Carriage
The padded platform you lie, kneel or sit on. It rolls on wheels along the frame as you push away or draw back in.
You feelA slow glide
Eight reformers, one teacher, nobody left guessing
A reformer is a padded sliding bed on springs: you push and pull against the springs to strengthen and stretch with control. Everyone starts with two introductory sessions, then joins classes of eight at most.
8reformers, never more
2introductions first
50 minevery class
The reformer in plain words
It looks like a rowing machine crossed with a bed, and the first visit can feel strange. These are the six parts a teacher names in every class.
Springs
Coloured springs under the carriage set the resistance. More springs is not always harder: a light spring makes balance work tougher.
Chosen byYou and the teacher
Footbar
The padded bar at one end that you press with feet or hands, raised or lowered to suit your hips and knees.
SettingsThree heights
Straps
Long loops on ropes for hands or feet, used for arm work and leg circles while the carriage moves.
Used inMost classes
Shoulder blocks
Two padded blocks at the head end that stop you sliding off as you push. Shoulders rest on them, never the neck.
ProtectNeck and shoulders
Sitting box
A padded box set on the carriage for seated and lying work, so one machine gives dozens of positions.
Placed byThe teacher
Getting on and off is the first thing taught: the carriage can roll whenever weight shifts, so the teacher shows where to step and when to sit.
Two introductions before the first class
Group classes move briskly once they start, so every newcomer learns the machine first, with a teacher and one other person at most.
Introduction one
Getting on and off, each part by name, choosing springs with the teacher, and the footwork that opens every class.
Introduction two
The straps, kneeling and side lying work, and how to ease off when a spring feels too heavy or too light.
Foundations classes
Three or four group classes at the slowest pace, where the teacher calls every spring change before it happens.
Any class that suits
Move on to Flow or Strength once the teacher agrees, or stay in Foundations for as long as you like.
Four classes, sorted by pace
Every class lasts 50 minutes on the reformer. What changes is the pace, how often the springs change and how long the stretches last.
| Class | Pace | Who it suits | Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundations | Slow | Newcomers fresh from the two introductions | Called out one change at a time |
| Flow | Steady | Regulars who know every part by name | Fewer changes, in a set order |
| Strength | Brisk | Anyone after harder leg and arm work | Heavier springs, longer sets |
| Stretch and Release | Slow | A tired back after a long week or a long run | Light springs, long holds |
Foundations runs every weekday at 07:00 and 18:00, and on Saturday at 09:00; the other classes fill the rest of the week.
Inside the reformer room
Eight machines in two rows, a long window down one side and space to walk round every carriage.
Injuries, pregnancy and the limits of a teacher
Tell the teacher about any injury, operation, back or joint problem, heart condition or pregnancy before your first introduction. Teachers can change positions, lighten springs and leave exercises out, but they do not diagnose pain or treat injuries, and some conditions need a go ahead from a doctor or physiotherapist first.
These are not pregnancy classes. Clients who already know the reformer can often carry on with changes after checking with their midwife or doctor, and anyone returning after a birth should wait until they have been cleared to exercise. Sharp pain, dizziness or numbness means stop and tell the teacher straight away.
- Health questions before the first introduction
- Lighter springs and other positions on request
- No diagnosis, no treatment, no promises about pain
- A doctor or physiotherapist decides when to restart
Introductions, packs and a monthly plan
Prices are per person. Packs work for every class and every teacher once the introductions are done.
Two introductions
2 sessions$70
- Two 50 minute sessions
- Grip socks included
- Taken within three weeks
Five classes
a pack$140
- $28 a class
- Any class after the introductions
- Book up to ten days ahead
Ten classes
a pack$260
- $26 a class
- One extension if you are ill
- Book up to ten days ahead
Eight a month
a month$192
- Two classes a week
- Unused classes lapse at month end
- Pause for up to six weeks a year
Twelve hours' notice returns a class to your pack. A machine left empty at shorter notice cannot be offered to anyone else, so late cancellations count as used.
Before you lie down on the carriage
Is reformer Pilates harder than mat Pilates?
Not harder, just different. Springs can add resistance or give support, so the same exercise can be made gentler or tougher than on a mat. Many beginners find the reformer easier at first, because the machine guides the movement.
Why two introductions before joining a class?
The carriage moves and the springs change between exercises. Knowing the parts, the safe way on and off, and how each spring feels makes classes safer for you and for the seven people beside you.
Which clothes work on the machines?
Fitted clothes without zips, buckles or belts that could catch or scratch the upholstery, plus grip socks, which are required on the machines. Socks are sold at the desk for $12.
Does reformer Pilates help with back pain?
Some people find that slow, controlled exercise helps them feel stronger, but a class is not treatment and nobody at the studio can promise it will ease pain. Back pain that is new, severe or still being investigated needs a doctor or physiotherapist first.
What happens when a class is already full?
Say so in the booking request and the desk adds you to the waiting list. If a carriage opens up, the studio gets in touch, and nothing is charged unless you take the place.
Are classes ever smaller than eight?
Often, especially early in the morning. Eight is the most the room ever holds, because the teacher must see every carriage from the front.
After the last stretch (example reviews)
Two introductions sounded like a lot, but the second one is where the springs finally made sense. The first group class felt calm rather than chaotic.
Back after a knee operation, with the physio's go ahead. The teacher swapped two exercises and lightened the springs without any fuss in front of the class.
The 07:00 Foundations never has more than eight and usually has six. Easy to ask a question when the teacher can see every carriage.
Book your two introductions
Choose the day you could first come in and whether mornings or evenings suit. Within one working day the desk confirms introduction one and pencils in introduction two, or proposes other slots.
- Nothing is booked until the studio confirms
- Introductions are paid to the studio directly
- Health questions come before the first session
Finding Carriage
Phone while the desk is staffed or email whenever it suits; a teacher answers questions about health or the machine.
Studio desk
Second floor of a converted print works beside the canal, with a lift from the courtyard
Studio hours
| Monday to Friday | 06:45 to 20:30 |
| Saturday | 08:30 to 13:30 |
| Sunday | Closed |
Before your first visit
Arrive ten minutes early to fill in a short health form and put on grip socks. There are lockers, two showers and a quiet corner to wait in before class.
Book your introductions