Pilates Equipment

Pilates equipment might be a little anathema to the Pilates fitness system. Although conceived to be performed with the very barest of props and materials, the program’s popularity has led to the development of many Pilates workout apparatus.

Joseph Pilates started the program when he was a nurse during the 1st World War to rehabilitate bed bound casualties.

Using just springs from mattresses, he was able to get injured soldiers to exercise and make their near atrophied muscles functioning once more. Today, there are over 11 million dedicated practitioners of the Pilates fitness system and over 14,000 licensed instructors in just the United States alone.

The use of pilates equipment might have given rise due to its growing popularity, and perhaps to give in to the demands of practitioners who probably resisted the idea that such fun… and very popular fitness practice would only require a mat.

Some Pilates tools have started being marketed recently and some have become favorites among the program’s enthusiasts. The following are five of some of the most popular specialized pilates equipment:

1. Pilates Reformer – Easily the most well known, this piece of exercise equipment is composed of straps, pulleys and springs that allows anyone to perform over 100 forms of exercise. It is essentially an apparatus that lets a person glide standing, kneeling, sitting or any other position required. The tension strengthens and tones the muscles.
2. Pilates Cadillac – Known in certain circles as the rack, it might appear as some form of a torture chamber but it allows the performance of over 80 forms of exercise. Looking like a table top with horizontal poles in the corners, the rack is an evolution of the makeshift exercise equipment originally designed by Joseph Pilates.
3. Pilates Resistance Bands – Also known as Thera Bands or Flex Bands, this stretchable latex strip provides slight resistance that is used for stretching, toning and sculpting muscles. It is not only affordable but also very portable.
4. Pilates Chair – Designed like a fancy stool and also referred to as the stability chair, more than 75 exercises can be performed on it and is perfect for rebalancing and stretching muscles.
5. Pilates Barrel – This look like a fully upholstered arch but it is a very effective rehabilitative tool particularly for those who have stressed, tensed, or injured muscles. This Pilates equipment also comes in different sizes to accommodate different body sizes.