For your first Reformer Pilates class, wear fitted clothes and grip socks, book a Basic or Stretch class rather than Power, arrive ten minutes early, and tell the teacher about any injury before you start. Expect to spend the first five minutes learning the machine.
I know you’ve probably seen all the figure-hugging outfits on social media and may have worried about the dress code. The truth is that gym tights and a tucked-in T-shirt that doesn’t get caught in the machine are all you need.
Most people don’t avoid the reformer because it’s too hard. They avoid it because they have no idea what happens, and nobody wants to be the person who doesn’t know where to put her feet. So here is all of it, in advance.
The short version
Wear fitted clothes and grip socks.
Book a basic or foundation class, not a power class.
Expect to spend the first few minutes learning the machine.
Arrive ten minutes early, fifteen somewhere new.
Tell the teacher about any injury before, not during.
Bring nothing else. Water if you like.
What to wear
Fitted, and nothing that dangles. Loose tops flip over your face in some positions, and loose trousers catch in the springs. Leggings or fitted joggers and a close-fitting top is all it takes.
No zips, buttons or studs – they dig into the carriage and scratch it.
Grip socks. Most studios require them, and the carriage is vinyl, so bare feet or ordinary socks slide. Get the kind with grips across the whole sole, not just the toes.
Rings and long necklaces off. They catch on the straps. Long hair tied back.
Skip the big meal. Something light an hour before is ideal.
If you turn up without grip socks, most studios sell them at reception. It’s not a reason to put off booking.
Which class should you book?
Class names aren’t standardised, so it’s always worth asking. Broadly:
Basic: slower, fundamentals, plenty of setup and explanation. Start here.
Stretch: lengthening and mobility, lighter springs, longer holds. Also a very good first class.
Method: usually the classical sequence of exercises in a set order, repeated week to week.
Advanced: assumes you know the machine. Faster transitions, less cueing, more complex sequences.
Power: higher intensity and faster tempo. Not a first class, and not the fastest route to results either.
If a studio only lists times and not levels, ring and ask which class a first-timer should come to. They’d much rather you asked.
What to say before you start
Tell your teacher, before the class rather than during it: any injury, any joint that’s unhappy, anything you’ve had surgery on, if you’re pregnant, if you have osteoporosis or low bone density, and any medication affecting your blood pressure or balance. It changes which exercises you’re given and how the springs are set.
Once you’re on the machine
Getting on
Sit down on the carriage first, then lie back. Head on the headrest, shoulders resting lightly against the shoulder rests – they’re there to stop you sliding, not to brace against. Feet up onto the footbar. And remember the carriage slides: it moves the second you push against anything.
Flat back or neutral pelvis?
For your first few classes, lying flat is completely fine. A neutral pelvis is neither tucked under nor tipped forward, so the small natural curve in your lower back is preserved. Think of your pelvis as a bowl of water you don’t want to spill. Most people don’t find it for a while, and that’s normal – ask your teacher to tell you when you’ve got it.
The springs, and why heavy isn’t the point
Control is the thing, not load. Joseph Pilates called his method Contrology for a reason: you stabilise through the middle first, and the arms and legs work from that. Think of pulling closed a tight pair of jeans, and then holding that feeling. And more springs doesn’t always mean harder – in many exercises the springs support you, so fewer is harder. Your teacher sets them.
Feet in the straps, without falling over
Slowly, one foot at a time, keeping the other foot on the footbar so you stay stable. Coming out is the same in reverse. Never let the straps snap back – controlling the return is most of the work anyway.
Can I do this at 70? Or 75?
Yes – and arguably this is where the reformer matters most. Muscle and bone both need a reason to stay, and balance is a skill that fades without practice. Find a teacher who adapts rather than one who runs everyone through the same sequence, and if you have osteoporosis or low bone density, say so: some forward-bending exercises need changing. That’s a conversation for your teacher and your doctor, not a reason not to come.
Four things nobody warns you about
You may shake. That’s small stabilising muscles working in a new way, and it settles within weeks.
Soreness turns up a day or two later, in odd places: inner thighs, the sides of your abdomen, under your shoulder blades.
The machine is noisy. Springs clank and the carriage thumps; nothing is broken.
You can stop at any point, for any reason. “I don’t like how that feels” is a complete sentence.
Come and try it
Private sessions in Mainz (€70, 50 minutes) and beginner classes at partner studios in Mainz, Wiesbaden and Frankfurt from €15, in English or German. The Root Reset workshop is €37 for 90 minutes. Start with a free 20-minute call.
General information, not individual medical or exercise advice. If you’re pregnant, managing a health condition, or recovering from injury or surgery, check with your doctor first.
