Introduction to the Pilates Reformer – as we use it in the Physiotherapy clinic

Hi this is Dana Ranahan from Body Works Sports Physiotherapy in North Vancouver. I’m here today to introduce you to the pilates reformer, which we use in our clinic.

I’m going to just show you a very basic exercise that you can work on. This can be done either with a reformer or on a shuttle at the gym – which is very similar where you lie down.

Lie down, bringing your feet in line with the hips and knees so your heels are on the foot bar. You want to lie down so your spine is relatively straight.
Before I start, I’m going to do a little bit of breathing work to be sure I’ve got my core activated, so breathing in, breathing out, ensuring I can tighten my core muscles and I’m going to use that as I move.
So I’m going to breathe in as I pump, breathe out, activate core and sink my hips.
So I’m using my leg muscles but I’m also coordinating it with the core

So we retrain repetitious motion with breath, using our core while we’re strengthening our legs.

This is a great tool to do to get some stronger legs and be sure that you’re using your core. If you have any other questions, give us a call 604-983-6616.

Learn more about exercises on the Pilates Reformer here.