Achieving Strong, Well-Toned Body with Pilates Machines

Pilates is a well-known exercise system that not only improves muscle strength, but also enhances one’s physical and mental conditions. It commonly involves two methods, both of which use the principle of resistance for toning and strengthening the body. The first method uses mats, and the other uses Pilates machines. There are three types of machines used in Pilates workouts. These are the Cadillac, reformer, and wunda chair.

Pilates Cadillac

The Pilates Cadillac consists of a padded platform that has a frame above it. Springs connect the frame to various bars or straps.

To use a Cadillac, sit on the platform and make sure your body is at the front of the roll-down bar. Also, your spine should be in a neutral position. Put your feet about 12 to 18 inches apart.

Lightly hold the roll-down bar. Then roll toward the bench. As you do this, pull your abdominal muscles tightly and slowly. Inhale once after your body has been aligned completely with the bench.

Afterwards, exhale while pulling your body up to the direction of the roll-down bar. See to it that you tightly pull in your abdominal muscles.

Reformer Machine

The Pilates reformer consists of a gliding platform attached by springs to a wooden or metal frame. The gliding platform can be pulled on ropes or pushed off from a non-moving bar. This machine uses the principle of resistance to make your abdominal muscles stronger.

How is it used for Pilates exercises? First, lie flat on the gliding platform and put your feet on the foot bar. Since the platform is near the foot bar, bend your knees at an angle of 90 degrees.

Next, stretch your legs to push the gliding platform away from the foot bar. As you do this, you must exhale and inhale gently. Also, bend your knees slowly and carefully.

Pilates Wunda Chair

This equipment is made up of a small padded platform with springs attached to a bar. Exercises using a wunda chair involve moving the bar forward as you stand or sit on the bench.

To use the wunda chair, begin with the basic moves as you sit on the bench. Then slowly increase your movements before you do harder exercises.

You can also use this Pilates machine by standing up on the bench. Put your right foot gently at the chair’s base. Bend your left knee and push the pedal down with your left foot. Once the pedal is lowered, raise it once more with your left leg.

Since you already know how to exercise with the above-mentioned Pilates machines, you can now begin to use them so that you can work out your muscles and improve your overall well being.

Pilates Reformer Review: Stamina AeroPilates Pro XP 557

The Stamina Aero Pilates Pro XP 557 pilates machine is the perfect addition to any home gym, particularly because it offers users a way to combine traditional Pilates exercises with an additional aerobic component. Besides helping a person train and tone the various muscles of the body, the Stamina XP 557 Aero Pilates Pro Reformer is also an excellent way to burn calories and lose weight.

Product: Stamina AeroPilates Pro XP 557
Manufacturer: Stamina Products, Inc.
Price: $1099.00 – $1299.00

Product Description

The Stamina Aero Pilates Pro XP 557 Pilates Reformer is an in-home, commercial grade pilates machine. It consists of a spring system with different resistance levels set up on a platform that you can lay on, sit on or do various other exercises from. Simply push off from the free form cardio rebounder while lying on your back for additional cardiovascular exercise benefits.

The Stamina Aero Pilates Pro XP 557 Pilates Reformer was constructed to be four inches longer than traditional reformers. The benefit of this length increase is that it will accommodate most heights in reference to Pilates exercise needs.

The Cardio Rebounder fits in holes at the base of the machine and functions like a trampoline. The Rebounder allows you to “jump” while lying down on the reformer, so that users of any fitness level can use the Rebounder safely and effectively. The cardio workout is gentle to your joints and connective tissue, and yet allows you to reach and maintain your target heart rate as effectively as with a treadmill. You can turn your feet in or out to hit different muscle groups and reach hard to access thigh, hip, and waist muscles. The Rebounder can be taken on and off the reformer easily.

Additional AeroPilates Pro XP 557 features include:

• Longer rails than traditional reformers
• Made of commercial steel
• Steel springs provide resistance for exercises
• The ropes, straps and handgrips are adjustable
• Universal size to fit most users
• Performs over 100 exercises to tone and shape the entire body
• Quiet, ultra-smooth rollers and gliders for a safe, effective workout

Consumer Reviews

From Amazon.com

“This machine is great for all the pilates work, just like what I have used at the pilates studio and I love the trampoline rebounder. It’s like running in the sand and getting an ab workout at the same time. Very easy on my knees. I love it. My belly’s flattening out and I am getting the same amount of cardio that I was getting on the treadmill, but without the pounding and jarring.”

From Become.com

“I LOVE this pilates machine! It was relatively easy to put together – it took me about an hour. the instructions were clear and easy to follow. I like the video and the exercise map. I feel very comfortable on the machine….I would say I am as comfortable on this as I was on the one at the gym! It is great!”

From Buzzillions.com

“This is a great reformer for the money…I can do all the exercises I did at the gym. It is sturdy, glides smoothly and you feel that it is really solid beneath you. The rebounder attachment gives a good cardio element to the workout. I am really glad I bought it.”

