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# Reformer Pilates at home: the complete guide
- URL: https://journal.pilatesproject.com/reformer-pilates-at-home-guide/
- Published: 2026-11-08T12:46:58.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-08T12:46:58.000Z
- Description: Everything you need to train on a Reformer at home with confidence, from choosing the machine to your first two weeks.
- Author: Maghan Fittler
- Tags: Reformer at home, #Import 2026-11-03 11:02

**The short answer**

A home Reformer lets you train with spring resistance on your schedule, without a commute or a class booking. Start with a machine that fits your space, learn the setup (springs, footbar, headrest, straps), keep the safety basics in mind, and build from a few short beginner classes a week into a steady routine.

## Why a Reformer at home

The Reformer is a sliding carriage on a frame, with springs that add or reduce resistance. That one idea makes it incredibly versatile. The same machine can challenge your legs, glutes, core, back and arms, and the springs can be adjusted to suit you on any given day.

Training at home removes the hardest part of any routine: getting there. No traffic, no waitlist, no rushing out the door. You can train while the kids nap, before work or after dinner. Consistency is what builds strength, and a machine in your home makes consistency far easier.

The research on Pilates is encouraging, and worth reading with care. A systematic review of Pilates in healthy people found strong evidence for better flexibility and dynamic balance and moderate evidence for better muscular endurance, while noting that study quality was low overall. A meta-analysis in adults over 55 reported moderate improvements in strength, balance, endurance and flexibility compared with inactive groups. Those findings are not about Reformer work specifically, but they support Pilates as a sound way to train.

## Space and flooring

Before you choose a machine, measure your room.

- **Footprint:** Measure the floor area of the Reformer you are considering, then add room around it. You need space to step on and off, to walk around the frame, and to move your arms and legs freely during exercises.
- **Ceiling height:** Check that you can sit tall and lift your arms overhead without hitting a light fitting or a fan.
- **Flooring:** A level, firm floor works best. Hard floors and low-pile rugs are both fine; a thick, soft rug can make the frame less stable. A protective mat underneath can help protect wood floors.
- **Light and air:** A bright, airy corner makes it easier to want to train. A window, a plant and somewhere to put your water bottle go a long way.

If space is tight, think about where the machine will live when you are not using it. That brings us to storage.

## Choosing a Reformer: what to look for

A Reformer is a long-term piece of equipment, so take your time. Here is what matters most.

| What to look for | Why it matters                                                                              |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Footprint        | It has to fit your room with space to move around it                                        |
| Storage          | Some reformers can be stored away between sessions, which helps in shared or smaller spaces |
| Carriage length  | Taller women need enough length to lie down and extend fully without cramping               |
| Springs          | Clear, easy-to-change springs make it simple to follow class settings                       |
| Build            | A solid frame and smooth carriage feel steady and quiet under you                           |

Our equipment partner is Peak Pilates®, a company with a 30-year history that sells in more than 120 countries. A few things worth knowing about their range:

- **Color-coded springs.** Peak reformer springs are color coded Heavy, Medium, Light and Extra Light (green), so it is easy to see and match your setting.
- **MVe Reformer.** The MVe reformer stacks, which can help when storage space matters.
- **Casa Reformer.** The Casa Reformer is designed for home use.

Whatever you choose, look at the footprint, how it stores, the carriage length for your height, the springs and the build quality, then pick the machine that suits your home and the way you want to train.

## Setting up your Reformer

Every session starts with setup. It takes a minute and makes the workout safer and more effective. Run through this checklist before each class:

- **Springs:** Set the springs the class asks for, and check each one is secured before you move the carriage.
- **Footbar:** Set the footbar to the position the class gives and make sure it is locked in place.
- **Headrest:** Raise or lower the headrest so your neck feels supported and comfortable.
- **Straps:** Check the straps are untangled and sitting where you can reach them easily.
- **Space:** Clear the floor around the machine, including toys, pets and water bottles.

A helpful note on springs: heavier is not always harder. More resistance can feel more supportive for some exercises, while lighter springs can ask more of your core and control. Follow the setting each class gives you rather than guessing.

## Safety basics

The Reformer is a moving machine, so a few habits keep you safe.

