It is the most famous machine invented by J. Pilates; the way it was thought and created The Universal Reformer allows the performance of more than three hundreds different exercises.
The original Universal Reformer had a small cushion to soften the back other one for the shoulders, other for the head and the last one to place the feet on it, the new machines have an extra equipment like jumping box and other possibilities to be able to adjust the different positions of the parts the machine offer or to change the springs to strengthen the resistance.
The Universal Reformer machine is composed by a rectangular platform with a cart and springs and modern hydraulics mechanism to create resistance against the movement. The cart is moved along the platform with a variable resistance so that it is possible to performance all the exercises you can do on the mat but controlling the resistance.
According to the experts in Classic Pilates everybody who wants to learn the authentic Pilates’ Method should start using this machine. More or less it is the opposite usually happen both in gyms or in Pilates Centers, it is the norm to start performance the exercises on the floor (using a mat) and later the trainer teaches the use of the machines. One of the main reasons it is the space that these sorts of machines take and their prices. But we are talking about the Classic or Authentic method of Pilates. In other versions or school of Pilates the machines hardly are used.
The prices of these machines go from 1.000 euros to 5.000 or even 6.000 euros; it depends on the facilities for the accommodation and/or the materials they are made of. The ones that have the newest equipment and fashionable ones have different mechanisms to place the feet on and they have different systems to control the parts of the machine. It is important to be able to control the resistance of the cart.
