In today’s contemporary society, the physical inactivity lifestyle combined with demanding schedules has easily entrapped many adults and young people like a plague. For many this lifestyle comes with its own set of short and long-term health consequences.
Although statistics show that the percentage of people who practice some form of sport or engage in regular physical activity has been slightly increasing in recent years, nearly one third (31%) of the world’s adult population, 1.8 billion adults, are still physically inactive.
If you consider that you might be among that percentage of people who have fallen into the trap of an inactive lifestyle, and feel highly motivated to take proactive steps to counteract this negative effect on your body, then practicing Pilates at home with a Reformer could be the solution.
Among the many ways to stay active, Pilates stands out as one of the best forms of low-impact home exercise to incorporate into your daily life. There is almost no other form of exercise training that combines strength, flexibility, breath and body control, precision, and body awareness (proprioception) in a better and more effective way than practicing Reformer Pilates. The Reformer Pilates is far more than just a fitness trend, or a practice for improving flexibility, strength, and posture, it is a great gateway toward a healthier and more active life!
Let’s face it, for many folks, the first step towards changing their habits and lifestyle is always the hardest, and this is very true especially when it comes to embedding some form of regular physical activity into their daily life. However, that first step in embarking on your fitness journey might also potentially be one of the most rewarding investments you can make in maintaining your long-term health, well-being, and self-esteem. Start small! Experiment with different activities and simply choose the one that appeals to you the most. Get out of your comfort zone a bit and do something your future self will thank you for.
No matter what form of physical movement you choose to engage in, remember this: Dedicating time and effort for physical activity into your daily routine is the single best prescription you can give your body to retain your muscle mass and strength, and to maintain its mobility and independence as you age.
If you are one of many people contemplating modifying your current lifestyle to one that is more active, then you should definitely give Pilates, specifically Reformer Pilates a try.
Are you curious about diving into the world of Reformer Pilates, and very much invested in improving your personal physical health and wellness? For those unable to attend studio classes, a Reformer machine designed for home use is a wonderful and far more accessible alternative to commercial in-studio Reformer training.
While the upfront cost of buying your own at-home Pilates Reformer machine might seem like a significant expense at first glance, building your own home Pilates studio will give you the opportunity to bring the Pilates experience into the comfort, privacy, and safety of your own home, at a schedule that is most convenient for you. Ultimately, investing in good quality home exercise equipment is an overwhelmingly positive investment in you and your family’s health, never a cost.
With so much a huge variety of Pilates exercise equipment to choose from on today’s market; designed with different materials and features to meet various fitness levels, body sizes, preferences, and movement experience — it can be a bit challenging trying to decide which one of all these choices would best serve your individual needs, abilities and your budget.
So, to help you find the best low impact exercise machine for at-home training on the market and make the best choice possible, I did some research and put this post together to help you get started. Here are two affordable and attractive Reformer machines well worth considering for your home studio setup as a more budget-friendly alternative to expensive commercial-grade models.
So, let’s take a detailed look at them now.
Best Rated Pilates Reformer for Home Use
First up is the Yorkgargen Pilates Reformer
Right now, the cost of a “high-end” full-fledged Reformer, with all the bells and whistles, is astronomical — and that is where a low-impact exercise machine like the Yorkgargen may come in especially handy.
While Yorkgargen is a relatively lesser-known name compared to industry giants like Gratz, Balanced Body, and Merrithew, this exercise machine is an ideal addition to any at-home Pilates studio, and is a particularly valuable choice for anyone new to the Pilates practice.
It boasts a simplified yet versatile, space-saving design consisting of a wide bed-like rectangular frame, a padded, sliding platform attached to adjustable springs that create the reformer’s varied levels of resistance, two long ropes/straps with loop handles attached to pulleys, detachable shoulder rests and headrest, and a footbar with seven different positions.
All these components together create a resistance system of springs, ropes, and pulleys that enables you to perform a wide variety of low impact exercises and pull-up variations in all positions — supine, prone, side lying, kneeling, seated and standing with varying degrees of difficulty.
The Pilates Reformer by Yorkgargen features a low-profile classical timber-framed construction that sits naturally lower to the ground than the standard height of 14 inches typical of studio models. A lower center of gravity, combined with the wood’s substantial weight and the four additional contact points in the main frame, contributes to the reformer’s overall structural stability.
The balanced frame design effectively prevents the possibility of bed wobble when you are performing various, dynamic, and intensive exercises. Furthermore, the reformer’s lower to the ground design makes it safe and easy to manage, which is an extremely important advantage, especially for someone who is new to Pilates and without any prior training.
Unlike other at-home Pilates Reformers in the medium and low-priced range that require you to purchase accessories separately, Yorkgargen comes complete with a padded sitting box, which not only adds height to your body while seated or lying down but also makes your exercises on the reformer much more challenging. As an added bonus, it even comes with a jumpboard if you fancy adding a bit of cardio into your practice, and a Pilates circle to strengthen and tone a wide range of muscles in your body, especially in the arms, chest, legs, and core.
