A comprehensive guide to Pilates Equipment

Pilates is a popular style of exercise that is performed worldwide by over 12 million people of varying ages, abilities and backgrounds. The Pilates method is practised by everyday people for a variety of different health, fitness and medical reasons.

Pilates takes its name from its founder, Joseph Pilates, who originally called his revolutionary approach ‘Contrology’. This was also the title of his pioneering book: Return to Life Through Contrology.

In this guide, we will take a look at the Pilates studio-specific equipment that is used in Pilates today. Joseph Pilates referred to his equipment as ‘apparatus’ and his original designs included the Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair and Ladder Barrel.

In our fully-equipped studio in Glasgow City Centre, you can find a range of Pilates classes to suit your needs. Find out more here.

The Pilates Reformer

The Pilates Reformer as we know it today was one of the first pieces of equipment designed by Joseph Pilates when he was interned on the Isle of Man during the First World War.

Originally made from an old hospital bed frame and springs, Pilates used the reformer to help people recover from the flu pandemic and soldiers recover from battle injuries.

The commercial-grade reformer still looks like a wooden bed frame with a sliding carriage. It utilises a spring mechanism to create horizontal resistance and this can be used to make exercises more or less challenging. Often, the springs have different levels of tension and these can be added and removed to create varying combinations.

Reformer exercises are often grouped together into sequences or series. The most widely used series include footwork, hip, abdominal, arm, back and spine series. There are also those exercises which can be classified as whole-body because they include a combination of upper, lower and torso integration.

There are over 500 documented reformer exercises with an almost infinite number of ways to adapt, modify and progress these exercises. They can be performed lying prone (face down), supine (face up) or side-lying. They can also be performed kneeling, sitting or standing.

At Yellow Pilates we believe the skill is in tailoring these exercises to the specific needs and abilities of our clients, based on their needs & goals. 

The Cadillac

Not to be mistaken with the American car manufacturer, the Cadillac is arguably the most visually impressive piece of Pilates equipment.

To the untrained eye, it may actually be mistaken for a larger reformer. The Cadillac resembles a four-poster bed frame, and is much larger and doesn’t have the same sliding carriage that the Reformer has.

Additionally, the Cadillac has a large frame around it, providing support for the various bars and handles that are suspended. In some Pilates circles, the Cadillac may actually be referred to as the ‘trapeze table’.

The name is said to originate from an ‘off the cuff’ remark from one of Joseph Pilates students. As the story goes, when Pilates unveiled his contraption to his students, one of them said ‘Hey Joe, is that your new Cadillac?’ and the name stuck.

Exercises on the Cadillac are performed from a wide-range of body positions. Some of the most basic exercises resemble those used in Mat Pilates, where the participant lies in a prone, spine or side-lying position. Exercises can also be performed in a kneeling and standing body position.

Many of the more advanced exercises resemble those of an acrobat in the circus. The various handles, straps, roll-up bar and push through bar are used to assist or resist the movement, as the exercise and participant requires. There really is an exercise for everyone with the Cadillac.

Like Reformer exercises, Cadillac exercises are also performed in a sequence and these sequences may focus on a specific area of the body, or work through the whole-body, depending on the specific needs and abilities of the participant.

The Ladder Barrel

The Ladder Barrel is an original piece of Pilates apparatus which was inspired by an empty beer keg, although today’s sleek design bears almost no resemblance to its rustic origin. The Ladder Barrel is actually the only piece of Pilates apparatus that doesn’t have any springs or moving parts.

As the name suggests, there are two main components to the Ladder Barrel. The first is the wooden ladder with rungs for either the feet or the hands to connect with. The second is the barrel, which is normally padded and covered in leather for comfort and hygiene.

The Ladder Barrel has many uses and applications but is most often used to target and strengthen the spine extensors, abdominal and oblique muscles. There is also usually some involvement of the hip, leg, gluteal and shoulder muscles.

The Ladder Barrel can also be effective for stretching and flexibility work. The curved nature of the barrel combined with the stability of the ladder provides an ideal structure to anchor one part of the body while moving another away, as is required for a stretch to occur.

The Spine Corrector

The spine corrector looks by all intents and purposes like a smaller and more compact version of the ladder barrel, owing largely to its dome shape and padded surface.

On closer inspection, however, you’ll notice that the curve on the spine corrector is less pronounced than that on the ladder barrel, and it also sits much lower to the ground. Both of these features make it an ideal piece of apparatus for those new to Pilates, or who have injuries or restrictions which mean that the range of extension at the spine needs to be limited.

It can also be placed on to the carriage of a reformer or the bed of the Cadillac and used to assist exercises on those pieces of equipment.

They are mainly used for stretching and strengthening exercises that focus on the hips, spine and abdominals, although some exercises will naturally have a spill over effect to other areas of the body, especially the neck and shoulders.

Wunda Chair

Sometimes known as just the Pilates Chair, but originally named the ‘Wunda chair’ by Joseph Pilates, he designed the chair to be a convertible armchair that could quickly and easily be transformed into a functional exercise station.

The chair was deliberately compact because it had to be able to fit into a small New York apartment where space was in short supply. The original design only had a seat, a pedal, and springs, whereas the modern take on the chair now has considerably more features, including handles, split pedals.

Like most of the Pilates apparatus, the chair is made from wood and the seat and pedal are usually covered with leather or vinyl padding. The springs attach to the pedal to create resistance in a downwards motion, and the springs can normally be adjusted to create more or less tension. The spring mechanisms are somewhat more sophisticated than earlier designs, which makes it much easier to vary the resistance on the pedal.

At Yellow Pilates, we think the Wunda Chair is one of the most versatile pieces of apparatus - you can use it in so many ways to strengthen & mobilise every area of your body. There are endless possibilities. 

At Yellow Pilates, you will receive expert guidance from our experienced instructors, in a supportive and friendly environment. 

Conveniently located between Glasgow City Centre and Glasgow Southside.

Find joy in movement with our exceptional, high-quality Pilates classes.