I have a love-hate relationship with reformer Pilates. I hate that it always reminds me how piddly weak my arms are and just how many muscles in my body I never actually use, but I love that there’s always a noticeable improvement in my strength after only a short amount of time!
After having my little girl this time last year, my core strength was no where near what it used to be and I also had diastasis recti (abdominal separation), which meant I was left with a bit of a belly pooch. Determined to get out of my Spanx and build my core strength back up, I took on a 28 day reformer Pilates challenge and ended up losing five centimetres off my waist! Stoked much?!
This was my first ever experience with reformer Pilates and I was so happy with the results, so when I received an invitation to try out the new KX Pilates studio in Brisbane’s Red Hill recently, of course I accepted!
The KX Pilates Workout
I was excited to hear that KX Pilates incorporates cardio exercises designed to make your body work harder and faster for greater results, and I was even more excited to hear that the KX Pilates workout has been credited for shaping the bodies of Australian personalities Carrie Bickmore and Natalie Bassingthwaighte!
—Um, yes please!
Since I hadn’t done Pilates in a while, I turned up for my first class hoping to snag a machine in the far corner where I could hide my weakness and embarrassment behind a bunch of other people, but because I had booked a 9:15 am session when most people are at work, there were only three in the class and I figured it would look pretty odd if I left a gap of four machines between myself and the next person.
However, five minutes into the session I realised I had absolutely nothing to worry about! The instructor was lovely and the atmosphere was anything but intimidating.
Fast forward 15 minutes into the class and I was promptly reminded of my non-existent triceps (biceps, on the other hand, are muscles that I have developed over the past year thanks to my 9 kg dumbbell otherwise known as baby), but the great thing about reformer Pilates is that the resistance can be adjusted to suit all different levels of fitness.
Speaking of dumbbells, the inclusion of shoulder presses, chest presses, chest flies and more using dumbbells, all while performing leg strengthening and butt toning exercises on the machine, further amped up our workout!
Oh, and the jump boards! Who knew working out could be so much fun! I felt like a kid again bouncing on a trampoline, and boy does it get your heart rate up quick smart.
Each session left me puffed and pumped at the same time, and would you believe I actually looked forward to feeling those body aches the next day. #nopainnogain #noseriously
Because every instructor develops their own exercise routine, none of their classes are exactly the same so you won’t get bored and you can be assured that all your different muscle groups will be getting a workout. I attended a different class with a different instructor each time to mix it up!
If you really want to push yourself you can even participate in challenges like this one, which helps you commit to your fitness goals and provides you with support along the way.
If you want to give the KX Pilates workout a try too, pop in to your nearest studio. They have a number of studios located in QLD, NSW and VIC, so there’s bound to be one near you!
*Disclaimer – if you are post natal and would like to begin reformer Pilates, make sure that you get permission from your doctor first and always inform the Pilates instructor of your situtation. Some exercises may exacerbate diastasis recti and a qualified Pilates instructor can modify exercises to suit this.
Jem xx