In terms of smooth operation and noise output, I would say for an at-home Pilates machine priced at almost a third of the cost of an average professional grade model, the Reformer is extremely comfortable to use. It still provides a surprisingly smooth and quiet performance, though it certainly cannot deliver the same high-end Pilates experience as a commercial-grade studio model. When performing an exercise on the Reformer, the only noise that is normal and you might hear is the soft rolling noise of the rollers rolling on their track, and a light spring ‘poing’ during extension and recoil-nothing distracting or bothersome at all.
Its foldable construction is a particularly practical and appealing feature, especially if you are tight on room space. But like most foldable home Pilates Reformers on the market today, the Yorkgargen does not accommodate taller people. However, if you fall within the 4’11”- 5′9″ (about 148–175 cm) tall range, there’s nothing about this Reformer that will restrict your ability to use it fully. Its dimensions, range of motion, and strap adjustment options all combine to provide you with a full range of Pilates strength training exercises without feeling cramped or limited.
The Yorkgargen is an attractive alternative for genuinely passionate Pilates devotees. It offers all the essential features you need in a foldable Reformer to maintain consistent practice from the comfort of your own home, without stretching your budget on premium brand pricing.
Best-In-Class Foldable Reformer for Home Use on a Budget
Now let’s look at the Leisure King Reformer.
For a slightly higher price point and larger physical footprint, LeisureKing’s Reformer shares many of the same base features as the Yorkgargen – but also includes additional accessories, such as a Magic resistance circle and foot strap, that enhance and diversify your overall Pilates training experience.
This well-balanced foldable Reformer from Leisure King also prioritizes stability and safety to ensure you get the best low-impact strength training experience possible. Its solid wooden frame construction, along with all the other components and equipment, makes every exercise you perform on it feel very solid and controlled. This turns each of your sessions into a truly pleasant and rewarding training experience.
Frankly, it is rare to find a foldable Reformer of studio quality, designed for home use and made of solid oak wood, at that price point. When you weigh that up against the average cost of buying a top-of-the-line, professional grade Reformer, you can quickly start to see why the price of a Pilates machine from the mid-range price category seems a bit more reasonable and easier to swallow.
While the Reformer’s foot bar is adjustable to accommodate a wide range of body heights and various types of exercises, the top of the reformer carriage sits rather closer to the floor, which would make certain exercises impossible to perform, such as pulling straps 1, eves lunge, and semi circle. So, if you are taller than 5’9”, this model would not be such a great choice for you, as you may find it a bit low to the ground and feel somewhat cramped on the carriage. You might be better off with a 14-inch (35.5 cm) studio-height reformer.
The padded headrest has three adjustment positions for cervical support: down, middle, and high.
What stands out the most for this machine is that it gives you the ability to tailor the level of resistance your body will encounter when moving the carriage. This Reformer offers five choices of different spring resistance levels, allowing you to adapt your training according to your own level of fitness and ability. Each spring varies in strength (light, medium, and heavy) and can be attached or detached from the eyebolts beneath the Reformer’s carriage.
The carriage itself provides you a firm yet adequately padded surface, enabling your body to find and hold its alignment, which is essential for maintaining proper balance and posture throughout your exercises on the machine. Plus, one of the great things about the Leisure King Reformer is that its carriage measures 22 inches (56 cm) wide, which is particularly beneficial for women with broader shoulders. What is more, the length of the carriage is sufficient to comfortably accommodate people up to 5ft 10in tall, which is invaluable for a comfortable exercise experience.
It is also worth mentioning that the wooden risers with attached pulleys at the top of the head-end of the frame offer variable pulley height adjustments. The height adjustable pulleys on the Reformer enable you to change the angle and amount of resistance. This versatility enables you to vary the angles of resistance of the hand and foot straps, making your pulling exercises more challenging. One minor inconvenience with this model, however, is that you need to take off the pulley risers when folding it up or down as well; otherwise you risk breaking them.
The springs and straps it came with are another thing worth complimenting, as their quality is truly impressive and comparable to those of far more expensive Reformer machines you can see in Pilates studios.
Although in theory it is possible to fold and unfold it on your own, I’d add that it is not the lightest piece of equipment. So, overall, if you can not lift heavy enough due to injury or limitations, you might require an extra pair of hands to help you lift off and move this machine to your ideal location.
Although the Reformer is not designed for high-intensity training and continuous use like the non-foldable pro-level versions, it remains a reliable and practical choice for Pilates newcomers with no prior experience, especially those who do not have a dedicated workout space at home or who are tight on a budget. That said, if you are serious, self-motivated and really want to get on the Reformer and practice Pilates, it is well worth your money.
Final thoughts
Hopefully, this post helped you assess which version of a contemporary Reformer you’d like to purchase. If you are still sitting on the fence and trying to decide between the Yorkgargen and the Leisure King Reformer, take the time to view and read through the comments and reviews that other users have shared about the model you are considering before making your final decision.
To find out a bit more about the pros and cons of each model, so you can make a positive and better choice while searching for the best low impact exercise machine, follow this link and this one to visit their appropriate product page.