Welcome to the July edition of Pilates Central News.
In this edition:
- A Guide to Pilates Equipment
- Pilates in Vogue
- Economical Pilates
- Record-Breaking Rolls
A guide to Pilates equipment
Sometimes it seems there is more Pilates equipment than you can shake a Pilates stick at. Reformers, Cadillacs, Wunda chairs, barrels, balls, resistance bands, rings — it can all seem a lot to take in and the devices can look intimidating to newcomers. So here is a basic guide to the main pieces of Pilates tech.
It is said that the Reformer was invented by Joseph Pilates through adapting bed frames and springs when he was working in the camp hospital while interned at Knockaloe on the Isle of Man during world war one. The Reformer has a rectangular frame made from wood or metal. There is a movable carriage that is padded for comfort. The carriage is on runners allowing it to move along the length of the frame. At one end is a footbar and at the other are two ropes with handles that are attached to pulleys. By adding or removing springs to the frame the level of resistance can be adjusted to match the requirements for each user, under close supervision from your teacher.
The Cadillac is not an American car, but a table and frame, looking similar to a four-poster bed. It is sometimes called a trapeze table. We’re used to seeing celebrities hanging from these when they want to impress with an Instagram post. It has a trapeze bar and fluffy stirrups designed for hanging exercises. The Cadillac has a series of metal loops on the frame on which springs of different tension can be attached. Exercises can be performed while lying on the table and for the more advanced hanging from the upper part of the Cadillac.
The Pilates chair or Wunda chair is another clever device invented by Joseph Pilates. It is basically a wooden box with a padded seat and a pedal attached to one side of it. The pedal can be either one-piece or split in two depending on the model. The chair is great for injury rehabilitation and can be used for both standing and sitting exercises.
The barrel or ladder barrel is yet another niche piece of equipment. Joe Pilates created this using a low-tech beer barrel. The barrel is padded and comes with a ladder attached to a sliding base and is designed for work on the spine.
Other bits of equipment include various-sized Pilates balls ranging from large stability balls to smaller over balls. These are versatile soft inflated balls used to make exercises more challenging — because they are wobbly the body has to work harder to maintain balance.
The foam roller is a cylindrical piece of foam placed under the back to relieve tension. A Pilates ring or magic ring is a small circle that offers resistance when held. Resistance bands are a bit like giant elastic bands and again offer resistance during exercises to strengthen muscles. A wooden Pilates stick or Pilates bar can be used with mat exercises attached to resistance bands to mimic the action of a Reformer at home.
While perhaps the ultimate piece of equipment is the humble mat. This is transportable and comfortable and ideal for floor exercises on the back or stomach both in mat Pilates classes and at home. Happy exercising!
Pilates in Vogue
It had to happen — the Reformer has now become a fashion shoot accessory. In the new issue of EE72 magazine, created by former Vogue editor Edward Enninful, there’s a glossy feature entitled, “From Maya Jama to Daphne Guinness: why fashion loves Pilates.”
Our own ‘Wagatha Christie’ Coleen Rooney is pictured posing on a Reformer wearing red high-heels and silk cardigan, top and briefs by Fendi, declaring, “I’ve always had fitness in my life because my body needs it and benefits from stretching, especially as I’m getting older. Movement keeps you young. Now, especially as I’ve got four boys, I feel like I can keep up with them.”
Fashion designer, actor and musician Daphne Guinness wears an extraordinary Alexander McQueen creation and some huge Noritaka Tatehana platform shoes. She says: “I got into Pilates when I was 16… people much older than me looked like they were in such great shape. Pilates also inspires my creativity. I write a lot when I’m exercising; tunes come into my head.”
TV presenter Maya Jama wears a Chanel tweed jacket and Givenchy feathery patent leather shoes for her photo session. Maya reveals: “Having a workout to look forward to — not one that you dread — is a great feeling. The community that comes with the class is also great. You leave thinking, ‘Wow, I did something amazing for my body, and I also got to see people I really love.’”
While the Marchioness of Bath, aka socialite and model Emma Thynn, is pictured in a Roksanda raffia top and her own evening dress, perhaps not the ideal outfit for a Reformer session. She tells EE72: “The Pilates studio is my second home. I literally plan my life around my class otherwise I get FOMP — fear of missing Pilates.”
Other fashionistas featured are 82-year-old model Jan de Villeneuve (“Pilates makes me feel like everything has been moved”) and actor Yasmin Finney who says: “If you want to do Pilates, do Pilates. Do you. Pilates has helped me create a healthy balance between myself and my health goals.”
They all look absolutely fabulous, of course, but at Pilates Central we recommend perhaps wearing something more practical than high heels and silk.
Economical Pilates
“A century on Pilates flexes its muscles,” writes the Economist. As Pilates celebrates its centenary themagazine looks at the state of Pilates and decides the market, “is absolutely on fire.” The piece reveals that Pilates was the fastest growing worldwide exercise on booking platform Class Pass last year and Google searches have reached record levels.
The appeal of Pilates is “its emphasis on power and flexibility” writes the Economist, even if it can leave your knees, “shaking as if you are performing a bad Elvis impersonation.” Women who don’t want to pump iron at the gym enjoy it, while its reputation for improving mobility, aiding muscle recovery and strengthening joints is seeing more men being attracted to it as a complement to weightlifting. The magazine points out that US basketball player LeBron James and England rugby star George Ford use it for injury rehabilitation.
The property consultancy MMC tells the magazine that Club Pilates, America’s biggest franchise, has grown from fewer than 50 branches in 2015 to more than 1400 in 2024. While Maria Leone of Bodyline in LA says, “People are opening Pilates studios the way they opened frozen yogurt places and car washes.”
Is there a danger a saturation point has been reached? The Economist concludes that a century after it was founded the love for Pilates can stretch further: “The market is not hamstrung yet. Its fans may feel weak, but the Pilates brand is strong.”
Record-breaking rolls
We’re going to need a bigger island. Celebrating one hundred years of Pilates, nearly 3000 supple folk gathered on the Isle of Man to attempt to break the world record for a Pilates class. Sadly the turnout of 2804 participants wasn’t quite enough to beat the existing record of 3,486 participants, set in Turkey in 2013. But a new record was set for the number of people performing the “standing roll down exercise” for one minute.
The Isle of Man is of course the birthplace of Pilates, as it was where Joseph Pilates invented his exercises at an internment camp during world war one. The event took place at Knockaloe Farm, on the site of the former camp, and was attended by both beginners and seasoned teachers. The two attempts were monitored by a team from the Guinness Book of World Records.
London-based instructor Hannah Storey, who taught the epic session, told the BBC: “In the studio we maybe have a maximum of six people. I’ve done a class of 130 before, so now nearly 3,000 is quite a jump.”
Among the celebrities present were island resident Noel Edmonds, “I love the island… it’s got a fabulous community feel. I’ve never done Pilates, but I didn’t realise it originated from here,” he said. Also present was Lord of the Rings actor John Rhys‑Davies who shared stories about Joseph Pilates’ time at Knockaloe.
On a very sunny day the event proved enjoyable for all. Hannah Storey concluded: “World record or not, it’s still such a huge event and will be iconic for years to come.”
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The Pilates Central Team
