Foldable Pilates board or studio reformer: which one to choose?

You want to do reformer Pilates at home, but between the big studio machines and the foldable boards, it is hard to know what to choose. Here is an honest comparison, criterion by criterion.

The studio reformer

It is the reference machine: a long wooden or aluminium frame, a carriage on rails, adjustable springs, often straps and a footbar. It allows a very large repertoire of exercises and very fine resistance settings.

Its limits at home: it often costs several thousand euros, it takes up the space of a bed (around 2.4 m long) and it rarely folds away. It suits people with a dedicated room.

The foldable reformer board

It takes up the principle of the reformer in a compact format: a board with a gliding carriage, a U-handle, removable bars and resistance bands. It folds in half at its central hinge and stores flat.

Its limits: the resistance comes from bands rather than springs, and the repertoire is smaller than on a full machine. For a daily practice at home, it covers the essentials: legs, glutes, abdominals, arms and back.

Criterion by criterion

• Price: several thousand euros for a studio reformer, a few hundred for a board.
• Space: a dedicated room for the machine; a corner of the living room for the board, which disappears once folded.
• Set-up: delivery and assembly for the machine; the board is ready in a few minutes.
• Resistance: springs adjustable to the kilo on the machine; bands of several strengths on the board.
• Exercises: a very wide repertoire on the machine; the fundamental movements on the board.

So, which one to choose?

Choose a studio reformer if you already practise at an advanced level, have a dedicated room and the budget that goes with it.

Choose a foldable board if you are starting out or want to practise regularly at home, in a living room or a small flat, without major investment. That is the idea behind the Home Studio board: fifteen minutes a day, at home, guided by nao’s 14-day programme included with your order.

In both cases, the most important thing is regularity. The best reformer is the one you actually use.

See the Home Studio board in detail, or read our beginner’s guide.