Pilates exercises are the most effective exercise you can do if weight loss is one of your goals. The Pilates Reformer is the most important piece of equipment you can possibly have for them. There are a wide range of exercises you can do on this machine, and many of them involve pulling on its straps. For example, in an exercise called the “hundred,” you sit on the mat with your upper body curled forward and your legs sticking out at an angle. Your arms pull the straps from the sides of your body.
Knee Stretches
Knee stretches are another easy, effective exercise you can do on the Pilates Reformer. To do them, you just kneel down on the carriage and put your hands on the foot bar. Then, press your heels against the shoulder rests. Keep your upper body still, but move your knees and hips in and out, with an even rhythm. There are three different positions you can perform this exercise in. Your back can either be completely curled, slightly rounded, or fully stretched out. Depending on what you do with your back, you can target specific muscles to work on with this Pilates exercise on your Pilates Reformer.
The Hug
Another effective Pilates Reformer exercise is called the “hug.” To start this one, you should sit down on the short box and hook your feet underneath the footstrap. Using your abdominal and gluteal muscles, you should then begin to curl your body back and forth in a rhythmic, repetitive motion. Since those parts of the body are often prime targets for people trying to lose weight, this is one of the most effective Pilates exercises. It also strengthens your core muscles and limbers your spine.
Footwork
To start this Pilates exercise, you place your toes, arches, or heels on the footbar of your Pilates Reformer. Press the carriage out, and then control its return. In addition to working on your gluteal and inner thigh muscles, you will also be accomplishing other goals with this exercise. For example, you will be training your legs to work in balance, and you will also improve your core abdominal strength. For this exercise, you can use the reformer's springs to provide you with the resistance strength you require, gradually increasing its difficulty over time.