Reformer vs Mat Pilates: Which One Is Better?
If you’ve been thinking about trying Pilates, you’ve probably come across two main options: Mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates. And if you spend even five minutes on Instagram, it might seem like the reformer is the new trendy thing everyone suddenly discovered.
But here is the interesting part: the reformer is not new at all. In fact, both mat Pilates and the reformer were created by Joseph Pilates himself, more than 100 years ago. The reformer, the chair, the tower, the barrel — they all come from the original Pilates method.
So why does it sometimes feel like mat and reformer are completely different worlds today? Let’s unpack that.
What Is Mat Pilates?
Mat Pilates is the most accessible form of Pilates. It is done on the floor using a mat, and sometimes small props like a ring, ball or resistance band.
Most people recognize exercises such as:
The Hundred
Roll Up
Single Leg Stretch
Spine Stretch
Swan
In mat Pilates, your own body weight becomes the resistance. There’s nowhere to hide. Your core, coordination and control all have to work together.
Joseph Pilates actually published a book in 1945 called Return to Life Through Contrology, where he presented many of the classic mat exercises. His idea was that anyone should be able to practice the method at home, without needing special equipment.
This accessibility is one of the main reasons mat Pilates became so widespread. You only need a bit of floor space and a mat.
What Is Reformer Pilates?
The reformer is a large piece of Pilates equipment with a sliding carriage, springs, straps and a footbar.
The springs create resistance that can either: support the body, or challenge it in a very precise way
This allows exercises that are difficult or impossible to do on the mat. For example, the reformer can help you:
find deeper spinal alignment
strengthen the legs without compressing the joints
build shoulder stability
train coordination between arms, legs and trunk
For many people, the reformer feels surprisingly smooth and satisfying to move on. The springs guide the movement, and the body receives immediate feedback from the equipment. This is one reason reformer classes have become so popular in recent years.
But Here’s Something Important
Even though reformer Pilates feels modern, Joseph Pilates invented it in the 1920s. And not only the reformer. He also created several other apparatus that were always part of the method, including:
the Cadillac (Trapeze Table)
the Wunda Chair
the Ladder Barrel
the Spine Corrector
All of these were used in the original Pilates studio in New York. So when we talk about “reformer Pilates”, we are actually talking about one piece of a much bigger system.
Why Mat Pilates Became More Popular for Many Years
For decades, mat Pilates was simply more accessible. The equipment Joseph Pilates designed is beautiful and incredibly clever — but it is also expensive and quite large.
A professional reformer alone can cost several thousand euros, and a fully equipped Pilates studio with multiple apparatus can easily cost tens of thousands.
Because of that, for many years Pilates was taught primarily as mat classes in gyms and fitness studios. The equipment remained mostly inside specialized studios. So for a long time, many people associated Pilates almost exclusively with mat work.
Why Reformer Pilates Suddenly Feels Everywhere
In the last few years, reformer studios have been opening everywhere around the world, including here in Luxembourg.
There are a few reasons for this.
First, the reformer looks visually interesting. The moving carriage and springs are quite eye-catching, which makes it perfect for social media.
Second, reformer group classes became a popular studio business model. When several reformers are placed in one room, multiple people can train at the same time.
But the reformer itself isn’t new. It’s simply having a moment of rediscovery.
And What About the Other Pilates Equipment?
Interestingly, the reformer is only one piece of equipment Joseph Pilates created, yet it is currently the most famous.
In a traditional Pilates studio you might also find:
the Wunda Chair
the Cadillac (Trapeze Table)
the Ladder Barrel
the Spine Corrector
Each piece of equipment has its own personality, and Pilates teachers often have a slightly funny relationship with some of them.
Take the Wunda Chair, for example. It’s an incredible tool for core strength and hip work. Many exercises on the chair challenge the deep abdominal muscles and the hip flexors in a very direct way.
The funny part is that many people both love and slightly despite the chair at the same time (:D). It looks small and harmless, but it can be surprisingly challenging. Even strong people quickly realize that it demands a lot of control and coordination.
The Cadillac, on the other hand, offers a completely different experience. It is a large table with springs and bars attached to a frame above it.
One of the magical things about the Cadillac is that it allows movements where the body can hang or move partially upside down. For many people this creates a wonderful feeling of spinal decompression, especially after long hours of sitting at a desk.
Then there is the Ladder Barrel, which is fantastic for opening the front of the body, stretching the hips and creating deep back extension.
In many ways, some of the back extension exercises people do on the reformer are actually trying to recreate the type of spinal movement that the barrel allows more naturally.
When these different apparatus are used together, they create a very rich movement environment. Each one teaches the body something slightly different.
And that variety was always part of Joseph Pilates’ original vision.
So… Which One Is Better?
People often ask this question. And the honest answer is: neither is better. Mat and reformer Pilates are simply two parts of the same method. Think of them as different tools that help the body learn movement in different ways.
Mat Pilates:
requires strong body awareness
builds deep core control
challenges stability without external support
Reformer Pilates:
provides feedback from the springs
can assist difficult movements
allows more variety of resistance
Both have unique benefits.
How the Apparatus Can Help the Body Learn
One of the beautiful ideas behind the Pilates equipment is that the springs can support the body while it learns new patterns.
A movement that feels extremely difficult on the mat might become more accessible on the reformer because the springs help guide the body.
The equipment can:
help someone find spinal alignment
assist a movement pattern
reduce joint strain
teach coordination step by step
Then, once the body becomes stronger and more aware, the same movement can often be tested on the mat without the support. In that sense, the apparatus sometimes acts like a teacher. It gives feedback and assistance while the body is learning.
The Real Goal of Pilates
Whether on the mat or on equipment, the goal of Pilates is the same: helping the body move with more control, more awareness and more balance.
Joseph Pilates believed that movement should strengthen the body without unnecessary tension, leaving you feeling both energized and aligned.
Sometimes the mat is the best place to practice that. Sometimes the reformer or another apparatus gives exactly the support the body needs. Most often, the magic happens when both are used together.
Final Thoughts
If you’re trying to decide between mat and reformer Pilates, the good news is that you really can’t choose wrong.
Both come from the same method created by Joseph Pilates, and both are valuable ways to train the body.
The reformer might currently be the most visible piece of equipment, but it’s only one part of a much richer system that also includes the chair, barrel and Cadillac. At the end of the day, Pilates is less about the equipment and more about how the body learns to move. And when that learning happens well, you usually leave the session feeling the way many people describe Pilates: stronger, more aligned, and surprisingly calm at the same time.
If you're curious to explore Pilates in a more personalized setting, you can learn more about my private Pilates sessions in Luxembourg here.
