Through Contrology.
In a group mat class, the instructor leads students through a series of exercises, offering verbal cues and sometimes making hands-on adjustments to help clients stretch and improve form. Group sizes vary widely, from three or four students to 30 or more. Smaller groups mean more individual attention. In a group of three to six, an instructor can give regular verbal and hands-on correction. In a large class, instruction comes mostly through verbal cues directed at the room.
Because mat Pilates needs almost no equipment, it is the most portable form of Pilates. It appears at dedicated Pilates studios, but also at gyms, community centers, and on online platforms. This makes it especially important to check an instructor’s credentials before joining a mat class.
Reformer Pilates
In a reformer class, students use an apparatus called the reformer to perform a series of exercises. Joseph Pilates developed the earliest version of it while working with bedridden patients, rigging springs to hospital bed frames. Today’s reformers use a sliding carriage on a frame, springs that provide adjustable resistance, a footbar, straps, and shoulder rests. Over the course of a class, students may lie, sit, kneel, and stand on the carriage, working against the springs through the straps and the footbar.
In a group reformer class, every student has their own machine. The instructor leads the room through a sequence of exercises, calling out spring changes and adjustments as needed. Class size is capped by the number of reformers in the room, which can range from three or four to 15 or more. Reformer classes are almost always studio-based and tend to cost more per session than mat classes at the same studio because the equipment is expensive to buy and maintain.
“Reformer Pilates” describes equipment, not a method
“Reformer Pilates” appears on a lot of studio websites. It tells a client that the class uses a reformer. It does not indicate whether the studio teaches in a classical or contemporary style. The specific phrase “Reformer Pilates” is more commonly used for larger, contemporary group reformer classes, often with high-energy programming that targets increased cardio and conditioning work.
Mat and reformer in classical and contemporary Pilates
Mat and reformer classes are common in both the classical and contemporary traditions. Whether teaching on a mat or reformer, a classical studio will adhere more closely to the exercises, sequencing and breath cues as originally designed and taught by Joseph Pilates. You can expect to see beginner, intermediate and advanced versions of each class. Contemporary instruction covers a wider range of approaches, so there is more variability from one contemporary class to the next. Contemporary programs may also train teachers in modules covering mat or reformer only, while classical programs generally require teachers to learn the full method, including all apparatus, before teaching any part of it.
Starting with mat
Mat is more accessible for a brand-new student. Many studios let beginners drop into a beginner-level mat class with no prior session. There is no apparatus to learn first, so the only orientation is the exercises themselves. In nearly all contexts, a mat class labeled beginner is suitable for someone who is brand new to Pilates.
Starting on the reformer
Because the reformer adds complexity, most studios ask new clients to get oriented to the apparatus before joining an open group class. Some studios run dedicated intro reformer classes while others ask new clients to start with one or more private sessions. The studio’s webpage is the place to learn what their specific requirements are for new clients.
A note on the Megaformer
As Pilates has grown in popularity, some similar but distinct methods have emerged. The most common is Lagree Fitness, taught on a piece of equipment called the Megaformer. The Megaformer resembles a reformer at a glance, but it is a different machine, and Lagree is a separate method with its own lineage. SLT and [solidcore] are two other national strength training programs that use the Megaformer and to different degrees take inspiration from Pilates. As with Lagree, these programs represent themselves as new and materially different from Pilates. To learn more about these methods visit: lagreefitness.com; sltnyc.com; solidcore.co