AeroPilates Pro XP 557 Pros

• Comfortable
• Durable
• Non-slip
• Easy to use

AeroPilates Pro XP 557 Cons

• Side rail seam
• Very heavy to move

Average Consumer Rating: 4.5/5

The Bottom Line

The Stamina AeroPilates Pro XP557 is for the person who takes their home Pilates reformer workout seriously and who wants to take the traditional Pilates workout to the next level with the addition of cardio. You’ll lose weight and tone the hips, thighs, and abdominals! Using the AeroPilates Pro is the safest, most effective way to perform Pilates exercises without a licensed instructor, and with the included videos, anyone can learn to use the machine.

Where to Buy: AeroPilates Pro XP557 at Amazon

Your Rating: (No Ratings Yet)
 Loading ...

The Whole New World of Pilates Fitness

You are most probably grown tired of doing your routine exercises because you feel exhausted and tired after doing it. Instead of refreshing you and giving you some relaxation, your traditional exercises may have been stressing you more. If this is also happening to you and you want to have a new set of challenging exercises, the Pilates fitness program is here to answer all that you are looking for.

You see, you don’t have to suffer forever from those difficult to execute exercises. Pilates fitness is an alternative that is just perfect for a dynamic and adventurous person like you. There is one special individual to commend in this case and that is Joseph H. Pilates who was altogether a skin diver, skier, and a skilled gymnast. Before he became any of those though, he was a sickly child who fortunately had a lot of exercise motivation.

When he developed this program, he was thinking of the victims of the war who were injured and need physical training to be able to make the body function again. After the Pilates exercises were being noticed, he had his first students who happened to be some dancers who strongly believed that this program will help them improve their skills. His next students were some individuals who were physically challenged individuals, elderly people, health enthusiasts to movie actors and actresses.

Now, you may wonder what Pilates fitness is really all about. Pilates is consists of gradual and purposeful movements that is focused on the core muscles of the body. The core muscles include the ones on the abdomen and the back. The philosophy behind the Pilates fitness regime is that if one develops the muscles in the midsection of the body, then the rest will have the energy and stamina to take on more.

The program has a properly planned Pilates exercise which serves as the guiding rules of the participants that allow them to do the slow movements starting from the small-scale ones increasing to large-scales. This kind of program results to improved body condition and better control of joints all coordinated to generate the best physicality possible.

This Pilates exercises are good for those who are on their senior years since their body is aging and needs slow motion to reduce the effects of aging and to control the body to become more improved when it comes to good posture, coordination, flexibility, and strength. This fitness is also advisable to individuals who went through surgical operations.

Then again, the Pilates fitness and training needs more than the physical aspect of involvement. You also need to coordinate your mind with your body so that your movements would go in harmony. Just like doing yoga or meditation, you need to concentrate and meditate as you do the fitness program incorporated with proper breathing. You can do the fitness with exercise mats or with other Pilates fitness equipments available.

Pilates fitness program provides their own set of equipments for the training. Some of those are the reformer, the pedipull, the cadillac, the barrel and the chair. These equipments are specifically designed to allow the participant to concentrate more on the training to be able to generate the best results possible. Through this training and equipments, the muscles and body inward core work out in such a way that it also stretches the outward core.

There is no reason for you to use up all your energy doing the traditional exercises when there is a modern set of effective trainings that you can employ to develop your body muscles. The Pilates fitness training has planned it all for you, all you have to do is to use it and you will soon notice how your body become toned down and strengthened after the training.

Stamina AeroPilates Reformer Review

The uniqueness and versatility of the Stamina AeroPilates Reformer with Cardio Rebounder will become quite evident the first time you use it. The rebounding jump board helps to give you a great cardio workout as well as a killer abdominal workout at the same time. By rebounding with alternating feet or both feet together, the heart rate elevates quickly while providing a focused workout to your abs. All of this is on top of all the same traditional Pilates exercises and routines that you can do with this machine.

Product:	Stamina AeroPilates Reformer with Free-Form Cardio Rebounder
Manufacturer:	Stamina Products, Inc.
Price:	$599.99

Product Description

The Stamina AeroPilates Reformer gives you a solid Pilates machine with the added element of a rebounding platform for horizontal aerobic rebounding action. The AeroPilates machine combines aerobics with classic Pilates strength and flexibility exercises. For those who are dying to combine an aerobic workout with their Pilates routine, the AeroPilates is a great tool for accomplishing just that. The rebounding footboard on the AeroPilates allows you to safely and comfortably expand your Pilates workout.

The exercises provide a simple and non-impact, fat burning cardiovascular workout. Simply lying on your back and rebounding off the Cardio Jump Board puts you on your way to achieving your weight loss goals. The AeroPilates machine is also elevated for easy mounting and dismounting. The ultra-smooth rollers bear the weight of the sliding carriage as you move back and forth for a low-impact workout.

