When it comes to low-impact workouts, Pilates is the OG for a reason. The nearly hundred-year-old workout created by Joseph Pilates has a laser-like precision for targeting your core — the group of muscles wrapping around your mid-section, from your abdomen to your lower back and even your hips. If you’ve ever taken a mat Pilates class, then you’re familiar with the power small, controlled movements can have in toning and strengthening your entire body. But Pilates isn’t limited to workouts on a mat — you can target your muscles even more deeply when you move to an apparatus like the Pilates reformer.
By adding the Pilates reformer to your practice, you can safely strengthen and lengthen your body simply by adding more resistance training and, for some exercises, increasing the range of movement. Even the most basic Pilates reformers build upon the seemingly basic bodyweight exercises you’ve perfected on the mat. But when you invite the reformer’s springs, bungees and a flat platform with wheels (called the “carriage”) on a fixed frame to the party, even the tiniest movements get kicked into high gear for more targeted results. Whether you’re a beginner in every sense of the word or a master trainer, these are the best Pilates reformers for turning your home into the swanky boutique fitness studio of your dreams.