Maggie Schlegel
Last updated July 1, 2024

Mat Pilates vs. Reformer Pilates… Top 5 Questions Our Pilates Studio Receives

Today we’re pulling back the curtains and diving deep into YOUR biggest questions about Mat Pilates and how it’s different from Reformer Pilates.

This topic often causes confusion in the Pilates community. So we’re determined to clear the air.

At Sultivate, we’re a Pilates Studio specializing in both Mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates. Today we’re taking a deep dive into these two main Pilates styles.

Some of the top questions we often get and can’t wait to answer for you:

What is Mat Pilates?
What are the benefits of Mat Pilates?
Is Mat Pilates harder than Reformer?
Is Mat Pilates as effective as Reformer?
Which Pilates class is right for you?

Let’s jump right in and talk about what Mat Pilates is.

What is Mat Pilates?

Mat Pilates is a combined system of mental and physical conditioning that centers around movement. What are your Goals when working out on the mat?

Reducing stress
Building your strength
Increasing your flexibility
Elevating your coordination
Improving your mental focus
Increasing overall well-being

Mat Pilates is about the journey, not the destination. Unlike the static and stationary poses of Yoga, Mat Pilates involves performing rhythmical movements that flow from one movement to the next all while maintaining mental awareness of what those movements feel like.

The goal is to build an element of connection between your mind and body.

Ready for a secret? Reformer Pilates uses this same exercise system but with slight variations in exercises and different equipment… a different journey with similar exercises.

The key elements of Mat Pilates include the mat, your body, your mind, and gravity. You may throw in a couple more exercise tools to change up your workout every once in a while. But for the most part, its beauty is in its simplicity.

So why do Mat Pilates?

The Top Benefits of Mat Pilates… Shat Makes it Different?

We touched on these a bit above, but let’s go a little deeper. We’ll start with the benefits that are exclusive to the Mat Pilates style…

Mat Pilates is affordable: All you need is a mat, a floor, and your body weight. If you want to add in any exercise tools, like resistance bands, a flex ring, or a balance pad, they’re fairly affordable too. Mat Pilates classes are typically budget-friendly as there is less equipment to buy, maintain, and clean.
Travel-friendly: Without the need for lots of equipment, you can do Mat Pilates anywhere. In your home, the park, or even on vacation.
Exercise more: Without the need to invest in expensive equipment, you can workout more on your own. Maybe even take one of the on-demand Mat Pilates classes we’re rolling out later this month… This can increase how quickly you start to see results from Pilates.
Widely available: a lot of fitness studios offer group Mat Pilates classes because they don’t need to invest in large expensive equipment.
It’s simple: you don’t have to struggle with a lot of equipment. Just nice slow exercises, with plenty of time to think about and focus on each movement and how your body reacts.

Then of course there are the amazing benefits that all Pilates styles provide including Mat Pilates:

Easier functional movements: This means you’ll struggle less with your daily activities. Things like – bending over, sleeping through the night, squatting down, gardening. The movements that shouldn’t hurt but sometimes do.
Build your stabilizing muscles: We’re talking about your core muscles. Working on your core is proven to be one of the best ways to stay injury and pain-free. As well as helping to rehab injuries more quickly.¹ It also ensures that your muscles are all working collectively. Rather than some getting overworked and some not doing their jobs.
Fix your posture: with so much emphasis on mentally connecting with how your body moves, your posture will start to naturally improve. You’ll stand a little taller and drop your shoulders a little more. These postural fixes will have a compounding effect on your core improvements for a pain and tension-free life.
Increase your flexibility: lengthening your muscles as you work them out is incredibly beneficial. It increases the blood flow to your muscles throughout the workout to give you the best results.²
Body awareness and a Self-esteem boost: with your increasing capabilities and an active focus on your body you’ll naturally start to feel better about yourself. Of course, those exercise endorphins help with that too!
It doesn’t always feel like a workout: You aren’t always sweaty or out of breath after a Pilates Class. Although you can be. But you are always reaping some kind of benefit from it. Whether it’s mental or physical, there is a class for every goal.