- Keep the carriage still when you get on and off.
- Change springs only when the carriage is at rest.
- Move with control, especially when returning the carriage. Avoid letting it slam home.
- Wear grip socks or train barefoot, and skip loose clothing that could catch.
- Stop if anything hurts. Discomfort from effort is normal; sharp or joint pain is not.
- If you are injured, pregnant or postpartum, check with your doctor before you start or change your training.

Keep the area clear of children and pets while you train, and avoid letting little ones play on the machine.

## Your first two weeks

The goal of the first two weeks is simple: learn the machine and build the habit. You do not need to train hard yet.

| Week   | What to do                                                                                   |
| ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Week 1 | Three beginner Reformer classes on non-consecutive days, plus a 20-minute walk on other days |
| Week 2 | Four beginner Reformer classes, with walks on the days in between, and one full rest day     |

Focus on learning setup, breathing steadily and moving with control. Repeat classes you have already done. Familiar sequences let you pay attention to how you move rather than what comes next.

Try a class like this

[**Foundations · Reformer**](https://members.pilatesproject.com/programs/beginner-reformer?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com) in the Pilates Project app.

[Start free for 7 days](https://members.pilatesproject.com/?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com#pricing)

## How to progress

Once setup feels automatic and the beginner classes feel steady, you are ready to build. Progress one thing at a time:

1. **Add a session.** Move from three or four classes a week toward a regular routine.
2. **Adjust the springs.** Follow the progressions in class, which may change resistance or ask for more control.
3. **Add complexity.** Try progressions that challenge balance, range or coordination.
4. **Keep your walks.** Walking adds steady movement around your Reformer sessions.

When you are ready for structure, [The Method](https://members.pilatesproject.com/programs/the-method?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com) gives you a full week: 6 training days and 1 rest day. Choose Core, with 4 priority classes, or Complete, with all 6\. The other days pair a class with a 20-minute walk, with a target of 10,000+ steps.

For context, the World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days. Reformer sessions and daily walks fit neatly around that guidance.

## Using follow-along classes

Training at home means you are your own teacher in the room, so a good class matters. Pilates Project classes include clear setup and spring settings before you begin, plus progressions and regressions so you can make each exercise harder or easier on the day.

A few tips for getting the most from them:

- **Set up before you press play.** Have your springs, footbar and headrest ready.
- **Use the regressions.** Choosing an easier version is smart training, not a step back.
- **Watch on a bigger screen.** The app works on iPhone, Android, TVs and Apple Watch, so you can put the class where it is easy to see from the machine.
- **Stay consistent.** A short class done regularly beats a long one done rarely.

Pilates Project is Maghan Fittler's on-demand Pilates platform. Maghan is the founder, a nutritionist and a Peak Pilates Ambassador, and has been teaching since 2010, and Pilates Project was named Best Global On-Demand Pilates & Wellness Platform at the Women's Health Awards in 2025 and 2026\. Pilates that makes you stronger.

Ready for a goal? The Pilates X Strength 21-Day Challenge starts Monday, Nov 30, 2026.

## Questions

Do I need experience to use a Reformer at home?

No. Start with beginner classes, learn the setup and move slowly. Foundations · Reformer is a good place to begin.

How much space do I need for a home Reformer?

Measure the machine's footprint, then add enough room to step on and off and move freely around it. If space is tight, look at a reformer that can be stored away between sessions.

Which spring setting should I use?

Use the setting the class gives you. Heavier springs are not always harder, so following the class is the best guide.

Is Reformer Pilates safe during pregnancy or after an injury?

Check with your doctor first if you are injured, pregnant or postpartum, and follow their advice before you start or change your training.

## Related reading

- [How often should you do Reformer Pilates at home?](https://journal.pilatesproject.com/how-often-reformer-pilates-at-home/)
- [Can Pilates build muscle?](https://journal.pilatesproject.com/can-pilates-build-muscle/)

## Sources

- [WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour: Executive Summary (NCBI Bookshelf)](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK566048/?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com)
- [A Systematic Review of the Effects of Pilates Method of Exercise in Healthy People (CORE)](https://core.ac.uk/display/62446010?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com)
- [Effects of Pilates Training on Physiological and Psychological Health Parameters in Healthy Older Adults and in Older Adults With Clinical Conditions Over 55 Years: A Meta-Analytical Review (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34759879/?ref=journal.pilatesproject.com)