Pilates has become an extremely popular sport in recent times. Perhaps you are already a fan of it yourself and have already taken a few lessons. Super sporty! There are many people who do ‘normal’ mat training, but we have also seen a lot of reformer pilates (on such a device) lately. What are the differences between these two popular forms of the sport? And is a certain form better for you? We looked it up for you.
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What is pilates?
Pilates is a fitness system developed in the early 20th century by the German Joseph Pilates. This sport focuses on improving flexibility, strength, endurance and body awareness without overloading the muscles. The fitness form combines exercises that emphasize the core muscles, such as the abdominal muscles, lower back, hips and glutes. There are several ways you can perform this sport. Two of the best known, reformer and mat pilates. What are the differences between these shapes?
The differences between reformer and mat pilates
The biggest and most obvious difference between the reformer and mat pilates is of course the equipment. With reformer training you sit on a, yes, reformer, with which you perform the exercises. All you need for the mat is a fitness mat. In addition, with mat training you focus on bodyweight exercises that focus on muscle strength, flexibility and muscle endurance.
The reformer is all about progressive resistance while engaging muscle groups (especially the core) to perform techniques correctly.
Accessibility
We already wrote it: you need equipment for reformer training, but not for mat training. This makes the mat a lot more accessible than the reformer. Reformer training is usually done in a class, but you can also do mat training at home. The mat may be a bit more difficult for beginners because you do not have the help of a reformer. On the other hand, reformer is perfect for beginners.
Which shape is better?
Although there are some differences between the two workouts, you will enjoy the same benefits with both. So one form is not necessarily better than the other. Do you want to achieve the very best results? Then do a combination of the two!
