We catch up with Emma Stallworthy, Founder of Your Reformer, an at-home Pilates experience designed to bring a cost-effective, flexible way to practice Pilates in the comfort of your own home.
1. Tell us about Your Reformer and what inspired you to start the company.
As a busy mum of 2, and running a business, I know how hard it is fitting in a visit to my favourite studio, or keeping any appointment for myself really! Add COVID to the mix, and lockdowns forced us all to become more comfortable with working out from home and valuing the flexibility and convenience that gives us. I was lucky enough to have a reformer bed at home during lockdown, and really relished the ability to take advantage of the small windows of time throughout the day. Having previously owned a chain of gyms and Pilates studios with husband Ben, we saw first hand the popularity of hiring reformer beds at home during lockdown, and the uptake of on demand classes.
On the back of these experiences, we wanted to make reformer Pilates more accessible at home. But we didn’t just want to sell beds, we wanted to provide a full solution. There are so many amazing at home workout products on the market now, particularly post-covid lockdowns, however there really isn’t any great options for reformer Pilates. And so Your Reformer was born.
It’s great for not only busy parents, professionals or even beginners not ready to enter a studio, but also for instructors wanting to find time to practice at home, or perhaps upskilling themselves with an online course where they need access to a bed. And with interest rates and inflation starting to pinch, it is also super cost effective when compared to expensive studio classes!
We are huge Pilates fans here at ele, can we get the same results from an at home experience as we can at a Pilates studio?
Absolutely, in fact I’d argue more so. To get results, you need consistency, and really that is what we have been lacking mostly in the past couple of years with the pandemic. Having a bed at home enables you to commit to more sessions per week.
In-person sessions are excellent, the vibe and of course personal instruction to your form can’t be replicated, however you could keep your one class a week, and then supplement with 2-3 extra classes at home that you may not have had time to do otherwise. Plus you save money too! Our instructional videos are professionally filmed and tailored to cater for beginners all the way through to advanced Pilates lovers. We’ve even partnered with expert physios to deliver really targeted programs including pre and post natal, and those with injuries for rehabilitation.
3. Is Pilates suitable for all ages and ability levels?
Yes, yes and yes! Pilates is a low impact movement, and is a great exercise suitable for young teenagers all the way through to retirees. Your Reformer caters for those wanting a full body fitness workout, or perhaps those wanting to perfect their running or sports performance, through to those just wanting to keep moving to curb osteoporosis effects, or menopause.
4. What are the main benefits of doing Pilates at home?
So many – where to start! Convenience, cost saving, mental wellbeing and even something to share with the family. And that’s before we even get to talk about the benefits of regular Pilates practice. Pilates is great for building strength and muscle tone, as well as stability through the joints. It connects the mind with your body’s movements, which essentially is a mindfulness practice, thereby helping to reduce stress and anxiety.
Originally designed for dancers, a reformer workout will focus on both strengthening and lengthening muscle movements, and it’s low impact so you can keep coming back, and having in the comfort of your own home means you can jump on and move anytime it suits you, maybe even straight out of bed in your PJs!
Other wonderful benefits from regular Pilates include building strength in the core which so many of us lack, thereby reducing the chance of back pain. It also helps to improve or counteract bad posture, for example the hunched back caused by sitting at a desk all day, breastfeeding or carrying children, looking at our phones, etc. Plus it’s lots of fun!
We catch up with Emma Stallworthy, Founder of Your Reformer, an at-home Pilates experience designed to bring a cost-effective, flexible way to practice Pilates in the comfort of your own home.
1. Tell us about Your Reformer and what inspired you to start the company.
As a busy mum of 2, and running a business, I know how hard it is fitting in a visit to my favourite studio, or keeping any appointment for myself really! Add COVID to the mix, and lockdowns forced us all to become more comfortable with working out from home and valuing the flexibility and convenience that gives us. I was lucky enough to have a reformer bed at home during lockdown, and really relished the ability to take advantage of the small windows of time throughout the day. Having previously owned a chain of gyms and Pilates studios with husband Ben, we saw first hand the popularity of hiring reformer beds at home during lockdown, and the uptake of on demand classes.
On the back of these experiences, we wanted to make reformer Pilates more accessible at home. But we didn’t just want to sell beds, we wanted to provide a full solution. There are so many amazing at home workout products on the market now, particularly post-covid lockdowns, however there really isn’t any great options for reformer Pilates. And so Your Reformer was born.
It’s great for not only busy parents, professionals or even beginners not ready to enter a studio, but also for instructors wanting to find time to practice at home, or perhaps upskilling themselves with an online course where they need access to a bed. And with interest rates and inflation starting to pinch, it is also super cost effective when compared to expensive studio classes!
We are huge Pilates fans here at ele, can we get the same results from an at home experience as we can at a Pilates studio?
Absolutely, in fact I’d argue more so. To get results, you need consistency, and really that is what we have been lacking mostly in the past couple of years with the pandemic. Having a bed at home enables you to commit to more sessions per week.
In-person sessions are excellent, the vibe and of course personal instruction to your form can’t be replicated, however you could keep your one class a week, and then supplement with 2-3 extra classes at home that you may not have had time to do otherwise. Plus you save money too! Our instructional videos are professionally filmed and tailored to cater for beginners all the way through to advanced Pilates lovers. We’ve even partnered with expert physios to deliver really targeted programs including pre and post natal, and those with injuries for rehabilitation.
3. Is Pilates suitable for all ages and ability levels?
Yes, yes and yes! Pilates is a low impact movement, and is a great exercise suitable for young teenagers all the way through to retirees. Your Reformer caters for those wanting a full body fitness workout, or perhaps those wanting to perfect their running or sports performance, through to those just wanting to keep moving to curb osteoporosis effects, or menopause.
4. What are the main benefits of doing Pilates at home?
So many – where to start! Convenience, cost saving, mental wellbeing and even something to share with the family. And that’s before we even get to talk about the benefits of regular Pilates practice. Pilates is great for building strength and muscle tone, as well as stability through the joints. It connects the mind with your body’s movements, which essentially is a mindfulness practice, thereby helping to reduce stress and anxiety.
Originally designed for dancers, a reformer workout will focus on both strengthening and lengthening muscle movements, and it’s low impact so you can keep coming back, and having in the comfort of your own home means you can jump on and move anytime it suits you, maybe even straight out of bed in your PJs!
Other wonderful benefits from regular Pilates include building strength in the core which so many of us lack, thereby reducing the chance of back pain. It also helps to improve or counteract bad posture, for example the hunched back caused by sitting at a desk all day, breastfeeding or carrying children, looking at our phones, etc. Plus it’s lots of fun!
Want more? Click here for How a Year of Pilates Can Change Your Life and here for an At-Home Pilates Workout to Strengthen Your Core.
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