Reformer Pilates made me fall back in love with exercise

Movement made enjoyable.

I was never a sporty child. Growing up, I didn’t do any team sports, though I did do ballet. Every Tuesday and Thursday after school, I’d trudge my feet into the local community town hall, my school bag packed with a change of pale pink clothes. When boy scouts weren’t holding jamborees, the space was filled with children practising pliés.

This was my first introduction to Pilates. Every Tuesday before dance class, we had to bring our own mats for group Pilates. Our ballet teacher would swap French phrases with remarks about strong abs and lean torsos. I was 10.

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In the wooden town hall, there was a big chart on the wall with everyone’s names written in alphabetical order. The teachers would press star-shaped stickers next to your name when you were able to reach a certain stretch or achieve a certain move. If you could do the splits, you’d get a sticker. A decade on, it still leaves a funny taste in my mouth.

In combination with the stressors of school and well, growing up, I stopped going to ballet. After a while, I went back, but found myself quitting again.

Since then, I always thought of exercise as something of a competition, whether that be with myself or with others. It surprised me when, about a year ago, I wanted to try out reformer Pilates. I didn’t expect to fall in love with it. Reformer Pilates felt worlds away from the enforced mat ritual I did at age 10.

With two of my friends in tow, I decided to visit a KX Pilates studio in one of Melbourne’s leafy suburbs. Walking in, I was nervous. For those unacquainted with reformer beds, they can look like complicated devices. The friends I went with are both extremely sporty and athletic. Before I knew it, the all-too-familiar feelings of comparison started creeping in.

But before I could get too carried in my head, the instructor put me at ease. She was really welcoming and lovely and took us through what the session would entail. She explained what all the features connected to the reformer beds were meant for, showing me any person at any level of fitness could be part of the action (no star stickers in sight).

Don’t get me wrong, the class was still intense and tough, but I was able to get through it (with sweat marks as proud proof). To my surprise, I left feeling really good about myself. Exercise usually brought on mixed, complicated feelings, but reformer Pilates didn’t. I was almost cautious in my newfound enjoyment; a form of exercise I actually enjoyed and can see myself maintaining? Groundbreaking.

A year on, I can see the direct impact reformer Pilates has had on my mental health. Being able to build a habit and learn a new skill as an adult can be tough – leading busy lives often means we let new hobbies fall by the wayside. My local KX Pilates is just down the road from me (there are over 95 of its studios in Australia) and its high-intensity, low-impact classes are 50 minutes; they fit in easily before or after work.

I’ve now taken my mum and my boyfriend to classes too. It’s a lot of fun – it gives me something to look forward to on the days when I have it. On days I don’t feel so good, I know I can just go a little bit easier; the beds are built to suit your needs. My body’s getting stronger, and I love that. If only 10-year-old me knew, one day I’d fall in love with reformer Pilates.

Want to give reformer Pilates a go? KX Pilates has over 95 studios in Australia, so visit them today with KX Pilates’ intro offer of five classes for $60. Find out more here.