Consumer Reviews

From Buzzillions.com:

“I’ve owned this machine for 6 years now, and it works as beautifully today as it did the first time. In fact, I own both this pilates machine and a $200 pilates machine purchased so family members can work-out together (such as my Grandson & myself . If you are looking for long-lasting, wonderful quality, treat yourself to this pilates machine! It is simply the best. I have used it on beautiful wood floors, on ceramic, even outdoors in my lanai in the spring; NEVER has a floor been damaged by the thick leg coverings. No mat necessary! … It’s easy to assemble, portable yet very well built, and ALWAYS my personal pick between my two machines! The stand is strong, the cardio bounce a plus, & it’s so easy to just “relax” & tone! I look great, feel great, and love how this purchase has improved my life for 6 years now! Awesome!!! If you’ve got the money to buy the best, you’ve found it!”
-  Gorgeous Grandmother, Orlando, FL

“This is a great machine to work out. Builds the body frame for both men and women. The rebounder is wonderful for cardio.”
- Workout Steve, Las Vegas, NV

From Amazon.com

“This reformer is a great value for the money. I regularly do pilates at my gym with a personal trainer, so I am used to being on some of the most expensive machines. When I decided to get a reformer for my home, I was very concerned about how well one of the less expensive machines would functions, particularly because I’m not a small woman. I have fallen in love with this machine. It was easy to put together. I did it by myself in 15-20 minutes. Since receiving the machine, I’ve used it almost ever day and have no complaints. I feel comfortable that it will hold up to my continued use.”
-KellyMac (Boston)

“This is a good sturdy quality piece of equipment. I was afraid it might not be stable and function like some of the larger or more expensive reformers. This definitely holds it’s own and I’m glad I got this one because I can keep it by the wall and then easily slide it over for the workout. All of the parts work smoothly. As far as the trampoline in the lying down position, I need to start slowly or I get a little nauseous. Most importantly, I have a herniated disc in my center back and the Pilates exercises are helping me enormously. I highly recommend it.”
-Kelly J. Steinmetz (Florida)

Stamina AeroPilates Pros

• Comfortable
• Non-slip
• Durable
• High quality
• Long-lasting
• Portable

Stamina AeroPilates Cons

• Price

The Bottom Line

Pilates exercises can dramatically reshape hips, thighs and butt, increase abdominal strength and muscle elongation and improve spinal alignment. If you want to give Pilates a try or are looking for a machine that will allow you to take your Pilates routine to that next level, the Stamina AeroPilates Reformer with Cardio Rebounder is a great choice.

Average Consumer Rating: 4.5/5

Where to Buy: Stamina AeroPilates on eBay, Stamina AeroPilates on Amazon

Your rating: (No Ratings Yet)
 Loading ...

Anatomy Of A Pilates Machine: The Reformer

Mechanized beds were the forerunners of the spring-based exercise machines, such as the Cadillac and the Reformer, for which the Pilates method is known today.  Perhaps the most renowned of all Pilates equipment is the Pilates Reformer.  With its sophisticated system of springs, straps and pulleys, more than 100 exercises can be performed on this surprisingly versatile apparatus.

The Reformer comes with foot-bars, the height of which may be adjusted with the gear system. There will be two to four notches on the inside of the frame that will allow you to adjust the height of the foot-bars.

The springs provide resistance from the machine. The rest of the resistance is provided by your own body weight. The springs hook on the spring bar, and different springs can be unhooked to increase or decrease the resistance.

The crux of the Reformer is in the gliding platform on which one can sit, kneel, stand or lie on their front, back or side. Known as the carriage, the user pushes and pulls off the footbar using the arms, legs, wrists and ankles to slide back and forth along the rails in a controlled manner while the tension in the springs gently work the muscles.

Many Pilates Reformer exercises are done lying down with the head on the headrest. The important thing to be aware of is that the headrest can be down flat or propped up.  However, it is important to have the headrest down anytime you are going to bring your legs over your head. There are also exercises where you turn around and put your feet through the headrest area.

The shoulder blocks keep you stable on the Reformer as you push or pull the carriage. Often your shoulders are against the blocks, but there are also exercises that use the shoulder blocks as props for the feet, knees or hands.

The straps are connected to pulleys at the top end of the Reformer. The straps have handles on the end that you can grasp to pull or push the carriage. The basic principle is that you will be pushing or pulling yourself on the carriage against the resistance provided by your own body weight and the springs.

The Pilates Reformer helps one establish torso stability and postural alignment while working peripheral limbs in a range of motion. The adjustable springs allow for progressive resistance, which helps to lengthen and strengthen the muscles rather than building bulk. It makes for an effective, no-impact stretching and toning workout that is friendly to the joints.

There are many styles of reformers. Some reformers are wood and some are metal. There might be leather straps or ropes, and the reformer may be on legs or not. Nevertheless, the basic parts and their functions will be the same.  Despite the variations, the majority of Reformers stay close to the vision that Joseph Pilates engineered.  Prices fall in the $2000-$4000 range for various models of quality Reformers, so be discerning when you see some advertised for $150. For occasional home use these cheaper machines in the $150 range might be sufficient, but don’t expect them to measure up in terms of quality and precision.

Shop for a Pilates Reformer at our ebay store »