At Sultivate, we believe movement brings positivity to your life. While we could go on and on about the benefits of Pilates we’ve got some other juicy questions to get to.

Let’s move on to more of the good stuff…

Is Mat Pilates Harder than Reformer Pilates?

We hear this question a lot. Unfortunately, there isn’t a clear-cut answer because everyone has different strengths and weaknesses when it comes to exercise. So let’s talk about some of the aspects that may make Mat Pilates harder than Reformer Pilates.³

Mat Pilates can be harder for you…

Body weight exercises: There aren’t a lot of modifications to make Mat Pilates easier. You can add an incline to a push-up, or incorporate blocks and towels for more support, but you’re still working out with your whole body.
100% gravity, 100% of the time: There is no way to make gravity less when you’re doing Mat Pilates.
Accessibility: getting up and down off the ground isn’t possible for some people.

Reformer Pilates is easier because…

Ease of making it easier or harder: Make them heavier or lighter to make exercises both easier and harder for you to complete. Body weight isn’t a huge factor.
Less gravity: A lot of times you’re doing things laying down on an elevated surface that glides. So you don’t have the weight of gravity to contend with.
More accessible: it’s easier to get on and off a reformer than the floor.

But some elements make Mat Pilates easier than Reformer Pilates:

Mat Pilates can be easier because…

More stability: You’re moving your body and nothing else moves. You have to worry less about coordination.
Bodyweight becomes easier: As you get stronger and stronger, bodyweight exercises will become easier.
Quicker learning curve: with less equipment to use and learn you’ll learn the movements quicker. Making it easier to do on your own.

Reformer Pilates can be harder because…

Less stability: The platform you’re lying on moves. You have to think about how your movement will create a reaction with the reformer.
Build strength with Progressive workouts: there is always a way to make a workout harder on the reformer.
Slower learning curve: with lots of equipment and exercise modifications, it can take time to feel confident in your abilities.

As you can see… no clear-cut answer because everyone has different fitness abilities and goals.

Let’s look at the bigger picture – what are you going to gain from them?

Is Mat Pilates as Effective as Reformer Pilates?

While there are different ways to perform the Pilates system, all Pilates styles can get you great health and wellness results.

The most effective style of Pilates… is the one you’ll do the most.

Let’s face it, exercise is one of the first things to get dropped from a busy to-do list. So choosing the one you like the most will get you the best benefits. Because.you’ll.show.up!

Still not sure you know what you want in your Pilates routine?

Which is for You… Mat Pilates vs. Reformer Pilates.

It’s good to get clear on your fitness abilities and goals before you choose. One way to do this is to ask yourself questions about your goals. Things like:

Do you struggle with bodyweight activities? Maybe start with some Reformer classes to build strength.
Are you looking for something you can also do from home? Sounds like Mat Pilates is a good starting point.
Is getting up and down off the ground hard? Reformer it is.
Do you travel a lot? Mat
Do you like learning new things and having lots of exercise variations? Reformer
Do you keep to a tight budget? Mat

Both Pilates styles can help you reach your fitness and functional goals. The key is to think about your lifestyle and your abilities, to determine what exercise routine fits best into it. These will guide you to the Pilates style that’s best for you.

Getting clear on your goals and what’s holding you back from them can give you lots of information about what style – Reformer Pilates vs Mat – you should be doing.

Of course you can always try a class of each and see which fits you better.

The choice is in your hands.

The take away… none of these questions really have concrete answers, because every person is different. But hopefully, we gave you some good insight so you can make up your own mind of what’s right for you.

In our opinion, the best style of Pilates is the one you’ll consistently do. Or if you ask most of our instructors… it’s both styles!

Book a class with Sultivate today and start your Pilates journey.