Although Pilates started as a form of exercise that was free from weight and other machines, it evolved over the years and today there are a number of Pilates accessories that is focused on complimenting these unique exercises. Although none of these are necessary, it can help you get more out of your workouts and depending on your own unique situation, fitness level and even skill level you can decide what’s best for you.

The good news is that the majority of pilates accessories are relatively inexpensive and unlike many modern fitness equipment its really basic and only designed to support your existing workouts to make them more challenging, more effective and more beneficial. Lets quickly look at some of the most popular ones and you can use your own discretion on what you need and what will work for you.

- Pilates Mat
As simple as it may sound, the mat is one of the most important things you need. Pilates mats are much thicker and provides much more support than traditional yoga mats since many of the exercises drive your spine hard unto the floor and without proper support it can be both painful and cause injuries. There are a variety of mats available and as a personal preference I like a larger mat with a much thicker gauge as it gives you more confidence in not getting hurt.

- Reformer
This is one of the most popular and probably the most important pieces of exercise equipment for Pilates. Rumor has it that Josepth Pilates used old bed frames to construct the first reformers, but today its much more sophisticated. Its basically a mix between a gym bench and an old-style indoor rower. Its a platform that slides along a steel frame with a pulley system to allow you to allow you to pull yourself along the platform. The reason why its so important is because it offers resistance training and can really take your pilates training to a whole other level.

- Pilates Barrels
Barrels are designed to help develop and align the spine. Its used to support your lower back when you lie down and it comes in many different forms. The Ladder barrel is the largest and usually only found in Pilates studios while the Hump Barrel is great for home and personal use.

- Pilates Magic Circle
Pioneered by Joseph Pilates from the steel hoops used in Beer kegs, its basically a steel or plastic ring with 2 handles on opposite ends. Its mainly used to provide resistance and you can use it in a variety of exercises to help tone your muscles and develop greater resistance when you exercise.

- The Ped-o-Pull
The Ped-o-Pull is designed to help you improve your core strength while working on your breathing and shoulder strength. Its said that Joseph Pilates developed it to help a famous opera singer improve his breathing and by using your Powerhouse to balance and stabilize yourself can be real challenging and its definitely one of the harder Pilates accessories to master.

- The Beanbag
The Beanbag is often used by tennis players and is designed to strengthen and work on your hands, wrists and forearms. Its basically a wooden dowel with a 3 lbs bean bag attached to it via a rope. You would use the dowel to roll the rope and bring the beanbag up.

There are new Pilates accessories being introduced all the time. Its a great way to keep your workouts interesting and also to keep challenging yourself to achieve more and to get even better.
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The Pilates Reformer machine is one of the most popular and most widely used pieces of equipment used in Pilates. When Joseph Pilates first developed his unique workouts the main focus was on keeping it free from weight and other “machines” that he believed did more harm than good. As a purely mat based workout program Pilates has its limitations. While it still provides you with a whole-body workout it lacked that extra resistance to “beef up” your workouts.

This was when the reformer was introduced. While some may think that its nothing more than another fitness machine, this is truly different. The Pilates reformer machine is a piece of equipment that is specifically designed to use your own body weight to provide the resistance. Rumor has it that the first version of a the Reformer was made from an old bed frame. No wonder, it still looks remarkably like a bed but it works very differently.

Its essentially a frame with a sliding platform that allows you to site or lie down on. At the one end of the platform is a static foot bar and at the other end is a pair of elastic ropes with pulleys. At the one end the platform is attached with springs which provide the resistance while you are sliding along the platform during the workout.

Virtually every part of the reformer can be adjusted to suit virtually any person. It also allows you to use a wide variety of postures to add great flexibility to your workouts. While anyone can use it, its more focused on the advanced user and you should never attempt to use it without a good instructor or without Pilates experience.

Using Pilates reformer machine has some distinct benefits. The first and most obvious benefit is a much more demanding workout and if you are looking to get more out of your Pilates workouts then a reformer can certainly provide that for you. It will help you to  build muscle and add a greater work rate to your exercises which will improve your cardiovascular health and boost your metabolism – which makes it great for weight loss.

Many athletes use reformer machines to build core strength and to improve breathing which is certain valid for anyone who wants to improve their overall health and well being. In the nature of Pilates, the reformer is kind on your body and places the focus on optimizing muscle involvement.

Buying a Pilates reformer can range from $500 to $5000 and unless you have the space its not really ideal for home use. In my opinion its best in a studio setup with an instructor although many persoanl trainers can take you on in a one-on-one setup.
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