Reformer vs mat Pilates, which is right for you?

Ask most people which type of Pilates they do, and they'll say "Pilates", without realising there are two fundamentally different versions of the practice. Mat Pilates and reformer Pilates share the same principles, but they are not the same workout. The equipment changes everything.

So which one is better? It's the wrong question. The right question is: which is better for you, right now, with your goals and your body? Here's what you need to know.

What mat Pilates is

Mat Pilates is performed on the floor, using your bodyweight as the primary source of resistance. It follows the classical Pilates method developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, focusing on controlled movement, breathwork, alignment, and core activation.

Mat classes typically include exercises like the hundred, roll-ups, single leg circles, and planks, movements designed to strengthen the deep stabilising muscles of the core, improve flexibility, and build postural awareness. No equipment is required beyond a mat, which makes it highly accessible. You can do it in a studio, at home, or from a video online.

Mat Pilates is excellent. It has a long, well-documented history of improving core strength, posture, and body awareness. But it has a ceiling.

What reformer Pilates is

Reformer Pilates uses the reformer machine, a sliding carriage with a spring resistance system. The springs can be adjusted to add resistance or provide assistance, creating a far wider range of challenge than bodyweight alone can achieve.

The machine allows for longer ranges of motion, more precise loading of individual muscle groups, and significantly more exercise variety. Where mat Pilates works primarily in the horizontal plane, the reformer allows movement in multiple directions and positions (lying, sitting, kneeling, standing), often within the same session.

"The spring system doesn't just add resistance. It changes the entire conversation between your body and the movement."

The key differences

	Reformer Pilates	Mat Pilates
Resistance	Adjustable spring resistance, can assist or challenge	Bodyweight only
Range of motion	Extended, carriage creates longer movement arcs	Limited by floor position
Exercise variety	Hundreds of exercises across multiple positions	Broad but bodyweight-limited
Accessibility	Studio-based, requires the machine	Anywhere, just a mat
Cost	Higher, studio classes	Lower, can train at home
Progression ceiling	High, resistance can always be increased	Lower, progression relies on volume and variation
Injury rehab suitability	Excellent, spring assistance supports compromised movement	Good, but floor-based positions can limit options

Which is better for beginners?

Counterintuitively, the reformer is often easier for beginners than mat Pilates. The springs can be set to assist your movement, which means you can achieve correct form earlier, before you've built the strength to do it on a mat. This creates better movement patterns from the start, and reduces the frustration of not being able to execute exercises properly.

That said, mat Pilates is more immediately accessible. If budget or access is a constraint, starting with mat classes is a perfectly valid entry point into the practice.

Which is better for strength?

Reformer Pilates, clearly. The spring resistance system allows you to progressively overload your muscles in the same way resistance training does, something bodyweight simply cannot replicate beyond a certain point. If your goal is to build genuine functional strength alongside flexibility and postural control, the reformer wins.

Which is better for flexibility?

Both develop flexibility, but the reformer's extended range of motion gives it a slight edge for overall mobility work. Specific mat-based stretching sequences can be equally effective, but the reformer tends to address mobility as part of the movement, rather than as a separate element at the end.

Can you do both?

Absolutely, and many people do. Mat Pilates is a useful complement to reformer work, particularly for reinforcing the fundamentals of breath, core engagement and postural awareness in a stripped-back environment. Think of mat as the foundation and the reformer as the building.

The Renegade approach

At Renegade, we're a reformer-only studio. We made that choice deliberately. The reformer allows us to create sessions that are genuinely challenging, that build real strength, and that deliver a workout experience that mat classes can't match, driven by music, rhythm, and energy.

We also believe the reformer is the better long-term investment. The progression is clearer, the results are more consistent, and the experience keeps you coming back. That matters.

Our Foundations class is designed for people coming to the reformer for the first time, whether or not they've done mat Pilates before. You'll learn the machine, the principles, and leave with enough confidence to progress into our main timetable.

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